The Nemedian Trilogy: Book 02 - The Dragon's Cup

by Jake Adler

  Although she had already formed a strong bond with her ring, her communications with ‘Barina’ were rudimentary, almost primeval in nature as it merely responded to her base emotions and desires. Whereas Ethan’s spirit ring could converse fully with him and use his senses to experience the world, Cara’s ring was more commonplace amongst the magi. It held a basic understanding of the wearer’s needs that was useful in enacting spells, but there was no complexity or depth of spirit inside it which indicated that its magic was much weaker than Ethan’s ring.

  Cara searched above for signs of the mysterious creature that had revealed itself to them two nights ago. Since their initial meeting, Molgarth had remained aloof and taken the form of an eagle, although glimpses of her latest transformation could be seen as it used the warm air thermals to rise several miles into the air.

  Master Bedwyr had given Cara firm instructions to refer to Molgarth as human, unless evidence appeared that proved things to the contrary. Although she remained sceptical, Cara realised the wisdom of this approach as it would aid Molgarth in her search for a sense of belonging. Cara had to admit that it was entirely possible that she was indeed human, yet her doubts still remained.

  The Grand Mage halted his horse and reached inside his left breast pocket, “Creator be praised,” he said as he clutched hold of the book that he always carried with him.

  “What’s happened?” Cara asked in confusion.

  Master Bedwyr shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, “They have found the Talisman that will protect them against the curse.”

  Cara blinked at him, “What curse?”

  Master Bedwyr went silent. After several minutes in which he rode slightly ahead of her so that she could not see his face, he finally returned and told her about the curse. For the first time, he openly admitted what she had long suspected, that the book that he carried with him was that of the fabled Seer who had lived over two thousand years ago. According to the book, Ethan and Talina needed to find the Talisman in order to stop the madness of the magical bond that had formed between them at the Throne of Vines. The Seer believed that Brid Clodagh and the Knight of Ellington had failed in their own quest to enact the ‘second seal’ because they had found the Talisman too late.

  Cara felt her temper slip, “How could you not warn them about the curse?”

  The expression of the Grand Mage hardened, “Do you think that either of them would have agreed to enact the ritual if they had known about it?”

  Cara chewed her lip and shook her head.

  Master Bedwyr’s expression softened, “Remaining silent greatly troubled me. Ethan is a pleasant young fellow and I have known Talina since she was a babe in arms,” his eyes glistened, “but there are things that I must do in order to help prevent the ‘End of Days’. This includes entrusting Ethan with the ring of the Seer.”

  “Is it Alexon?”

  The Grand Mage nodded slowly, “I gave him a choice of two rings and let the fates guide his hand.”

  Cara glanced at his leather-bound book, “She told you which one he would choose didn’t she?” she asked.

  The Grand Mage nodded again and this time remained silent. After a few moments of quiet contemplation, they sensed the need to continue on with their journey and gently nudged their horses forward. The daylight was fading fast and they quickly decided to set up camp next to a small stream that trickled fresh water between a small, moss-strewn group of boulders. As they watered their horses they heard sounds of movement behind them and turned to find a hooded man approaching.

  His tall frame formed a dark shadow in the evening light. Although most of him was shrouded behind a black woollen cloak, they could see that he wore steel capped black leather boots and black leather trousers. A flash of steel beneath the folds of his cloak revealed that he was also armed with a weapon.

  “Who are you?” Master Bedwyr asked calmly.

  The man halted twenty paces away from them and grunted at the darkness. Behind them shadows suddenly appeared that continuously shifted position, “I seek Master Bedwyr,” the man replied.

  “What is your name?” asked the Grand Mage in a steady voice.

  The man shrugged away the question, “I mean him no harm,” he paused then smiled at them crookedly, “in fact, he will be very happy to see me.”

  “How so?”

  “You are a mage, I can see that by the rings you wear,” the man shifted his gait and cocked his head to one side as he studied them both, “can you tell me where I can find him?”

  Cara spoke with a strength that surprised herself, “Lugus asked for your name,” she growled, using the name of the Grand Mage’s secret identity to protect him, “and why would he be pleased to see you?”

  The man paused then removed his hood to reveal a relatively young man with short, scruffy brown hair, “He asked for my help. I can be of service to him but not in the way he originally envisaged.”

  The Grand Mage smiled, “You are Marcus I presume?”

  “Marcus Drale at your service,” the man looked at him in surprise and then offered him a theatrical bow.

  “Then it is I, Lugus Corella who you must aid,” the Grand Mage smiled faintly, “I will ensure that you are amply rewarded.”

  The master-thief readily accepted his offer. He had already sent out many search parties to no avail and had found no one other than the two mages who now stood before him. He explained that he belonged to the Guild of Shadows and said that several months ago he had received a letter from the Grand Mage, requesting that he arrive on this specific day, close to this exact location. The letter, which was marked with the official seal from the College of Mages stated that his services were needed and that if he came that he would be paid handsomely.

  Cara knew that this meeting had been designed following instructions given to the Grand Mage by the book of the Seer. She wondered if the book knew everything about the future and if so, how much it chose to conceal from the Grand Mage. She saw his expression of surprise when Marcus Drale revealed that the trainee mages had already been rescued by a man named Lord Acheron. She also saw his shoulders slump when he had learned about the destruction of Ellington. She had briefly met Master Bedwyr’s niece Yarilina and her husband Naran when they had rested overnight in Dukar, prior to setting out on their journey to the Throne of Vines. The destruction of the human capital city meant that surrounding towns and villages would soon also be attacked and that they would by now, be most likely dead.

  * * * *

  Ethan stared out of his passenger window to watch the winter sun dip beneath the blanket of grey clouds. As it did so, the clear skies above immediately darkened to reveal a myriad of tiny, white stars. He took a moment to marvel at their beauty before turning his gaze back towards the bright interior of the plane cabin.

  Talina sat beside him as her head rested against the blue fabric of her seat. Her eyes remained closed and he wondered for a moment if she was really asleep or merely resting. Their flight from Paris to Dublin had been a short trip, barely over an hour and a half and the air hostess had already announced that they would be landing soon.

  Since talking to her about the curse, their conversations together had become rather short. Ethan realised that she was still angry with him for not telling her about it as soon as he had learned about its existence. He had quickly explained his reasons for delaying in telling her and promised that he would never withhold any information from her again, no matter how frightening it may be. This had satisfied her, but his earlier behaviour had clearly unsettled her. There also remained the unspoken matter of the kiss. They had both by now realised that it had come about entirely due to the effects of the curse and they sensed one another’s feelings of embarrassment.

  They had decided that the most logical place to begin their quest would be the last known location where the Tuatha Dé Danann had originally brought all of the four great treasures on Earth. The land of Eire, otherwise known in more modern tongues as Ireland, would be where they
would begin their search. Talina would refer to the texts given to her by Master Bedwyr and also use her natural abilities to see magical trails. They would also be able to ask the island’s citizens about local myths and legends to aid them in their quest.

  Ethan puffed out his cheeks then let out a long sigh as his mind began to wander. He found himself thinking about his mother and wondered what she was doing at this very moment. Master Bedwyr had informed him that during the spell of transportation, that both his parents had been placed under a spell that made them think that he was visiting his uncle Jake in America. They had also been pacified so that they would not worry about him while he remained out of contact. Yet his mother always worried about him, so he worried if the spell would have been strong enough to have such an affect. He suddenly felt angry at himself for not asking Master Bedwyr about whether it was safe for him to telephone them or if it might interfere with the spell. There was also the danger of potentially alerting the demon to both his and their presence, so he quickly dismissed the thought. A mischievous grin briefly passed his lips as he toyed with the idea of telephoning the supervisor of the car factory where he had worked who had bullied him so badly. However, he realised that the act would be an evil one if the demon did indeed end up in paying her a visit, so he quickly dismissed the idea.

  “Did you book a hotel?” Talina asked as she suddenly opened her eyes. She apparently had not been asleep at all.

  “Yes.” Ethan replied.

  “Let me guess,” she smiled at him faintly, “separate rooms this time?”

  “Absolutely,” Ethan laughed as the tension between them lessened.

  Just fifteen minutes later their plane had touched down at Dublin airport. Due to not having lightened their earlier plethora of travel bags, having obtained the much needed travel funds from selling most of Talina’s precious goods at a local jeweller’s, they only carried with them basic hand luggage and were able to swiftly depart the airport. They stepped into a taxi and were whisked away to the hotel that Ethan had booked and within the hour were settled in for the night.

  The following morning they were up bright and early as they were keen to put aside their prior experience and begin their quest. Talina had spent the evening in her room, taking time to study the texts but had so far remained unsure as to whether they should head to the West or to the North of the country. According to her research, Connacht to the West was where the ancient druids, wizards and kings held a seat of great power and learning. However, the Tuatha Dé Danann first arrived from the North and then they travelled Southwards. There was also the matter that Brid Clodagh was chosen to be the first saviour of Nemedia as she was a daughter of a chieftain who knew was thought to know where all the four treasures had been hidden. Her surname derives from the River Clodiagh, of which two rivers of the same name exist. One in the South East part of the country and the other in the North West.

  “We travel West!” Ethan stated impatiently, “the ancient seat of power would be the most logical place the store four great treasures.”

  Talina shook her head, “Not necessarily. Connacht was eventually handed over to the Firbolgs and they were the sworn enemies of the Tuatha Dé Danann.”

  Ethan frowned in frustration, “Then what do you suggest?”

  Talina raised her eyebrows and looked at him like he was a simpleton then pointed to the ring that sat upon his right index finger. Alexon sensed their exchange and spoke, “Your ancestor lived in the Comeragh Mountains, just South of here.”

  Ethan nodded at his hand, “Then we start there.”

  “Do you mind telling me what IT said?” Talina asked him in irritation.

  “HE,” Ethan corrected her, “stated that we start our search in the Comeragh mountains. My ancestor’s father knew where to find the four great treasures.”

  “Isn’t he a little bit too dead for us to ask him?” Talina asked sarcastically.

  Ethan pulled a face, “We have to start somewhere,” he paused then smiled at her, “besides, something tells me that fate is guiding my hand.”

  CHAPTER SIX

  The air shimmered with heat as the man pushed his way through the crowd. Market stall vendors were busily selling their wares as the figure wrapped his head cloth around his face to protect it against the searing sun. The man felt annoyed, both by the heat and by the fact that he had not been able to satisfy his urge to kill. After the Bedouin man had out-served his usefulness by rescuing him from the desert and bringing him to the outskirts of Cairo, he had swiftly disappeared. However, the man realised that he had more pressing matters to attend to as he had sensed a disturbance in the threads of magic.

  The man moved towards the relative cool and shade of a side alleyway and leaned against one of its walls. He removed his head cloth and began to mop away the sweat upon his face, revealing his unnaturally dark eyes as his gaze swept across the crowd that passed through the main thoroughfare. His eyes fixed upon a middle aged man in a white t-shirt and khaki shorts, with pinkish-white skin that was turning red in response to an alien sun.

  GraJin smiled and replaced his head cloth, then entered the crowd once more as his dark eyes remained fixed upon the clueless foreigner. That very evening he would have everything that he desired, a map, money to travel with and his thirst for murder would be sated.

  * * * *

  The companions hesitated at the entrance to the cave as the ground inside seemed to fall away sharply. The cave was well hidden as it lay behind a thick tangle of thorny vegetation at the base of a small ravine. The ground underfoot was littered with grey stones, many of which possessed razor sharp edges that could easily cut into the boots of an unwary traveller. The entrance to the cave looked equally uninviting as it was barely broader than a man’s shoulders.

  Marcus Drale grunted as he squeezed himself through the opening and raised his torch to push back the darkness. He saw that a stairwell had been carved into the very walls of the cave that descended far into the depths below. Master Bedwyr was the next to follow Marcus inside and whispered the magical word ‘Luxus’ to activate the light of his moonstone bracelet. He immediately sensed a malevolent presence, of something or someone that lurked deep below.

  The Grand Mage raised an arm to halt the entry of the others and turned towards the master-thief, “What were your exact instructions?” he asked quietly.

  The man blinked at him in confusion, “Lord Acheron just told me how to find the cave,” he grimaced as he peered over the edge of the stairwell, “I am guessing that we need to go down there.”

  Master Bedwyr seemed to be listening to someone before he nodded slowly, “Stay alert, there are creatures inside this place that we must not disturb.”

  The man’s face grew pale and he nodded at him in silence.

  With no other option other than to turn back or continue forwards, they cautiously began to descend the stairwell. Marcus Drale was accompanied by six of his colleagues from the Guild of Shadows. This was most likely for added security and to maximise his chances of securing as much gold as he could from Lord Acheron. The others had agreed to remain behind and await his return at a pre-arranged rendezvous point. If neither he nor his companions returned within seven days, they would assume the worst and inform their leader of his demise. This would prove to be most unfortunate for both Lord Acheron and Master Bedwyr, as the Guild were well known in finding nefarious ways of exacting revenge for the death of their Guild members from customers.

  As they descended deeper into the cave, drafts of cold air began to hit them that held the metallic smell of wet stone. Master Bedwyr’s keen nose also picked up a faint hint of ozone, although he knew that they remained a fair distance away from the sea. After several hours of carefully descending the damp stairwell, they arrived at a central chamber that forked off into six different passageways.

  Master Bedwyr lifted his moonstone bracelet to illuminate the face of Marcus Drale, “Were you not given any directions at all?” he asked the master-thief.
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  The man blinked at him, “He said that the Grand Mage would know the way.”

  “That makes sense,” Master Bedwyr pursed his lips to feign disappointment, “but as he’s not here we will have to improvise.”

  “No more games,” growled Marcus Drale as his temper slipped, “you cannot fool a man who is trained in the arts of deception.”

  “What do you mean?” Master Bedwyr’s face flushed with anger.

  The man stared wordlessly at him for a moment then spoke, “We followed you and the girl before we revealed ourselves,” he winked at Cara, “we heard her call you by your real name.”

  “I see,” the Grand Mage replied calmly, “and what do you plan to do with this information?”

  Marcus Drale sighed in irritation, “The warrant and reward out for your arrest is about as alive as the city of Ellington,” he stepped forward and placed a firm hand upon his arm, “keep your secret identity if you want to but don’t ever lie to me again.”

  The Grand Mage raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Well,” he paused then smiled faintly, “it seems that we have reached an understanding.”

  The master-thief nodded impatiently, “I know that our lands are under attack,” he grimaced, “as long as I get my gold I don’t care who or what you are.”

  He glanced at the passageways then shook his head, “You lead the way.”

  The Grand Mage smiled, “Then follow me,” he moved towards the passageway that smelled faintly of ozone, “this is where you will find your gold.”

  The man hesitated a moment before nodding in agreement, “I want your word that if Lord Acheron does not pay me the five thousand gold pieces that he promised me then you will do so instead.”