“I understand. Of course I’ll do it for you. But you’ll have to settle for an ordinary spell. No swishes or whooshes I’m afraid.”
“I think I could live with that.”
“If you remember, that is,” said Delsani.
Helen’s eyes widened. “I better remember.”
“I’m entirely sure of the spell to use. I hope it’s not too powerful. There’s really nothing to worry about. If I do get it wrong, you won’t remember anyway.”
“Forget it, I’ll live with the memory, thanks all the same,” said Helen as quickly as she could get the words out of her mouth.
Delsani laughed aloud. “Now there’s only one between us.”
“Very funny,” said Helen smiling.
Not long after Saren returned to Dorminya with Jaucal and without Berlanin and Delsani, they informed the Witch of some good news which, apart from the destruction of the Druids, was probably the only good news they had. It had turned out that they had rushed the letter she had read in the kitchen at Weston Road, and in their haste to get the letter away, they forgot to mention there was one survivor. This survivor was Saren’s younger niece, who in fear fled the village not long after her mother was killed.
After being taken to the city, the girl was tended by none other than Henkot, and he worked all through the night and well into the morning to save her. To his dismay, he could not cure her of the disease. However, he had managed to stop to it from spreading though her completely, and now she was half Wicca and half Valcota, which was never even thought possible before this tragedy. She was now only a shadow of what she was, for she was once a beautiful child with the softest skin, the brightest eyes, and beautiful red hair with rosy cheeks and a gorgeous smile. Now her skin was pale, cracked, crusty, and flaky. Her eyes were as black as coal, as was her hair.
A potion was made to quench her lust for blood and help her live her life as best she could. Saren and Henkot took guardianship of her, as they and Dorana were her only living relatives.
A week after the attacks, life in Dorminya was trying to get back to ordinary, but the fear of further attacks had swelled out of control. Every village and outpost of Wizards and Witches were deserted, and the inhabitants were seeking sanctuary in the cities. For to the refugees, they were now the only safe places there were, mostly because of Jaucal and Oruealth, as they were the most powerful Wizard and Witch of their day. Although they weren’t Wizard-Elves, they were the next best thing.
At Weston Road, most of the Stark and Henderson (which was the Normal surname that Saren and Henkot had chosen) families sat round the dinner table waiting for the dinner that Helen and Saren had discussed. Both ladies were still in the kitchen getting the last of the food ready. The others had offered to help, but Helen and Saren wanted to use this time to gossip and told the men to get lost.
“You know, you didn’t have to come for dinner. I know that you have more important things to be doing,” said Helen.
“You’re right, there are other things. But I need to get away from it all, as does Henkot. He’s been working nonstop trying to find out how each victim died. The Council wants to know if the Dark Wizards are using any new spells and curses so we might have an idea of what we’ll be up against if we have to face any more of them,” said Saren. “And then there’s Keruen, my niece. You know the one who survived the attack on Kuople.”
“Can she eat food? I mean, isn’t she a vampire?”
“She’s only half Valcota. She takes a tonic to feed that side of her, though she needs to eat food to feed the Witch side, as well. Don’t worry, Helen, she’s harmless. She wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“It’s okay, I trust you,” said Helen. “Oh, I almost forgot. What should I call Keruen while she’s here?”
“Her Normal name is Karen.”
“Just so I know what to call her around Peter. And you don’t mind that I invited Delsani and Berlanin?” Helen added.
“Okay, I know why Delsani’s here; he’s Peter’s Godfather, but Berlanin?”
“He’s John’s old friend, and I want him to get to know Peter.”
“Oh right,” laughed Saren.
“And what does that mean?”
“Nothing, it’s just that he is single and good looking.”
“The truth is I do like him, though I feel I’m betraying John’s memory,” said Helen.
“Rubbish, he would want you to be happy. And he would want Peter to have someone to look up to, or even for him to have a dad.”
“I know, but it just feels wrong. I think I should wait.”
“Well, if that’s what you want, then that’s what’s best for you. But just keep in mind, you’re not getting any younger, you know,” laughed Saren.
Helen chuckled lightly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“And thanks for talking to me. I think that’s something else I needed,” Saren added.
“No problem. You were there for me first, you know.” They smiled at the same time and lifted the full dishes in front of them then made for the kitchen door to lay the food out.
That night as they sat around the table, the three adults were talking about things that were happening in Dorminya. Helen wanted to know what else was going on, as she was heading back for the first time in six years.
They had to try and find the right way to put it, for Peter’s sake. But just then Peter reached up and tugged on his mother’s jumper.
“Finished,” he said.
Helen noticed he had hardly touched his dinner. But then, he rarely did. He would eat just enough to keep him going, and then would want to go and play with his toys.
“Go on then,” said Helen.
Dorana sat looking from Saren to Henkot.
“Go on,” said Henkot, “you can get something later if you want.”
“Would you like to play, too?” Helen asked Keruen. For the first time that night, Helen got a good long look at the girl. She was wondering whether they had used magic to change her appearance. For the girl looked nothing like Saren had described. She looked more like Saren had described before the attack.
There came no answer from the girl. She just stared at the middle of the table.
“Keruen wouldn’t you like to play with Dorana and Peter?” asked Saren gently.
“Ok,” said the girl shyly. She jumped down from her chair and ran after the other two.
Helen opened her mouth to ask the question she had been dying to ask all night.
“We didn’t use magic on her,” said Henkot, as though he had read her mind, “She did it herself. After we stopped her from fully turning into a Valcota, we soon saw that she had not only their look but their abilities as well. Her thirst for blood you know about; she also has their ability to create the illusion of beauty. We don’t know if there’s anything else she can do. In fact, we don’t know if Valcotas can do anything else. We’ve never been so close to one, and anybody who has, well, they’re not able to tell because they themselves were either turned or they’re dead. Personally, I’d rather be dead.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t fancy it myself,” said Helen.
“How’s Peter now? Does he remember anything?” said Saren, trying change the subject.
“No, nothing,” said Helen. “You know, I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something I can’t remember, too. It’s on the tip of my tongue.”
Saren nudged Henkot, who gave a sight chuckle and was fighting the urge to laugh out loud. Delsani told them that Helen had asked him to rid her of the memory of seeing her double. He had to, in case they would mention something about it.
“I’m sure it’ll come to you,” said Saren. “The trick is not to think about it. That’s what I do; it usually comes back within a day or so.”
Delsani was staring at them. Saren looked down at the table, and Henkot’s grin vanished.
Berlanin and Helen were eyeing each other from opposite ends of the table, and Berlanin opened his mouth to say something to her. Suddenly, a screa
m came from the playroom. The five of them jumped simultaneously. They were almost on the door when it exploded open as Keruen burst through it. She slid a little on the wooden floor and then came to a violent stop as she hit the wall opposite. Saren and Henkot ran to her, and Helen stood waiting for Peter to emerge. And he did, even more quickly than they could have thought. His blue Dragon eyes were blazing his fangs and claws were also showing.
Saren attached her Talisman to her right hand. She had no intention of hurting him, of course. Though before she could do anything Peter thrust out his right hand. A blue surge of light hit the Wicca in the chest she stumbled and fell, unable to move, for Peter had used the Cripplize spell.
Berlanin stepped toward the Draga-Wizard-Elf. “Peter,” he said calmly, even though he had no idea what he could do to stop the boy.
Peter whipped round to meet his gaze.
The Wizard suddenly had an idea. He calmly turned on the T.V. and DVD player, put one of Peter’s DVD’s in and pressed the play button. He sat down in front of the television and laughed at the antics of the cartoon characters.
“What’s wrong, Peter, don’t you want to watch cartoons with me today?”
Peter stared at him momentarily, then his eyes turned to normal and his fangs and claws retracted back into their hiding places again, as did the silver Dragon-scaled tail that had shown itself. The boy was as Normal as any other six year old. He ran over to the Wizard and plunked himself down beside him and, as usual, sat spellbound.
Delsani left, as he had to meet with the Grand Wizard. An hour or two of cartoons passed before Delsani turned up at the house again.
“What took you so long,” Helen asked frantically.
“I’m sorry, but sometimes it takes a little while to get a window from the C.O.W.S. They can be very touchy especially of you go to them to many times in a week.”
“Cows held you back?” said Helen. “I had no idea there were cows in your world,” she added with a smile.
“Consortium of Other Worldly Status, or C.O.W.S. for short,” said the Wizard.
“Oh right, that’s the special department that helps you with Phazing,” said Helen.
“Yes, that’s right. How is Saren?”
“She’s awake, and she can shake her head a little. I think she’s okay. You better have a look at her to be sure.”
“And Peter?”
“He’s still in the living room with Berlanin.”
“He’s always been good with children,” said the Wizard.
“What would cause him to attack that girl like that? Is there something wrong?”
“I don’t think it was Peter’s fault,” said Henkot. But it seems every time he loses his temper, his powers break free.”
“Helen, as I said before, the spells that hold Peter’s powers weaken when his life is in danger, and only when his life is in danger, to prevent him from being hurt. It’s just a precaution, really,” said Delsani.
Henkot looked at the Queen and said, “The truth is, we were enjoying ourselves so much that time flew, and we hadn’t realized that Keruen needed her blood substitute.”
“Oh,” said Helen not knowing what else to say.
“I think that her need for blood became so strong that she couldn’t suppress it, and her instincts took over, like what happened to Peter.”
Helen jumped when something touched her shoulder. “How’s Saren?” asked Berlanin.
“What are you trying to do, give me a heart attack?” she said.
“We were just about to go and see to Saren,” said Delsani. “How is the girl?” he said to Henkot.
“She’ll be fine,” said Henkot. “She’s resting at the moment. I still can’t believe we forgot to give her her tonic.”
Chapter Ten
Anilang City
The cursed Wolf Demala was hunting for his supper, a plump rabbit, when he saw a number of robed figures passing through the Karnen lands, and to his surprise, with them was a number of Lore’s and Goblins. They were obviously some of Ulicoth’s people, so he decided to follow the Dark Lord’s chosen to their destination at a distance, as not to be seen. Ulicoth had put a high price on his head for the help he gave to the alliance at the battle of Kealhal. In addition, many, although afraid, would certainly chance a limb to get their reward.
However, that was not what made him so cautious, for he knew that Ulicoth would be keeping a part of his mind on them, and any deviation from their planned course would alert him, so he kept his distance. When he saw their target was the Witch village of Kuople, he was ready to leave to alert the Wizards or Wizard, meaning Delsani. The old Wizard had asked him to keep his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary. He was sure that a small army running close to the borders of their land was very strange in deed. But as he headed for the Wiz-Wit city, he saw a girl running from the town’s outer walls and into Burtairel forest.
Knowing that she would not have a hope of survival on her own, he went in after her. He knew that even with his speed, help would not arrive in time to save the villagers.
“At least I could save one,” he told himself.
When he ran through the tree line, he saw that like most of the forests in that land, it was dark, though there were patches of light where the radiance from the sun had managed to break through the thickness of branches and leaves of the trees and shine down on the ground, where fallen leafs and tree roots bulged out from the muck and sat in a sullen stillness. Demala looked in every direction and found what he was looking for; he could see the outline of the child running in pure fear through the trees. In truth, he could hear the girl better than he could see her, so he followed as best he could.
Not long after, he heard a scream coming for the direction in which he thought the girl had taken. True enough, he found the girl in the arms of a Valcota. The Wolf made his presence known and chased the creature into the woodland. It fled with a squeal, for even the darkest creatures feared the Wolf, as he could not die by any action of theirs, and they knew it. They also knew he had other abilities they could not match on their own.
As the creature fled to alert its fellow leeches, Demala checked the girl for any injures other then the wound to her neck.
The bite had already begun to turn her into one of those beasts. He was surprised to see she was conscious, and was even further surprised to hear her already talking in their tongue. Then, as her eyes fell upon him, the words began to change. He could understand most what she was saying. In addition, as the words became clearer she said. “Help me.”
“I’ll try,” said Demala. “But you’ll have to climb on my back. I am a Wolf and can’t carry you any other way.
The girl reached up and took a hand full of his fur. Demala noticed her grip was very loose. He did not know if it was loss of blood, or perhaps she was afraid of him or afraid of hurting him in case he might turn on her, as to her mind he was probably just a wild animal.
“Don’t be afraid of hurting me. If you can take a stronger hold, do so,” said the Wolf. He felt her grip tighten. He knelt down closer to the ground to help her. She had almost climbed all the way on when Demala heard many ear-piercing squeals coming from all about them. He counted twenty, though there was a very good chance there were more.
The girl had just put her leg over his back and held on as tightly as she could when the very trees above shook with the weight of the creatures. More squeals came from above them, and for a split second Demala found himself wondering how many there were. Nevertheless, he had no intention of finding out. So with the girl holding on for dear life, he took off like the wind, shooting past trees, wild flowers, and large bushes.
When they cleared the last of the trees, they could hear the Valcotas squealing, shrieking, and screeching after them, or perhaps at themselves for their own failure.
As Demala ran through that land, he could smell the burning of wood and flesh, among other smells he recognized with ease. He knew the difference between them well, for he had smelled t
hem many times throughout his long life. And now he could feel the guilt of leaving those people to the host of Dempmage. Yet he knew there was nothing he could have done to save the village.
“But at least I can save one,” he repeated to himself.
As they crossed the border into Opredanas, Demala did not head for the Towers of Telian. Delsani had told him that he would be spending time in the city helping the Grand Wizard. So the abnormally large Wolf made a beeline for Cayer-Huld, holding out hope that he might make it in time to warn the Wizards and Witches, so they might be able to save what might be left of the village. Although he thought he knew the outcome, he still pressed himself to get there in time.
As Demala practically flew across that land, he couldn’t help but notice that the red grass and soil under his paws was very mild, as though they had been doused with a light sheet of rain only a few hours before.
It was one hour before he saw the city gates, and this made his heart sing with joy, though he did not know how they were going to get past the gates, as he had never before been allowed in the city. However, when they were only two feet away from them, he was pleasantly surprised to see them open.
“How?” he said aloud.
Just then, he felt the girl’s grip tighten again.
“It’s you,” said the Wolf. “It’s opened for you. And just when I was beginning to feel special.”
He walked in, and immediately Wizards and Witches gasped as they went by. They did not go far before a Ves-guard saw Demala. He drew his wand and ran to him and said. “How did you -?” but before he finished his question, he saw the girl on the back of the Wolf.
He was not as shocked as Demala, for the Wolf understood the Wizard’s words clearly.
“What happened to her?” the Ves-guard said aloud, while also wondering to himself if the Wolf was who he thought it was.
“I’ll tell you, but first, please tell me if there is anywhere she can get help,” said Demala desperately.
The Second Prophecy (Part 1 of the Dragdani Prophecies) Page 16
