by Joe O'Brien
Wilzorf took Josh’s hand.
‘Are you ready to know your destiny?’
Josh nodded. ‘Yes, Wilzorf!’ he said assertively.
‘Twelve years ago, Habilon was ruled by King Borlamon and Queen Trila. And before Borlamon, his father, King Theldor. The king always ruled with his wizard by his side. It was tradition.
‘Sygrim was Theldor’s wizard. There was a magical bond between king and wizard, symbolised by the magical orb and the king’s sword. The King of Habilon entrusted the powers and magic of the orb to his wizard and the wizard would always use its powers for good and good only. This was always the way, until one day …’ Wilzorf’s head dropped a little.
Josh’s eyes fixed on Wilzorf’s lips. He hung onto every word the wizard spoke.
Wilzorf continued, ‘It was decided that Sygrim would take an apprentice since he became ill. But two, not one, had gained Sygrim’s interest. I was one and my brother, Krudon, was the other. For many years Sygrim taught us well and Theldor commended our talents for magic.
‘One day, Krudon changed the tradition of Habilon forever. Sygrim had become suspicious of Krudon. His trust in him lessened until finally his fears were realised. Krudon was planning to use the orb for evil instead of good. When Sygrim approached Krudon about it, my brother killed our frail master and fled.’
‘Did he take the orb?’ Josh interrupted the wizard.
Wilzorf shook his head.
‘Krudon knew that the powers of the orb could only be wielded by a wizard who had the king’s blessing. Theldor would have driven his sword through Krudon’s black heart. So, Krudon fled, knowing deep inside his twisted, evil mind that in time there would be a way to get what he wanted. As the years went by, Theldor ruled without a wizard by his side and the magic of the orb grew dormant.’
‘Why?’ asked Josh. ‘Why did he not trust you? It’s not your fault that your brother was evil.’
‘Thank you, my lord,’ smiled the wizard. ‘But I cannot question the king’s good judgement and he felt that as I was of the same blood line as Krudon, he could not place his trust in me.’
Josh felt a little sorry for Wilzorf as the wizard continued his story.
‘Theldor died and was replaced by his heir, Borlamon,’ said Wilzorf. ‘Borlamon, like his father, was a good king and we became good friends. He promised his dying father that he would not break his wishes and would not return a wizard to his side. Theldor had lost all trust in the wizard’s powers with the orb, as he grew paranoid with old age.’
‘What happened to Krudon?’
Wilzorf’s eyes filled with contempt.
‘Krudon hid in exile, practising his evil sorcery until he became more powerful and evil than Sygrim would ever had imagined. He built up alliances with other evils of Habilon, and when he felt the time was right, he attacked the Kingdom of Habilon with merciless fury. Many perished, young and old, and even though the powers of the orb could still be called upon, King Borlamon would not break his promise to Theldor.’
A tear rolled down Wilzorf’s face.
‘There was nothing I could do. My powers were not enough to save them.’
‘Save who?’
‘King Borlamon and Queen Trila. They, along with many, died at Krudon’s command.’
‘Danthenum said that you were killed too?’
Wilzorf shook his head, almost shamefully.
‘No! Not true, but that is what many believe. More importantly, Krudon believes it. This is why I have remained in hiding for so many years.’
‘What do you mean?’
Hope returned to Wilzorf’s face.
‘Borlamon had two children. Before the king and queen died, they had been blessed with a baby boy and a baby girl – twins. The boy was first born. He would be next in line, and then his sister if anything should happen to him. Krudon knew this and his next evil plan was to kill them both along with their parents. But they were hidden and escaped Krudon’s darkness. Borlamon’s dying wish to me was to keep his children safe from Krudon, and when the time was right, return his son, heir to his throne, to power with a wizard by his side. The power of the orb was to be returned to the Kingdom of Habilon. It was decided without hesitation that the general would flee with both babies and take them to the safety of the other world on the far side of the Great Tree, until the time was right for the heir of Habilon to return and rule as king.’
‘So Habilon has had no king?’
‘Habilon has been governed from the palace by a high council,’ said Wilzorf with what sounded like regret in his voice. ‘Habilon has always had nobles, but the high council of three was appointed after the death of King Borlamon.’
‘You don’t approve?’ asked Josh. He sensed that Wilzorf didn’t agree with the high council.
Wilzorf shrugged his shoulders. ‘Approve – don’t approve. This is not a judgement for a wizard to make. The high council have had Habilon’s best interests in heart just as their king did, but a kingdom needs a king.’
Josh began to wonder about Wilzorf’s words; the wizard had said Josh had “returned” to Habilon and told him of how the general had fled to the other side of the Great Tree with a baby boy and girl, King Borlamon’s children.
Could I be the king’s son? he thought. Tigfry the elf said that I was ‘The One’ and everything evil here is trying to kill me. But Wilzorf said a boy and girl. I have no sister. It can’t be me!
Wilzorf continued.
‘Before the general made it to safety, Serula, one of the three witches, attacked them. She poisoned Zera, the princess, with a cursed cat’s claw. She had aimed for the boy, but the claw only grazed his arm. Zera was in very poor health and it was feared that she would not survive the journey. So she remained behind while the general fled with the prince.’
Josh’s eyes widened as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal a scar on his right arm.
‘I’ve had this since I was a baby!’ said Josh. ‘Well, that’s what uncle Henry told me, anyway.’
Wilzorf bowed his head before Josh. ‘It is the scar of the cat’s claw, my lord.’
‘Are you saying that I’m King Borlamon’s son?’
Wilzorf smiled. ‘You are Prince Joshua, heir of Borlamon, my lord.’
‘But … Bortwig?’ stuttered Josh. ‘Why didn’t he tell me any of this?’
Wilzorf chuckled. ‘Bortwig did as he was asked to do, my lord. An adventurous path was to be laid before you, magic and all. The truth, my lord, would have been too great on the other side of the tree. It is tradition in Habilon, my lord that at the coming of age – thirteen to be precise – the heir to the throne must prove both bravery and goodness of heart. As your circumstances were not normal, your test was laid before you in a different, but equally demanding, way.’
Wilzorf smiled at Josh. ‘Your sister, my lord, on reaching her thirteenth birthday on the same day as you, also proved both bravery and goodness of heart, just like her brother.’
‘My sister!’ Josh said out loud. He had never said that before. It sounded and felt good. ‘So she’s okay, then? She’s well, I mean, after the witch’s poison – she recovered, Wilzorf. Was she healed by the magical orb? Has it got healing powers?’
Wilzorf nodded. ‘The orb, your highness, has great healing powers, but as magical as they are, there are restrictions. A person can only be healed once by the orb, and it cannot bring the dead back from shadow, and a wizard cannot avail of the orb’s magic of healing.’
‘Like Sygrim, when he became ill,’ suggested Josh.
Once again, the wizard nodded his head.
‘But what about Zera, Wilzorf? Was she healed by the orb when she was a baby?’
Wilzorf shook his head. ‘Your sister recovered well, my lord, but it was her own inner greatness that healed her and time of course, great time, not the orb. The orb my lord became dormant on the day your father died, and dormant it has remained until recently.’
‘Recently?’ repeated Josh.
‘Yes, my lord. You see,
the orb’s powers can only be wielded if there is a king or queen to do so, and an heir to the throne of Habilon only comes of age at the age of thirteen. You were only a baby when Zera was poisoned by the witch so the orb’s powers could not be used. This is why it was decided that the general hide you in his world beyond the Great Tree and it is also why you have now returned.’
Finally Josh had answers. Maybe not all the answers, as he still wondered where the missing general was. Nonetheless, even though he was happy with the answers that the wizard had given to him, his heart had one question for the wizard.
‘What about Henry and Nell, my uncle and aunt?’
‘Henry, the general’s gardener. Yes,’ smiled Wilzorf, ‘the general entrusted you to his gardener, then returned beyond the Great Tree to defend the Kingdom of Habilon, the kingdom he had grown to love so much.’
‘But he never came back,’ added Josh.
‘No,’ said Wilzorf. ‘And so you were raised by the gardener and his wife, under the watchful eye of the general’s daughter. And raised well, as I see before me.’
Josh thought of just how well he had been raised by Henry and Nell. He thought of all the good times they had given him and how they looked out for him and loved him as a son, knowing all along that one day he would have to leave them.
Josh also thought of other things back home – school, his friends, especially Matty, and even the little things, that had once seemed so much a part of his daily life, like the old man who sold newspapers on the corner of Maple Green. All of these things were now so important to Josh.
Have I to leave all of this behind me, forever?
Suddenly everything in front of Josh’s eyes began to spin. This was too much for him to handle. A king! he thought. I am a king!
As if Wilzorf could hear Josh’s thoughts, he grasped hold of the boy’s arm and led him over to the wall of water.
Josh gazed at his reflection in the water. Was this a king that stood before him?
Wilzorf disappeared for a moment then returned with a scabbard in his hands. He clasped it around Josh’s waist.
‘Now, my lord,’ said Wilzorf. ‘You are no longer the boy who set out to find his destiny. Look into the waters and see the king.’
Josh did as the wizard advised.
‘Take your wand in your hand and place it into the water. When you return it to your side your true quest will begin.’
Josh took the wand from his belt and holding it tight, he stretched his arm into the water.
The wand glistened in the water’s reflection. Then without any warning from the wizard, it cracked a bolt of fire, so bright that Josh had to cover his eyes. Suddenly the wand felt much heavier in Josh’s hand.
‘You may take your hand from the water,’ said Wilzorf.
Josh was no longer holding a wand. He had a sword in his hand. It bore the symbol of an arc, just like Danthenum’s, but it also had the symbol of an orb within the arc. It was truly the sword of the King of Habilon.
Bortwig’s words ran through Josh’s mind.
You will stand before the king and you will know him, and he will know you!
Wilzorf stood before Josh and spoke words of magic.
Sword of Habilon
Sword of Borlamon
Sword of Joshua now become!
The king’s sword magically shrank and Josh held it with ease. It was now his sword. He truly felt like a king and not like the scared boy who bravely followed an elf on a journey.
Josh returned the sword to his side and turned to Wilzorf.
‘What is my quest, Wilzorf? Can I see Zera?’
‘There is urgency, my lord,’ advised Wilzorf. ‘When the Kingdom of Habilon fell to Krudon, the evil sorcerer took the orb knowing that one day, if he could kill Borlamon’s heir, the tradition would be broken and he could wield its powers.’
‘But what about my sister, Wilzorf? Can I see her?’
‘Krudon has her. She recovered and remained in hiding. Recently, though, not long after her quest of bravery, the Witches of Zir captured her and took her to Krudon’s castle. I’m afraid she has once again fallen under the evil spell that Serula cast upon her when she was a baby. She is dying. That is why there is great urgency my lord.’
‘I have to save my sister!’ said Josh.
‘Yes! And you must answer your father’s dying wish and return your wizard to your side my lord.’
‘Then, we have to go now!’ Josh tightened his grip on his sword.
Wilzorf held his arm.
‘You cannot save her this time without the orb. I fear she will not recover as before.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The only way she can be taken from the witches’ darkness is if she is placed beneath the Arc of Habilon. The orb must be returned to its point of origin, where the two sides of the arc meet. Once this is done, the king’s wizard can use the orb’s sacred powers to save her.’
‘Where is the orb? Is it in the castle too?’
‘It is not, my lord. It is kept at the top of Mount Erzkrin under the guard of Krudon’s dragolytes. Krudon has earned much of his dark sorcery from Mount Erzkrin. If I know my brother, he would believe that the orb’s good powers would be weakened and eventually submit to darkness if kept there.’
‘Do you think its ability to be used for good is gone?’
Wilzorf’s eyes widened. ‘I believe not, my lord.’
‘Then that is where we must go.’
Eusyphia appeared behind Wilzorf from the darkness of the cave. She held a small sack of food and water.
She towered above the wizard.
‘I am too weak at this present time, my lord, to travel with you,’ said Wilzorf. ‘I’m afraid the dark shadow that Erzkrin has cast over the orb has taken much of my power from me. Eusyphia will take you to Erzkrin. Eat well on your journey and travel swiftly, my lord. Time is not with us.’
‘But what about Zera? I will need you to help her.’
‘When you speak the words, I will hear them. Then I will answer my king’s call. When the time comes, King Joshua, I will be there for you.’
Wilzorf placed his hand upon Josh’s shoulder as Eusyphia wrapped her wings around him.
‘It is good to be by your side again, my king. Use your sword well. It has your father’s spirit within. It will know you and it will not let you down.’
Then, they were gone.
Chapter 17
Krudon’s Delight
She lay still and peacefully asleep, yet the witches’ poison lurked deep beneath her flawless, pale skin, conjuring its rage to complete its master’s evil wish: death! Her gown draped over the table, the ends gnawed away by hungry rats that dared not venture near the princess’s cursed flesh.
His black hollow eyes gawked through the sliding door of her dungeon, cursing her beauty as it flickered in the fading candlelight. Krudon had made many visits to the princess’s dungeon. It gave him pleasure to see Borlamon’s daughter slowly slip into darkness.
Grukh, Krudon’s head goblin, came clattering down the treacherous steps, thumping against a wall. Krudon slowly turned his eyes to find the creature checking his hands as he stood before his master.
‘What is so urgent that it brings you before me with such foolish clattering?’
Grukh snorted and grunted, froth gathering at the mouth, dirty rotten teeth behind his devilish smirk.
‘A message, master. A message from the witches.’
The goblin held out his hands, revealing a dead bat. Krudon walked over and took the bat from Grukh.
‘You’ve killed it, you imbecile!’ he snapped. Then, holding the bat up to his face, Krudon gazed into the dead creature’s open eyes, and bellowed laughter from deep below.
‘Good news, master?’ grunted Grukh, stamping his feet with excitement and content for his master’s joy.
‘He is coming,’ said Krudon.
‘He, master?’
‘Finally, Borlamon’s heir has re-emerged from wh
atever pitiful stone he has been hiding under.’
‘We will kill him, master, and then the princess, and then all heirs to Borlamon will be gone and then you will be almighty!’
‘Yes!’ delighted Krudon. ‘He will come powerless, a weakened pathetic army by his side. The orb is of no value to him, not since Wilzorf is dead. He will not be able to save the princess. Yes, he will come for his sibling, and when he does I will kill him and then the witches can kill the princess as they wish. Once both of Borlamon’s heirs are dead, I will crush the Kingdom of Habilon. Twelve long years, Habilon has had neither king nor wizard. They have been ruled by the weak and pathetic council. I could have crushed them if I wanted to, but no, I had to wait for Borlamon’s first heir to return. Soon they will feel the wrath of Krudon.’
‘And then you will have the power of the orb, master,’ grunted Grukh.
Krudon turned away from the goblin and returned his gaze to Zera.
‘Finally, I will wield the orb’s magical powers and I will command the Zionn Army! Yes, Princess, daughter of Borlamon, heir of Theldor … finally, I will be almighty and, with the unstoppable fury of the Zionn Army and the powers of the orb, nothing can stop me from spreading my wrath to the world on the far side of the Great Tree!’
Grukh screeched a deafening cry of celebration.
‘Go now, Grukh. Gather your army. Prepare them to feast in victory upon the slaughtered carcasses of Joshua’s army.’ Without turning around, Krudon held out his hand, and the goblin took the bat from it.
Grukh bit the head off the bat, then nodded to his master and scurried away with a sense of urgency.
Chapter 18
High Council
Bortwig and Danthenum stood patiently while Mad Argil twitched and scratched and occasionally rummaged through his long filthy beard. The elf was convinced that the white dragon would have eaten the dunger if the two were left alone outside.
The main hall of the palace was very long and very grand. Its walls were decorated with pictures of past kings, wizards, nobles and knights. The end of the hall opened up into a big circle, where Danthenum had knelt momentarily, right in front of statues of Borlamon and Trila.
