by C. J. Strong
“No! Don’t touch it—“ Andrum said as he quickly snatched the book away.
“Jeez, what’s got you so jumpy?” Yuralia said as she pulled her hand back.
“I-I’m sorry, it’s just that I have no time to explain. We have to save Ashurd. I think he is preparing to fight Ondull again,” Andrum explained.
“What are you talking about child? You really think Ashurd is alive?” Uriella asked.
“I know he is. Come on, we have to get to the village of the Salker Tribe,” Andrum said as the magik book disappeared in his hands.
“My village? But… we can’t return there. I told you what my mother wanted me to do,” Yuralia said as she turned from the group.
Andrum sighed and then walked over to her, and put his hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her. “Look, I know how hard this must be for you. But I think I have a plan.”
“A plan?” Yuralia said as she turned to look at him with tears in her eyes.
“Yes, a plan,” Andrum said with a smile as he wiped a tear from her cheek. It was amazing how beautiful she looked, even in her saddest of moments. “Your mother sent you to deceive us yes? Well then why don’t we act as if the deception worked?”
“What do you mean?” Yuralia asked.
“Ondull doesn’t know what happened to us in the Eternal Lands, but wanted you to steal our wish in order to bring back your father, correct? Well why don’t we make her think that you did steal our wish,” Andrum said as he turned back towards Uriella.
“But obviously we didn’t bring him back,” Uriella said.
“No, but we may be able to convince her that Yuralia wished for something different. All we have to do is convince her for long enough for one of us to find and rescue Ashurd,” Andrum said.
“But Andrum, you didn’t see what we saw. We saw my mother defeat him,” Yuralia explained.
“Yes, you may have. But did you see him die? Trust me he is still alive—“
“O.K. assume he is, then how do we just march right into the village and rescue him without Ondull and the rest of her people interfering?” Uriella asked.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead, all I know is that Ashurd is alive and we have to save him,” Andrum said before shrugging his shoulders.
“Wait. What if we pretend that we made it to Xurion’s Pyramid, I betrayed the both of you, but my wish couldn’t be granted? So instead I wished for overwhelming power to control others. That would explain why the both of you are still with me, and why my father wasn’t brought back to life,” Yuralia said as she took Andrum’s hand.
“Do you really think that would work?” Uriella said before sitting down against a tree.
“It just might. As long as the both of you can act as if you are somehow under my control. I’ve always had a bit of a temper, and she just might buy it if I acted as if I made the wish out of anger. Besides, knowing her, she would love to try and use me for my new powers,” Yuralia said.
“Well… You know your mother better than anyone,” Uriella said.
“It’s settled then, we will return to the village in hopes of finding Ashurd,” Andrum said as he let go of Yuralia’s hand, walked over, and helped Uriella back to her feet.
“And what will we do once we find him? You young ones may be able to outrun Ondull’s wraith, but my old bones just don’t move like they used to,” Uriella said.
“We will think of something, now come on, let’s go,” Andrum answered.
The plan was vague, but still a plan nonetheless, and Andrum felt that it was better not to get too worked up in the details. Even when he was Head, he liked living in the moment rather than planning things out in advance. Andrum, Yuralia, and Uriella gathered their things and they set out on the path towards Yuralia’s village. The closer they approached, the more Uriella and Andrum attempted to get into character.
Eventually they came to the village gates, where they were stopped by two guards wielding spears.
“See, I don’t see Ashurd’s head anywhere like she promised,” Andrum said before Yuralia nudged him to shut up.
“Halt!” One of the guards said as he pointed his weapon towards the group.
“Have I been gone so long that my people no longer recognize me?!” Yuralia said as she pushed the guard’s spear down.
“Commander Yuralia, I… I apologize for my colleagues actions, he is new,” the other guard said.
“I thought his face looked unfamiliar. I see some things have changed since I’ve been gone after all,” she said as the gates opened. “Where is Mother?”
“You will find her at the Chieftain’s Lounge, she seems to frequent that place a lot lately,” the guard said as they passed by.
“Thank you, and should any of my friends return here without me, you are to open the gates for them. Understood?” Yuralia said as she winked at Andrum and Uriella.
“Understood!” the guards said simultaneously before standing in salute.
The way Yuralia carried herself was impressive, and Andrum knew that he had better let her take lead if their plan was going to work. At first he considered acting as if being under Yuralia’s control had made him brain dead, but then figured it would give them away if he had to talk, so he decided it best to act mostly normal. It was going to be difficult to fool everyone, and Andrum had never acted before, but if Uriella could do it then so could he.
The three heroes entered the village, with Yuralia leading the pack. As they looked around, they noticed that almost everything was the same as it was when they had left. After wandering through for several minutes, they finally came upon a large metal building. It stood erect with a modern day look to it, something unusual compared to the Salker Tribe’s other structures.
Yuralia took no hesitation in walking right in, while Andrum and Uriella slowly lagged behind. “Mother, I have returned at last!” she shouted.
Two figures were sitting at a table and turned to face her. One stood, and revealed herself to be Mistress Ondull. The other, remained still until Ondull snapped her fingers. As Andrum and Uriella entered the room, the figure from the table rose at Ondull’s command. The trio tried to contain themselves as they looked on with excitement.
Ashurd had indeed survived the trial by combat, sporting a new scar diagonally across his face as a result. He no longer showed colors of any emotion, and had become a shell of the man he once was.
What has she done to him? Andrum thought as he tried to play it cool.
Ondull pushed her chair in and walked towards her daughter as Ashurd remained still. “So, I take it that our plan worked? And you even brought the pets back to us, how cute. But were you able to bring my beloved back to life?”
“Yes, they are under my command now, but no unfortunately not. This all powerful ‘wish’ I was granted couldn’t bring back the dead. I was furious at the time, but I figured that if I wished to be more powerful instead, then I would at least be able to avenge him,” Yuralia said without hesitation.
“Disappointing, but understandable. I’m proud of you my child,” Ondull said before hugging Yuralia. “So, what new powers do you bring? And why does this one look so different?”
“The powers that I stole allowed me to suck the soul from his body. In doing so, I must’ve sucked some fat away as well.”
“Interesting, so you now hold the ability to absorb any soul into your own?”
“Not exactly. One must either willingly give their powers to me.”
“Well, let’s try it with my slave over here then,” Ondull said as she snapped her fingers once more. “I’d like to see these new powers in action.”
As Ashurd came towards the group, Yuralia first looked behind to Andrum and then back at her mom. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work like that. In order to absorb his powers, I would have to defeat him in Ult-Dak-Fin.”
“Oh, is that so? That can be arranged,” Ondull said.
“But… He must be at full strength in order for it to work. Under no circumstances can
he be under the control of anybody else but himself.”
“That seems… dangerous, for a simple demonstration,” Ondull said as she looked deep into Yuralia’s eyes, attempting to read her true intentions.
“It will be more than a simple demonstration mother. It will show all of our people what I am now capable of. Unless of course, you doubt my new powers?” Yuralia said as she remained calm.
“Doubt you? Why you could’ve easily defeated this fool even before this new power boost just as I did. After all, you always were my best student.”
“Then let’s set it up, we can fight in the same place where you two once did.”
“I have an even better idea…” Ondull said as she stuck both of her arms behind her back. “Why don’t you and your slaves get some rest, and I will have our soldiers make the necessary preparations.”
“Sounds perfect. Will you be releasing Ashurd from your bonds before that?”
“Should I?” Ondull questioned as she tilted her head.
“No. Of course not. Wouldn’t want to give that pig an opportunity to back out of our fight!” Yuralia said before turning back towards the entrance. “Let’s go you two fools.”
Both Uriella and Andrum put their heads down and played dumb, following Yuralia outside and to the house that she once called home. She waved her hand in front of the door and it magically opened. The building wasn’t anything special, and every single one around it looked the same to the naked eye. It was only until Andrum and Uriella entered, did they notice a difference. Yuralia’s home was full of paintings and artwork as well as unique furniture.
“I never took you for an art connoisseur,” Andrum said as the door magically shut behind them.
“I’m not. I actually made all of this,” she said as they looked around at all the art filled walls.
“Unbelievable!” Uriella said.
“Yes, art really helped me to practice my conjuring abilities. If I could write down and describe every little detail of a painting, then I knew I could conjure just about anything I put my mind to.”
As Andrum admired the art work, Uriella had to sit down and rest. “So, what exactly is the plan?” she asked.
“The plan is, once my mother releases her control over Ashurd, we make a break for it,” Yuralia answered.
“That’s genius! I couldn’t believe how well you acted back there, you almost had me convinced,” Andrum said as he took Yuralia by the hands and pulled her close.
“I just worry about what your mother has in store for tomorrow. Poor Ashurd, it seems as though he has been serving as Ondull’s slave ever since we’ve been gone,” Uriella said as she sat down in one of the living room chairs.
“I know… it must be hell for him. Which is exactly why we have to save him,” Andrum said as he gripped Yuralia’s hands tightly.
“Don’t worry, we will. But for now we should all get some rest. I haven’t slept in my own bed in who knows how long,” Yuralia said as she gently kissed Andrum and then pulled him towards her room. “Uriella, I could conjure up a bed in here and some blankets if you want?”
Before Yuralia could even finish her sentence, Uriella was already fast asleep in the chair. “She must’ve been exhausted. I’m tired from our journey, and I’m not even half as old as her,” Andrum said as Yuralia led him into her room. I wonder what’s going to happen tomorrow? I could peak inside the book and try to take a look… Nahh it’s too risky.
Chapter 19
Not even a day after their first adventure outside of the village, Gallagher and his friends seemed to be being sent on another. This time however, Valdar and nearly one hundred of his troops were at their side. There was a lot for Gallagher to process in such little time, and he didn’t get much sleep the night before. Between dealing with the horrifying nightmares of what happened at Stonewall Point and the news of going to war, Gallagher was a bit terrified. At least he was apparently some kind of super hero Savior according to Omna, which seemed to calm his nerves a bit. He had always wanted to be a hero, and maybe this war was a chance for him to be one. Valdar held a meeting in the morning and his explanation on where they were going and why was brief, but even if it wasn’t, Gallagher would have struggled to remember the details. Apparently the strange creature that Valdar had saved Gallagher and his friends from was called a Zormite Ghoul, and they were going to battle more of them. If he and his friends couldn’t even destroy one, then he had no idea how they would fair against entire armies of them. Luckily, they were under the protection of Valdar the Strong and countless other Tilturian soldiers. Gallagher had grown accustomed to fighting, and although war scared him, what scared him the most was knowing that he couldn’t defend himself or others.
It took several hours for Valdar and his troops to prepare to leave the village, but by the time Gallagher and Omna had finished cooking breakfast for everyone they were just about ready to go.
“Hey Omna, where is it that we are supposed to be going to again?” Gallagher asked as they cleaned up the dining hall.
“Valdar’s orders are for all of us to march to a place called Rezhul’s Memorial, just outside of Ulteria,” Omna explained.
“Riiight. Because Ulteria is where those Ghoul creatures are coming from?”
“Yes Savior sir, that is correct.”
“Don’t call me that, Omna. I’m serious,” Gallagher said as he shook his head. “You saw how well I saved us from that thing yesterday. If anyone is your savior, it’s Valdar.”
“Valdar is my master, but you are my Sav—“
“Alright children, the troops are ready, gather your things. It’s time to go,” Valdar said as he entered the barracks.
Gallagher nodded in agreement and put the remaining dishes in the kitchen before heading back to his tent to prepare both mentally and physically for the battles ahead. Omna followed him everywhere he went, which was annoying at first but seemed to instill a bit of confidence in him. If she’s not going to be nervous for any of this, then neither am I, Gallagher had decided.
After gathering his things, he caught up to the troops just before they set out on their journey. Naturally, Gallagher wanted to be at the head of the pack with Valdar and Valden, but unfortunately he was stationed near the back. He wasn’t alone at least, as he marched with Omna, Moldur, and his pet pig. The Tilturian army was well organized, but nothing like the militaries back on Earth were. Each soldier seemed to be unique, and since there were only about a hundred or so of them, it didn’t take long for Gallagher to learn a few of their names. He tried zig-zagging through the lines introducing himself and shaking hands, but it wasn’t before long that the entire army stopped abruptly.
Gallagher looked around to try and see what was going on, and he could barely hear Valdar’s voice. After making his way towards the front and pushing through some of the soldiers, Gallagher eventually settled in. “Alright men listen up, our scouts have reported a large batch of Ghouls just up ahead. Most of you have already slain quite a few of these things but remember, magik is the only thing that can kill them so your weapons will be useless,” Valdar shouted.
After Valdar’s speech, Omna and Moldur caught up with him and the troops began to move once more. It wasn’t until after they reached the peak of the hill they were climbing that Gallagher could see what was in front of them. An entire valley full of Zormites, just mindlessly waiting to be attacked. As soon as Gallagher spotted them, Tilturian soldiers all around him began shouting and transforming into different beasts and animals. Valden and Babah joined Gallagher and they watched on from the top of the hill as Valdar lead the army into battle. One by one, each soldier met combat and tore through the ranks of the Zormite horde. Gallagher was in shock as he watched the epic battle unfold. The Tilturian beasts seemed to dispatch most the mindless creatures in a matter of minutes. It was as if every touch by a Tiltur soldier completely exterminated the essence of a Zormite Ghoul. Near what seemed to be the battles end, Valdar’s lion form had taken countless victims,
and was headed towards more challenging foes.
A small group elite soldiers had appeared towards the back end of the chaos. “Finally, some real action!” Valdar roared as he trampled through the massive crowd of Ghouls. As he got closer to the soldiers, Gallagher and his friends travelled down the hill through the path he had cleared.
“Get back,” Valdar said to the children as three soldiers in obelisk colored heavy armor came towards the group.
“What are those things?” Gallagher asked as Tilturian beasts continued the fight against the Ghouls all around them.
“They are called Zealots. Abominations of our proud people!” Valdar said as he dug his claws into the dirt.
“Abominations?” Gallagher said.
“Yes, rumor has it that Zormite Zealots were once Tilturian people that have lost their souls to Zorm,” Valden explained as he held Babah back from joining the fight.
“That sounds awful. Kick their ass Valdar!” Gallagher screamed as he beat his fist in the air.
All three soldiers drew their swords simultaneously as Valdar dashed after them. A series of leaps and slashes followed as they fought. The lion would crush down upon one of the soldier’s arms just as he nearly avoided a swing from another. These foes did not fall as easily as the ghouls did before them, and although the war was being won, Valdar seemed evenly matched with the three.
Gallagher spotted a grey faced shadow that was watching from up above. It moved its hands through a cloak as if conducting, all while on the hill overlooking the battlefield. It didn’t take Gallagher long to locate the target, as it stood in plain sight. It seemed strange to him that if that thing was in fact a Zormite, then why wasn’t it in battle like the rest of them? Maybe it had different powers than the others, but regardless Gallagher wanted to investigate.
“Over there!” he shouted and pointed towards the creature. “Come on, let’s go see what that thing is up to.”
Without hesitation, Gallagher ran through the warzone and up towards the monster. Omna, holding Valdar’s sword as she had grown accustomed to, followed behind. Valden and Moldur along with their pets stayed behind to watch in awe as Valdar continued his fight.
