“Speaking of the jewel, I won’t be able to go with you to the underwater city,” Akielas said.
“Why not?”
“Eckxio and Auron will accompany you,” he said. “I must go to the frozen ivy forest and find a mage that will help me with my current condition.”
“The frozen ivy forest is south of here, about two days on horseback,” Serena replied. “Why on earth would you want to go there? It is too dangerous and cursed. Some say that there is a mage who controls the frozen part of the forest.”
“So you know how to get there?” Akielas asked enthusiastically.
“Of course. This is my country, I know everything,” she answered. “And what is this condition of yours?”
Akielas hesitated to answer. He looked at the city and frowned.
“You don’t have to answer that question,” Serena said and she also frowned.
“No, it is fine. I lost my magic to the Specters,” he confessed.
“They are powerful enough to rob you of your magical abilities?” Serena questioned. “Then I hope not to encounter them.”
“With their regular magic and skills I was able to defeat them,” Akielas answered. “But ever since they stole the cosmo jewels they have become unstoppable.”
“There are more jewels?” Serena asked.
“They possess three right now and the sapphire jewel is the last one,” Akielas explained. “If they get their hands on it they will be unstoppable. In four more days we believe that the tri-eclipse will cause a shift in the maju of Odealeous and the Specters plan to use that solar event to strip every mage of their magic. They can only accomplish that goal with all four jewels.”
“I have heard of the tri-eclipse,” Serena said. “In our history the tri-eclipse was a time of change and the Sapphire Cosmo Jewel was said to tint the world in hues of blue. So now the tri-eclipse will happen once again. It is hard to believe.”
“Keep an open mind, my lady,” Akielas said. “You saw those fiends, didn’t you. Before they attacked your city, you did not believe in them, but now you do. More horrors are coming and we are going to need the help of a powerful mage like you.”
“Fine then. Your Elf friend and the red haired man will come with me to the underwater city of the Laguans,” she concluded.
“The name is Auron,” the Amaranth said as he entered the balcony. “Excuse me your majesty, but how will these Laguans know where the sapphire jewel is if it was previously in your possession?”
“Auron,” Akielas snapped. “Show some respect.”
“It is fine,” Serena said and approached the Amaranth. She stood in front of Auron; she was two inches taller than him and Akielas saw Auron’s brow twitching, which meant he was frightened. “The sapphire jewel disappeared three decades ago yet six months ago the Laguans attacked again, claiming that we still had the jewel. After thirty years they decided to attack again. That sounds a little strange to me. It seems as if they know more about the sapphire jewel than we do to have the guts to attack us when we least expect it. I am going to go and find out myself and if you don’t want to come, than it is your choice. This could benefit you as well. We all want the sapphire jewel, so any bit of information is another clue towards finding where it really is.”
Auron and Serena stared at each other unpleasantly, which made Akielas nervous. Auron, don’t you dare start a fight here, Akielas thought. Auron liked to challenge authority just as he challenged the previous kings of his country. The Amaranth feared no man, but there was something about Serena that disturbed him this time.
“Very well,” Auron said. “You have a point. But this better be fast. The tri-eclipse is only a few days away. We cannot get distracted.”
“The Specters’ plan will not work without the sapphire jewel,” Akielas told him. “The longer it takes to find it, the better, and if my princess here cannot find it, then the Specters won’t have much of a chance either. No offense, Serena.”
“None taken,” she replied.
“Have you learned nothing, Akielas?” Auron snarled. “The Specters have proven to be unpredictable. Ember manipulated me into hand delivering the Crimson Cosmo Jewel. You don’t think they have their own way of finding the final jewel while we sit here plotting and barely knowing what we are doing?”
“We will return today,” Serena said. “If you choose to come, that is. Your Elf friend has already agreed. I don’t think you would want to stay behind.” She giggled.
“You remind me of my wife,” Auron grumbled. “I will go and see this underwater city. And you, Akielas, when we return you better be flowing with maju or we are going to have to fight Ember by ourselves. Just me, Eckxio and the Xaianian man.”
“I have faith in what I do,” Akielas replied. “You behave yourself and don’t give the princess any trouble.”
The Amaranth man bowed to the princess, spun and returned to the halls of the castle. Akielas noticed that Serena was somewhat displeased with Auron. She grimaced as she watched him walk away.
“Is he always like this?” she asked with gritted teeth.
“Worry not. Auron is always very direct when he is under pressure,” Akielas explained. “As I said before, our time is limited so we must use our days wisely. Please forgive him.”
“We are all under stress, but tell me, how will you travel to the frozen ivy forest?” Serena asked. “I have spider flies that will get you there in twelve hours.”
“Spider flies?” Akielas had never heard of such an animal. “Well, thank you very much, my princess, but I had a different idea. See you later.” He bowed to the princess and ran into the hall of the second floor after Auron.
Times like these I really wish I had Cleyross, he thought. Life is much simpler when you have magic. He strode down the hall and, as he hurried, he saw Auron scampering down the stairs to the first floor. “Auron,” he shouted, hoping the Amaranth would hear him. Auron paused midway down the stairs, looked up and waited for Akielas. When he reached his adopted son and just before he could ask, Auron said, “Sure, you can borrow Garuda.”
“Well, of course you knew,” Akielas said. “Right now it is the fastest way. I will dismiss him once I get there.”
“Garuda is much faster than Cleyross. You should have no problem getting there in a few hours,” Auron said. “Just make sure you regain your magic and make yourself useful again.”
“You are the best, Auron,” Akielas replied and embraced the Amaranth. “Let’s go outside. I must leave immediately.”
The two men exited the castle and went to the port. Outside on the wooden bridge, Auron summoned Garuda and the giant bird like creature attracted so much attention that the Narb Thale thought it was another monster like the ones from yesterday. It burst out of the shining mandarak on the wooden floor of the port. It circled the castle then landed in front of its master, tearing at the plank bridge.
“Sorry my friend, but it won’t be me you are flying with today,” Auron told his Eedahlan. “I need you to take Akielas south of this city. You understand.”
Garuda shrieked, looked away and crossed its arms.
“Oh, come now, just this once. He is friendly,” Auron tried to persuade it. He looked back at Akielas and shrugged. “It only likes me.”
“Just as long as it doesn’t toss me off its back,” Akielas remarked.
Unpleasantly, Garuda knelt down and lowered its head. Akielas tried to climb on its back to sit on the saddle but Garuda shook its body and he fell off.
“What did I tell you? Treat my friend nicely,” Auron commanded and Garuda shrieked.
Akielas tried to climb on its back again and was able to reach the saddle. He buckled himself in and searched for a leash but there was none in sight. “Where is the leash?” he asked.
“Garuda does not like being tied down,” Auron stated.
“So then how am I supposed to hold on?” Akielas asked then the bird kicked off the ground much faster than his dragon did. It rose so fast, within a second Au
ron was already as small as a pebble in sight. Akielas grabbed on to the feathers of the bird’s head, that felt much like fur. Its wings kept thudding as it rose, dwarfing the city. Looking down at Sar Thale, it was nothing but a bowl surrounded by green lands. Garuda shrieked and flew south to the frozen ivy forest. Akielas gazed at the horizon with high hopes as the wind lashed at his face. It is all or nothing, he thought. I shall regain my magic or die in the process.
Rey Ling
His men pounded steel with war hammers. The type of hammers only Dwarves used in battle. Rey asked five of his best men to wield these large tools and forge omnithium weapons. Five of his best, burly and strong men, pounded steel for the last two days after he had defeated the dark dragon that his father sealed inside the northern cavern. Two days without leaving the factory. He ate and slept in his office and worked from sunrise till nightfall tossing omnithium into a pit of melted steel. It was dangerous work even for his best blacksmiths in town. While metal regularly melted at one thousand five hundred degrees, omnithium melted at three thousand. Some of Rey’s workers left because they could not take the heat but Rey hired more and continued to work in a chamber where no one would interrupt, but strange things happened while working with such rare steel. His workers became scared and Rey promised to pay them more money the longer they stayed.
When they dropped blocks of omnithium into the inferno the room would flash and everything would become colorless for a while. When they pounded the steel on anvils, the workers skin would change into grey. “Do not worry, keep working, it does not harm,” Rey begged and he would join them to make sure they wouldn’t leave. However, he was then spooked when he began to see grey orbs of light floating around the chamber. It was very distracting and his workers could not focus at some point. Rey was not sure what was happening but he remembered Akielas telling him about twilight magic and how it was linked to a colorless world called the limbo. He remembered reading about it in the library of Ironside. So this is what happens when dark and light combines, he thought. Of course, omnithium was made of kaminyte and zeustoss, light and darkness. When the two attributes collide they create dust from the realm of limbo. In Tong Doran Cho people did not believe in such a realm but Rey had studied other cultures, thanks to Akielas and had opened his mind to the possibilities.
With all of that in mind, Rey Ling made sure that his men wore gloves whenever they came in contact with omnithium. It would protect them from getting their energy drained by the steel.
Despite all the distractions his workers did not stop. They kept working and took turns resting for food and water. In the two days that he was working in his factory with his men Rey had forged two swords for his friends. A falchion for Auron and double-edge sword for Eckxio. His workers were now forging a special sword for Akielas. Rey remembered that Akielas used one-handed swords for speed. He watched as his men pounded the hot steel on top of the anvil. It was going to be thick, a two-and-a-half foot sword, weighing at least ten pounds. It was his way of showing his gratitude for Akielas.
While his men forged swords, Rey was busy creating his own weapons for battle. He poured melted omnithium into small pockets to make bullets for his guns. He had made one hundred bullets in two days.
“Outstanding,” someone said behind Rey and startled him.
Rey jumped and poured hot omnithium on the floor and almost on himself. He quickly placed the ladle on the floor.
“Yochan! What are you doing here?” he yelled at his assistant. “This is dangerous work. I almost poured metal on myself.”
“I am so sorry sir. Sorry for interrupting,” Yochan said and bowed. “You left the door unlocked and I let myself in. Your sister wants to speak with you. She says she has a gift for you.”
“Why couldn’t she come here and tell me herself?” Rey asked frustrated.
“You know a woman’s presence is very disturbing for men in the work place,” Yochan answered solemnly. “Come see her whenever you can.”
“Actually, before I see her, I would like you to help me with something,” Rey said and beckoned.
Rey walked to the corner of the room where two omnithium swords leaned against the wall inside their scabbards. Rey lifted the heavy swords and tossed one to Yochan. The bald man staggered back when he caught it.
“Spar with me,” Rey invited. “You know how to use one, so come on. I just want to test them out.”
“You know I am not a fighter,” Yochan said.
“We are not going to kill each other,” Rey replied. “Just clash blades and see how they work.”
Playfully Rey Ling swung his sword and Yochan blocked with the little skill he had in martial arts. Purple sparks flew, steel vibrated and both men took a step back.
“Marvelous,” Rey said. Although he was not completely sure of how omnithium worked, there was no doubt that these weapons would defend against the Specters. They clashed swords a few more times and Rey began to feel an unfamiliar energy from it. Not like maju but more like a low musical note only the steel could play. Then they clashed swords with more impact and Yochan lost grip of his sword which then embedded into the wall.
“That is it, I am done here,” Yochan grumbled and walked out of the room.
“I am sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Rey apologized.
“You are going to be the end of me one day, Rey,” Yochan said as he exited.
Rey returned his attention to the omnithium swords. He wanted to further test their strength and so he grabbed two anvils and placed them close to each other. He then set a block of kaminyte on the two anvils with the intention of breaking it with the omnithium sword.
“If this does not break kaminyte then nothing will,” Rey said hoping that he was wrong.
He aimed at the block of kaminyte, his forehead and neck drenched in sweat. Eyes were hot and tired. He raised the sword he had forged for Eckxio then swung as hard and as fast as he could. A long clank echoed in the room, purple sparks flew and the block of kaminyte divided in two, each piece flying away. After he had cut through the black metal he could still feel the vibration of the collision like an elder with shaky hands. He took a few steps back and looked at the two pieces of kaminyte on the floor. “This is the first time I was able to cut through kaminyte,” he said with such wonder. He picked up one of the sliced pieces of the black metal and looked carefully at the clean cut. It was smooth without any bumps or texture. “This is unbelievable.”
After seeing the results of the omnithium sword he picked up a block of omnithium from the smithing room. It was as large as a cinder block and he placed it on top of the two anvils. “Let’s see if it can cut through itself,” he murmured. He raised the sword over his head again and this time, he let out a roar and swung vertically. A long clanked echoed but the sword did not reach the floor this time yet Rey felt it slicing through the block of omnithium. He looked up and saw that it had cleaved halfway through. When Rey tried to pull out the sword, it was stuck.
“Powerful,” Rey whispered after witnessing the potential of the steel. “If it can cut through itself then we will be able to cut through their staffs. Our chances of defeating the Specters have increased.”
He was not done yet. It was time to test his omnithium bullets. “Their fiends wear armor made of kaminyte so we shall have no problems eradicating them. I believe omnithium can pierce through their defensive magic. Let’s find out.”
He drew his gun from the scabbard hanging from his thigh. He loaded it with nine omnithium bullets. With all his strength he pulled out the sword from the block then placed it on the wall next to Auron’s falchion. Rey took twenty steps away from the block that was still on top of the two anvils. He aimed then pulled the trigger and when the bullets hit the block they caused a flash with purple sparks. The room began to lose its color as if the steel was absorbing its hues. Rey continued to shoot at the block and the omnithium’s magic kept pouring into the room. When he ran out of bullets he checked the block to see if the bullets’ hea
ds were flattened by the impact. To his surprise they were still round.
“It can only be penetrated by itself,” he concluded. “Interesting…can a snake be killed by its own poison? Maybe not but it can be killed by another snake’s venom. Specters, your omnithium against mine.”
“Are you talking to yourself again?” his sister asked from behind.
He spun around and saw her strolling into the room.
“I was going to see you in a few minutes,” he said. “You couldn’t wait. Walking in here unexpectedly. There are men working here with dangerous chemicals. Go back to the office. I will see you in a moment.”
“I just wanted to give you something really quick,” Sixiam said.
“You can give it to me later,” he replied and reloaded his gun with more of the same bullets. “I am calculating my chances of victory against the Specters.”
“Fine then. It is not from me but from father,” she persisted.
Rey Ling dropped his gun out of frustration and grimaced at his sister.
“More secrets?” he asked and she giggled. “How long are you going to keep torturing me?”
Sixiam reached into her cleavage and pulled out a yellow gemstone.
“Seriously, why don’t you get a purse?” Rey asked.
“Because I was born with one,” Sixiam answered and showed him the gemstone. “This is from father. It contains a vast amount of lightning maju compressed by our monks during thunderstorms.”
“Why did father want me to have this?” Rey asked and took the stone from her hands. He gazed at it, and as he held it he could feel the tiny zaps tickling his fingertips.
“Father believed that the next inventions would involve lightning. With such technology our environment will endure less contamination,” she explained. “Like always he trusted you with such an invention.”
“Interesting,” Rey said and mulled as he gazed at the yellow gemstone. “I want to see the day when such an invention is created as well. But before out next innovation, let this gemstone become a weapon.”
Blood of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 3) Page 12
