Shades of Truth: Path of the Wielders 2

by Cleave Bourbon

  “Sent by whom?”

  “Fawlsbane Vex. You see, the gods are not supposed to interfere with the events unfolding directly by his own decree. He sent me here to deliver a message…indirectly.”

  “All right,” Kaxen said, absently.

  “Don’t go back to Brookhaven. When you return home, the village will meet its doom. Go to Adracoria and consult with Asterial.”

  “What? Brookhaven will meet its doom if I return? Why?”

  “You are about to be awakened. I will return to you at a later date to answer more of your questions. Remember! Don’t return to Brookhaven yet, go to Adracoria.”

  When Kaxen awoke, he was lying over his saddle face down. He heard voices. Enowene and Lady Shey were talking.

  “Kaxen is awake,” he heard Enowene say.

  “Where are we?” Kaxen said, trying to right himself.

  Gondrial rode next to him. “About half a day’s journey out of Cedar Falls. I have managed to keep you asleep most of the way. You took a nasty bump on the head.”

  “Hold on Kaxen. I will help you,” Enowene said. She rode up beside Kaxen and steadied him so he could sit upright.

  “Rennon is awake,” Lady Shey said. “I will help him.” She moved beside him.

  Rennon screamed when he looked into Shey’s face. Enowene rode back to help and he screamed at her too. “Monsters! They have us!”

  “Shut it, Rennon.” Kaxen said, “It’s only Lady Shey and Enowene.”

  Rennon blinked, “Oh, for a moment they both looked like hideous black monsters, kind of like the Dramyd we fought.”

  Kaxen rolled his eyes, “Just a bad dream. Pull yourself together.” He took a breath and composed himself before speaking to Gondrial. “What happened? Where is the girl in white?”

  “When you bolted off, the Enforcers put you in a sleep. You fell from your horse onto your head. You’re lucky I came to and was able to rescue you.” Gondrial said as he looked uneasily at Rennon. “What girl in white?”

  Realizing he must have been dreaming, Kaxen changed the subject, “Never mind the girl in white, what happened to Rennon and Aurelie?” Kaxen said.

  “The same. They were put to sleep and you all were arrested. Lady Shey and Enowene showed up and together we managed to defeat the Enforcers and get you free.”

  “Wait, where did you say we were? You didn’t take us home! Wait, I thought you said we were going to meet Lady Shey and Enowene in Cedar Falls?”

  Gondrial sniffed. “So many questions. No, we didn’t take you home, but before you have some kind of fit about it, let us explain.”

  Kaxen rubbed his bruised head and decided that he would hear them out, they rescued him so he owed them that much, he reasoned. “All right. And this better be good.”

  “Enowene and Lady Shey got away from the Vale later than they expected.” He nodded to Enowene as she rode up next to them, “you want to explain it to him?” Gondrial asked.

  “Kaxen,” Enowene said. “What do you know of a man called Malanor?”

  Kaxen blinked. “Well, I know he is king of Scarovia. The soldiers that come to the inn talk about him. They say he is mad.”

  “What else do they say about him?”

  Kaxen thought hard for a moment. “I never really paid much attention. I was usually busy working.”

  Enowene reined her horse closer to his. “Did you know he has been amassing an army. That is why the soldiers of Symboria have come to your village. The king of Symboria believes Malanor plans to invade.”

  “Aye, but what are you getting at?” Kaxen asked.

  “My knowledge is limited so I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you that Malanor is indeed mad. He does plan to invade Symboria by force, and Brookhaven is likely to be one of the first to go.”

  “Then I must go back to defend my village and warn my parents.”

  “Trendan has been sent to Brookhaven for that purpose. We hope that by taking you to Adracoria, you will be able to persuade the kings of Trigothia to join Symboria in defeating Malanor. That is a much better way for you to help your village.”

  “Me? How could I do that? I am but a simple innkeeper’s son.”

  “Sylvalora believes you to be much more than that. She has researched your lineage and found that you descend from the nobility of the Trigothian kingdom of Ardenia, the strongest of the Trigothian kingdoms. If we can prove your lineage to the king of Ardenia, you may be able to incite their help. Asterial sent Lady Shey to Brookhaven to find you under the guise of searching for the highlord’s murderer. She met with the elders of your village and persuaded your mother and father to let you travel to Symbor. She was to evaluate your strengths.”

  “What, that can’t be true,” Kaxen said disapprovingly.

  “Oh, did you really believe the village elders and your parents would allow you to just traipse off with a wielder so easily? The wagons were meant to be taken back to Brookhaven without you.”

  “This makes no sense. If I descend from nobility then why not take my father or mother to Ardenia to get help?”

  “Because it is from your mother’s side that you descend from the kings of old. They would never accept the council of a woman. Ardenia and all of the Trigothian kingdoms hold fast to tradition. Only a male descendant would have any hope of rallying them.”

  “Actually, the Ardenian line does come from his father’s side.” Lady Shey corrected.

  Enowene wrinkled her nose, “Oh, well then I don’t know why, only that Asterial wanted you to come along.”

  “Then what is your involvement?”

  “All in good time, Kaxen, too much knowledge may actually work against you.”

  “Nonsense!” Kaxen said. “If you are to convince me to continue with you, you are going to tell me who you are.”

  She leaned in even closer so she could whisper, “I control a group of…well, there is no good way to put this…spies that keep close to Malanor and his kind. I deal in information, it’s what I am best at.” She leaned back. “We will talk again later. I have told you what I have in the hope that you do not plan any more escapes. Once we get to Adracoria, Asterial will instruct you further.”

  “Rennon will say this is all some kind of wielder trick.”

  “You must not tell him or Aurelie. You must keep this to yourself until we reach Asterial. Your friend, Asrion, will join us in Symbor. Kerad has instructed him to be your council of Loracia and to look after your well-being, much as Kerad is a council to Morgoran. You may confide in him if need be, but only to him.”

  I am not keeping this from Rennon and Aurelie. Kaxen thought.

  Aurelie sat up on her horse and then rode next to Kaxen. “Where are we?” she asked.

  Because he was still in thought, Kaxen didn’t answer right away. It took him a moment to realize she was awake and talking to him.

  “What is wrong, Kaxen?”

  Kaxen glanced at Aurelie. “You seem to be asking me that a lot lately.”

  “Well, then tell me and I’ll stop asking.”

  “We are going to Symbor to meet with Asrion.”

  Aurelie eyed him suspiciously. “Kaxen Adair, I have known you too long for you lie to me. You are not telling me something.”

  “Aurelie, don’t be so sure. We are going to meet with Asrion.”

  “And then…?”

  “And then we will travel to Adracoria and meet Asterial,” he said, trying to sound commanding. He was not sure if it was the dream or Enowene that convinced him but he had made up his mind.

  “Why would we do that? What does Rennon say about this?” She glanced back at Rennon. Lady Shey was talking to him while he nodded.

  Kaxen could feel her panic. “Aurel,” he said. “I am convinced the best way to help Brookhaven by going to Trigothia.”

  “Kaxen?” Aurelie pleaded.

  Kaxen wasn’t about to keep secrets from Aurelie, except perhaps, the dream of the girl in white, there was no need to bring that up to anyone. “War is coming
to Brookhaven and all of Symboria; you know this. That is why the soldiers are traveling through Brookhaven. We are not being taken against our will, we are going to help Symboria.”

  “How can we help?”

  “I am not entirely sure. Asrion says he has been given a quest, and Enowene has persuaded me that we should help him as he asked us to do in the Vale.”

  “Rennon will not like it,” Aurelie said.

  “As I said, we are not going against our will. He is free to go on back home if he so chooses. I am sure they will need his help defending the village. You may return as well if you are so inclined.”

  “Kaxen,” Aurelie scolded. “Rennon is your best friend.” She shifted in her saddle. “And I am going with you.”

  Kaxen nodded. “True, he is, but you know how he can be. He’s so distrusting.”

  “He trusts you.”

  Kaxen bowed his head. “I see your point. If he will come along, I would be glad to have him.”

  “We will arrive in Symbor just before nightfall,” Gondrial announced from the lead. “We will be riding straight through to the docks. No side trips.”

  Kaxen sped up to ride beside him. Gondrial looked over at him and grinned. Kaxen was not amused. “No more secrets, Gondrial. If I ask you a question I expect you to answer…directly!”

  “Me, keep secrets?” He said. “Not I.” He glanced back at Rennon. “On second thought, as long as that one stays clear of me you have a deal.”

  Kaxen watched as Enowene rode next to Lady Shey. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was very nervous when the two women smiled at each other.

  Chapter 8

  Upon reaching Symbor, Gondrial insisted on taking the short roads to the docks and procuring passage there. Kaxen found Gondrial’s manner puzzling. He hid his face from the guards and slinked about as if someone might recognize him. At last, Lady Shey booked passage aboard the Sea Hag, bound for the port of Adrontear, Adracoria.

  The day of departure was dismal. Summer was giving way to Autumn, and the ocean brought cold rain from the west. Kaxen imagined the Jagged Mountains to the east had snowcaps, and Brookhaven probably had snow on the ground by now. He missed the snow and wondered if he would ever see it covering Brookhaven again.

  Lady Shey watched the captain of the Sea Hag pace on his deck from the dock. She looked off into the city, shaking her head at Kaxen. “Gondrial is late again, and Captain Esterly grows impatient.” She put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun.

  “What business did he have in town?” Kaxen asked.

  “He would not say. He said he had to face it alone. I have my suspicions, but I don’t know really.”

  The captain shouted down from the deck of the ship. “I can wait no longer, my lady. I must leave port. The easterlies will not wait.”

  “One more moment, my good captain,” Lady Shey called back to him.

  Soon Kaxen saw a horse speeding in from the distance. As the steed and rider neared, he saw it was Gondrial. Kaxen pointed. “There he is, and he’s coming in fast.”

  “Well, it’s about time.” Lady Shey turned to the captain. “Our friend approaches. Cast off the lines.”

  The captain raised his hand in a circular motion, and the men began casting off lines. Kaxen squinted. “Something is not right here. Gondrial is not slowing. I think he means to jump aboard ship.”

  One of the men securing the gangplank nodded at Kaxen. “Methinks you are right, young one,” he said.

  “Shove off, shove off!” Gondrial yelled. He spurred his horse, and with a whinnied roar, it leaped through the air and landed with hooves skating to a stop at the center of the deck.

  Gondrial dismounted and led his horse into the hold. Kaxen turned his attention back to the dock where he saw several guardsmen searching to no avail. After a moment, Gondrial appeared on deck, hiding behind a mast not far from where Kaxen stood watching the guard’s frantic search. “Did they see me board?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so; they seem to be checking the narrow alleyways and docks.”

  “Good,” he said, dusting his breeches off. “I was hoping to ride fast enough and far enough ahead to get past them.”

  “What is it, Gondrial? Why do you need to avoid the guard here?” Kaxen asked.

  “It’s a long story, lad. One day I may tell it, but today is not that day.”

  “Are you in some kind of trouble?” Rennon asked.

  “Well, you could say that, but I prefer to think of it as…” he paused, “a disagreement.” He smiled a sarcastic grin. “I may let you two know someday, but today is not that day, and I grow tired of repeating myself.” He turned aft. “Suffice it to say I had a loose end to tie up.” He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

  “He has fallen in with the queen and the king isn’t happy about it. That’s the entirety of his…secret.” Shey said. “There is nothing mysterious about it.” She went back to gazing over the side of the ship.

  Gondrial shrugged. “There you go.” He went back down below.

  Rain began to fall as the ship lumbered out to sea, forcing Kaxen and Rennon to pull their cloaks tight around themselves. Asrion met his friends on the deck, as the ship reached rougher waters. The three decided to go inside, after a while, to get in from the changing weather.

  Kaxen woke to shouts and a ringing bell. Two days had passed since the Sea Hag had left the port of Symbor, and from the commotion on deck, they were nearing the port of Adrontear in southern Adracoria. The storm from two nights ago had blown them to their destination sooner than anticipated. Kaxen quickly dressed and met Asrion, Rennon, and Aurelie on deck. None of them had ever been out of Symboria, and the chance to see a new port made the four tingle with excitement and anticipation.

  At first, Kaxen could not make out the lighthouse of Adrontear, but as the ship drew nearer, he saw the immensity of it. On a rocky cliff, the lighthouse stood to let ships navigate the rocky enclosure to the port. It stood as a pure stone spire, stretching upward and outward. Its grey appearance gleamed in the morning sun, and its white cap reflected out to sea. The port itself was much different from the one in Symbor. Twice the number of ships lined its docks. Kaxen counted more than two dozen different designs. The wharf was painted a brilliant white instead of the dingy brown of Symbor, and the merchant houses were cleaner and painted with bright blues and greens.

  The Sea Hag docked near a merchant ship twice the size of the Tiger’s Head Inn and just as tall. “I never dreamed a port could be so…” Kaxen began.

  “Beautiful,” Aurelie finished.

  “And elegant. Look at the woodwork on the railing of the wharf,” Asrion said.

  “This is where we depart,” Lady Shey said. “Gondrial is taking care of our baggage, so we can go ahead and meet Asterial.”

  “Where is Asterial?” Aurelie asked.

  Lady Shey looked around the docks for a moment and then pointed. “That’s him, right over there.”

  All four turned and squinted to see the ancient wielder.

  “You mean the man in the ragged hat?” Rennon asked.

  “Well, the correct term would be the elf in the ragged hat, but yes. That is Asterial.”

  Kaxen could not make out the features of the elf at first, but as the dock master pointed Asterial toward the Sea Hag and he approached, his features became clearer. He wore crimson red robes and smoked a long pipe. His ragged brown, wide-brimmed hat sat on top of his white and blond-haired head. He walked with a dark red wooden staff with a large crimson crystal affixed to the top. He wore no facial hair, but as he came nearer, Kaxen could see his hair was of some length.

  “Greetings, Lady Shey.” He took her hand and kissed it. “It has been far too long.”

  Lady Shey curtsied. “Well met, Keeper of the Isle. I trust you are well.”

  “Aye, I am as well as a young stag on a spring day, and what of you?”

  “I am well, thank you.”

  Asterial looked at the ship, h
is blue eyes sparkling in the morning sun. “Where is that rebellious apprentice of mine?” he asked.

  “I am here, my master,” Gondrial said as he left the gangplank. “I see you still have poor eyesight even for an elf. I thought we were done with this ‘apprentice master’ nonsense.”

  “I could see a flea on a mutt too leagues past you, and you know it. As far as you being my equal that is yet to be seen.” He laughed. “Oh, Gondrial, my boy, it does me good to look upon you.” Asterial embraced Gondrial.

  “And you, Master, don’t look a day over two thousand.”

  Asterial patted Gondrial on the shoulder and then noticed the four companions staring at him. “Well, well, who do we have here? You are obviously a cleric of Loracia,” he said to Asrion.

  “Aye, my lord,” Asrion said bowing.

  “I am old, but I am not a lord, young cleric. Asterial will suit me just fine.”

  “As you wish, Asterial,” Asrion said, bowing again.

  Asterial held Aurelie’s hand and kissed it. “And you, my lass?”

  “I am Aurelie of Brookhaven.”

  “Splendid.” Asterial moved to Rennon.

  “I am Rennon of Brookhaven, sir.”

  “Excellent,” Asterial remarked. “A polite bunch,” he said to Gondrial.

  “And what is your name, lad?” he said to Kaxen.

  “I am Kaxen of Brookhaven.”

  “I see. Pleased to meet you Kaxen of Brookhaven. I have heard much about you.”

  Kaxen bowed.

  “Well, gather your things and follow me to my dwelling. We have work to do.” The elf clicked his crimson staff on the wooden dock and moved ahead without waiting for anyone else to follow.

  Gondrial had loaded the horse he brought as a beast of burden, and Kaxen fell in beside Gondrial.

  “He wears robes, carries a staff, and looks the part of a wielder,” Kaxen whispered.

  “Aye, what did you expect?” Gondrial answered.

  “Isn’t magic outlawed in Adracoria?’

  “Hmm,” Gondrial nodded. “I follow where you are leading. Asterial is Keeper of the Isle. The same isle where the most powerful and feared wielders were exiled to after the War of the Oracle. He can come and go as he pleases; no Enforcer would dare try to stop him. After the first couple of centuries or so after the war, they no longer bothered to keep an eye on him.”