THE SECRET OF
THE CRYSTAL SKULL
Book I
Mallerey Cálgara
For my daughter Nanda, the light of my eyes.
Copyright © 2018 by Mallerey Cálgara
All rights reserved, including
reproduction in any form.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events described are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real names, dates, and events is mere coincidence.
1st edition
Editorial Production: Mallerey Cálgara
Layout: Mallerey Cálgara
Cover: Mallerey Cálgara
Translation into English: Bárbara Aguiar
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted without the prior written permission of the author, regardless of the means employed, electronic, mechanical, photographic, recording, or otherwise.
Printed in Brazil.
SUMMARY
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER I
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XX
PROLOGUE
Malecs was a magical kingdom. Located on the hill of Qzar, when viewed from the slope it seemed to be touched by the moon. It was surrounded by mysteries region, invisible creatures and, according to the legends fixed very firmly in the minds of the younger generations, filled with stuffed tunnel treasures.
The inhabitants of Malecs were wizards and witches, besides their wealth, they were endowed with a gift: they could turn into any living creature on the planet, people or animals, and could share their skills for a certain period. In addition, also had vigor and prolonged youth for many decades. Time passed and had little effect on them, especially after the twenty years maleckians, making them envied.
The fire was one of their weaknesses, because it could kill their bodies; even so, powerfull wizards and witches could transfer their souls to any animal’s body, before being consumed by the flames. Thus, even they lived for many decades. This happened thanks to the magic spark that Malecs guardians implanted in their hearts and their descendants, to be chosen to live in the kingdom.
An ancient story told how the kingdom received the control of nature and its elements: earth, fire, wind and water.
Legend has it that the first magician emerged had many treasures, but no emotion. Tired of his empty life, asked the Mother Nature to live for a day as men. In return, he offered its greatest wealth. What he wanted most, even for a brief moment, was pleased to feel the wind swinging his hair, the rain wet his skin, heat to warm his soul and earth energy entering into his body through the feet. For being a very kind wizard, Mother Nature grated his wish, but didn’t accept anything in return.
Grateful and happy to have experienced these pleasures, the wizard made a new request: asked Mother Nature to stop time as ardently wished to continue living as a human. As Mother Nature couldn’t give him that, and seeing him so sad, she created a way so that he could enjoy it, but one at a time. In return, she asked him to gather all his wealth and hid in the depths of the earth. About this treasure, Mother Nature has created a magical city, and made invisible, hiding it from the greed of men. So Malecs was born.
Mother Nature then divided the wizard’s power and materialized it in five magical amulets, which now control the weather and the seasons, both inside and outside of Malecs; and made the wizard, Merlin, immortal, so he could be the guardian of the amulets and the city. Merlin couldn’t leave Malecs, but, he had his wish fulfilled, living almost like a human, with emotions and feelings. From the towers of the Malecs’ castle, he watched the humans who lived outside the invisible city. For those who earned his trust, he brought out the city gate, allowing their entry. These chosen ones went to live in the magical realm, becoming wizards and witches. They lived in peace and prosperity for long ages, until...
On a beautiful day of celebration, when celebrating spring, the city was taken by surprise by becoming visible to humans. It was Malecs’ ruin. The city didn’t have any soldiers, it was protected only by magic. So, its peaceful inhabitants weren’t able to face the greed of looters.
On being informed of the magical city location, the neighboring kingdoms sent troops in search for their treasures. As humans were outnumbered, they won the battle, annihilating the people of that place. Although the city has been completely destroyed, the invaders weren’t unable to find the treasures hidden in the bowels of the earth, returning to their kingdoms empty hands. The few inhabitants who managed to escape from Malecs saved some magic talismans, including a unique power, the Crystal Ball. However, the looting and the destruction didn’t satisfy some kings, who continued to chase for the survivors. Thereby, the war rage on.
Much time has passed and the people, tired of this fight meaningless, revolted against their kings. Through internal wars, with much oppression and blood, they forced their leaders to sign up a decree of peace, in which they undertook to abandon the hunt for possible survivors of Malecs and its treasures. After signing the decree, the boundaries between the kingdoms were moved and to keep the peace between them, each king agreed to limit its power, exercising it only within its territory. The new geography would be respected.
THE KINGDOMS
HEILLAND
King Alphonsus
Heilland is the smallest of all the kingdoms, but compensates for its great strategic importance: borders all nations, separating them, keeping quiet between them. The village, which is the heart of Heilland, doesn’t have much gold or many warriors, and trade as a source of wealth.
After the peace decree signed by the ancestors, no kingdom dared to invade Heilland, because they know they would be starting a war against other nations, and would have to face the wrath of their swords.
◆◆◆
DRUDGERS
King Kchaos
Drudgers is located east of Heilland. It borders north with Hurgans, south with Menfhis and, east with uninhabited land, so they know. They’re a very old, low-key and peaceful people. Once they were more numerous than they are today. Peace and prosperity reign in their land. Hospitable and simple, merchants receive constant visits looking for work, shelter and exchange of goods. They live and work in the land, sharing all the food received from Mother Earth. There’s no hunger in their kingdom.
They love peace and quiet, and a good ground plowed just to brighten their eyes. Surrounded by a beautiful country area, well organized and cultivated, it’s the favorite haven for many, who appreciate the natural life, like a water mill and a hand loom.
Although its former king has participated in the hunt for Malecs charms, his people never interested in the study of magic, saying it was a risk, a desecration of nature. They believe that the only magic is existing on the land.
They love eating and partying. They make several meals a day and don’t bother if they gain weight, as they spend long hours working in the fields. They don’t hunt and don’t eat animals. Its cattle are used only for plowing.
◆◆◆
MENFHIS
King Eddas
The Menfhis live south of Heilland, near the Qzar mountains, in the dark forest Eiwood. Considered just a legend, many speculate about their existence, while others believe they’re descendant
s of Malecs, guardians of its treasures and forest.
Elusive, they are seen only on important occasions, and even then, for a short time. Almost nothing is known about the inhabitants of Menfhis, just that there’re agile and powerful as the wind.
◆◆◆
HURGANS
King Askur
The Hurgans live in the area north of Heilland. This is a dangerous area, because it has many lakes and mudflats, swallowing people. Living from fishing and all the big blue river offers. Even though they’re peaceful, they have strong warriors who keep the city gates safe.
It wasn’t always like that. In the past, when this region was colonized, Hurgans were barbarians. They came from distant lands, beyond the great river and as there sailed with women on board, looted villages and stole their wives.
One of its legends tells how they dock for the first time on the limit of the world, where the sun’s rays are extinguished, on many, many ages ago. The king and his crew sailed on the great river searching for new conquests. There, they fought for days against a strong storm, with forked lightning that blinded them, and with thunder that left them deaf and mad, and challenged thirsty swirls for their souls. The fleet, made of more than one hundred ships, part of the fleet was shipwrecked, yielding to the storm. The survivors lost their way back to Dwingen, their homeland, and came to an unknown land. Over time, they got used to the new region, but kept the dialect, customs and old songs, which were passed from generation to generation.
Even if they were boorish, they were excellent dealers. They became popular due to the wealth they brought in their ships, and the artifacts carved with strange figures. Created a name for the new village, Hurgans, yet they never lost hope of returning to their true home, even after almost five hundred years. To the present day, they are considered a strange race, because they spend long periods on ships, on the Grand River.
They participated in the war against Malecs in order to obtain a magical amulet to lead them back to Dwingen.
◆◆◆
VULCANS
King Glatnir
Vulcans, west of Heilland are a hostile people and so kind as a snake ready to strike. They live in an inhospitable region, with strong sun over their heads and surrounded by dry mountains that change its place with the wind. The wall, a fortress surrounding the castle and the city, protect them from sandstorms and bandits. They’re excellent warriors and, in times of peace, war with each other.
CHAPTER I
When Záyrha was little kid, she heard Erha, who sat at the podium, told children the stories of how wars had ravaged the kingdoms. Erha told these stories always with great excitement, trying to show that, although past events had been bad, the people of Heilland had survived everything. She believed it was a good way to comfort the little ones, whose hope for a better tomorrow had been stolen by years of devastating wars.
Erha would tell how the eyes of the king of Heilland, at that time, shone as he discovered the location of the city of Malecs. His frightening laughter echoed around the castle, dreaming that he could be the master of so much wealth and power.
The neighboring kingdoms had already left in search of the legendary magical treasures, but the king, motivated by greed, thinking that he was the only one worthy of such a fortune, immediately recruited all subordinates who knew how to use a sword, whether they were men or women, and send them to war. His advisers warned him that this reckless attitude could put the kingdom in danger, because, in villages, people were talking about sick soldiers returning empty-handed. The king, blinded by greed, didn’t hear his advisers. Over time, it happened what the counselors feared. Few returned from battle, decimated by enemy who couldn’t be seen, but could be felt in the flesh: the plague and famine.
As if this misfortune wasn’t enough, the village, unprotected by the departure of the soldiers, was attacked by looters coming from all sides. They broke into houses, destroyed crops and stole the few valuables people still possessed. Then came diseases and hunger, that spread quickly through them.
After years of suffering, the few survivors of Heilland, as well as the neighboring villages, joined all forces they had left and rebelled against the king, forcing him to leave Malecs aside and take care of his ravaged kingdom. When this actually happened, Heilland rose again. Similar riots occurred in neighboring kingdoms, but after a while, finally there was peace and prosperity throughout the region.
Heilland came to play a very important role for peace between the kingdoms remained. As it was in the center, bordered with all the others, which made the kingdom a place of great trade.
Decades passed, and Heilland lived a time of joy and plenty, though still suffer from scars of the past. Erha concluded the story talking about the hopes of an even better future, because there would soon be a new king, the Queen Arapia was pregnant.
◆◆◆
Decades later, it was the turn of Záyrha tell the stories; however, her narrative was very different from the expectations of Erha and the people of that time.
Záyrha had a unique gift and, for her, go back to the past it was easy; change it, however, it was impossible. What she saw, left her terrified. No one from those happy years imagined that with the arrival of the heir, their lives would be marked by pain, hatred, blood and betrayal. The first clue was the dream that Queen Arapia had, the same on several nights, in which hardly anyone believed...
"High on a bleak hill, in the middle of a large lightning storm cutting the sky, dark clouds moved fast, and unstable, announcing bad omen. Four skulls were arranged in a circle, and immobile, wielding their swords, waiting for orders to attack. Among them two children bravely fought for the main skull, the Crystal Skull, guarded by a man with long robes and black hood, who patiently waited for the end of the fight. Children fought as if they were good against evil. They knew, in the depths of their souls, that the possessor of the Crystal Skull rule the four corners of the world with peace or total devastation, depending on who won the fight. "
Few believed this dream was an omen, what it really was.
◆◆◆
Queen Arapia pregnancy was complicated from the start, and a few months after this dream, the royal couple had twin sons. Those who followed the months of pregnancy strongly said the delivery could be even stranger and more disturbing than the pregnancy.
The first child was born two days before the expected date, during a radiant day. The king had proclaimed that the first child to be born would be the next king; so, Prince Sulco became the throne successor. Sulco was a strong, healthy and not very pretty child. Strangely, he didn’d shed a tear at birth.
Queen Arapia was very weak after the first born and continued felling severe pain, as the second child was taking too long to be born.
With each passing hour, the midwife began to talk about a curse, saying on child wanted to eat the other in the womb. As the first was born powerful, it would be a strong and cruel king, as he had been developing evil before birth. If the other child was born alive, who knows how he would be. It would be sick, weak and because of the battles inside the mother womb, perhaps, even missing a piece. Some laughed at the woman, while others made gestures to ward off evil, preferring to remain silent.
After much pain and suffering, at the twilight, the second son was born, a beautiful boy, seemingly perfect, very whiny and weak. It was so thin that they didn’t know for sure whether he would live. The Queen couldn’t hide her preference. To catch him in her arms, she loved him at first sight. Her face radiated kindness and love.
“He’ll live!” said the mother, convinced and smiling, clutching Heian to her chest. “He’ll be a great king!” completed amid the frightened eyes of those present.
And so, it all started.
◆◆◆
As time passed and the twins grew, the difference between them became more visible. As the queen said, Prince Heian survived and was loved by all.
In his nearly fifteen years, he had become, in addition to a good party, a b
eautiful young man, 5' 10" tall, blond and curly haired, with eyes so blue they would envy the sky. He was very kind, polite, smiling, with qualities that easily enchants the heart of any maiden.
Prince Sulco was his opposite, both physically and in qualities. His stature matched the brother, despite appearing to be older. He had brown hair that he always kept short, arrogant eyes and black as night. He was smart and healthy. Hunting was his favorite sport, and collected parts of their prey as morbid trophies. He also highlighted on the royal fight championship, which he had great ability on handling spears and shields. As much as his parents insisted, he wouldn’t let go of weapons. He became an excellent fencer. He said he was preparing for when he was king, because then, he would dominate all territories around Heilland, and unhappy would be the kingdom that wouldn’t bow before his strength!
CHAPTER II
On the hill, Heilland castle dominated the city landscape. Made of polished stones extracted from Bulgari mountains, it was an old building. In the reign of its ancestral, King Breetan, the castle was increased, becoming more beautiful and elegant. The west wing was built on a gentle slope, full of cypress, and the royal family took up residence there, leaving the east wing. The great training camp, located in the east wing, was the only dependence of the ancient castle that has remained active, being used to this day by the soldiers in combat exercises.
The Secret Of The Crystal Skull Page 1
