Glaide began to see where she was going with that.
“It would be an incredible coincidence...” he said, before being interrupted by Emily.
“Yes, the leader of a tiny village in the southwest...”
It was then that the man pulled them roughly along, and pushed them into a small enclosure that hadn’t been visible from farther away. He motioned for his colleague to remain on guard outside.
“How do you know about Rackk? You’re not just simple vagabonds.”
“Just so,” exclaimed Jeremy.
“What a lucky break!” Glaide cheered to himself. “We could ask you the same question,” he declared out loud. “Rackk doesn’t appear on any map, as you should know.”
“I used to live there, though it’s been years now since I left. How are the people there? And Drekhor? He was the one who was to come today. Why wouldn’t he have come?”
Everyone fell silent. Finally, Glaide spoke, in a calm voice. “Rackk is no more. An entire army attacked, and...”
The smile froze on the guard’s face. “No,” he murmured. “No, it’s not possible. Not Rackk...”
“Please,” Emily began. “I know that this meeting must be important, but we have vital information. We need to see your king as soon as possible. We don’t have the time to go into detail, but Rozak should know who we are.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Here,” Glaide said, handing him the map that the general had given them, along with the pass.
“Mmm... Your pass is in order, and this map shows exactly where Rackk is. I trust you, and I’ll introduce you to our king. I hope that I won’t regret it...” Then, he added with a sad smile, “Thank you for the news.”
“Of course,” responded Gwenn gently.
The man led them to the tower itself. They traveled up a circular staircase that was relatively dark – and narrow – and that regularly opened to other rooms, including a bedroom, a banquet hall, a kitchen, and several other spaces. The tower seemed to consist of an entire castle, all arranged along the stairs. “I suppose it would be easy to defend in case of a massive attack, or even if an assassin managed to enter,” thought Glaide. The stairs continued upwards, and as they traveled up them, the friends began to realize that the tower was much more vast that it appeared to be.
“Excuse me, but where are we going exactly,” asked Emily.
“We’re headed to the top of the Tower of Dawn, where the throne room is located.”
“This tower would certainly prevent any massive attacks, but how do the soldiers actually defend it?” asked Jeremy.
The man didn’t have much interest in conversation – not after what the young people had revealed to him. However, he replied, “Actually, this castle wasn’t really constructed for defense, but to take up as little place as possible within the city, because the more space a city takes up, the more difficult it is to defend. Besides which, if the walls fell, Shinozuka would already be lost, since our enemies would have infiltrated the streets, and it would be almost impossible to track them all down, not to mention all of the deaths that would cause. In such a case, saving one tower makes little difference, so our only concern is to save space.”
“I see...”
They continued to climb for at least five more minutes before they finally arrived in an immense room; the room had to be at least a hundred feet on one side, and a hundred and fifty along its length. Immense wall hangings showed a katana, embroidered in gold on a red background. A table was set, and around it, some twenty people sat, with one wearing a crown.
“He can’t be more than thirty,” Glaide thought. He was impeccably shaved, and his eyes, a bottomless black, reflected his confidence. His hair, long and brown, was pulled into a tight knot. The guard bowed nearly to the ground, then straightened and announced in a strong voice, “My Lord, these young people desire an audience. They possess information on several crucial subjects.”
The monarch gazed lengthily at the adolescents before him, and his face twisted into a slight smile. He rapidly dismissed all of the staff members who were present, along with the guard, so that only the men seated at the table and the four friends remained.
“Good day, my friends. I beg of you, please, sit. You’ll have to take the extra chairs that are against the wall.” Without a word, they did so, seating themselves across from the king, at the foot of the table. “I will be with you in a moment. Now, gentlemen. Our meeting will have to come to an end now, as I wish to speak with these new arrivals. We have spoken of the critical situation that reigns here and now, and there are still many decisions to make, so I ask that you remain here in Shinozuka. We will continue our discussions during the week. Thank you.”
Realizing that the interview was now at an end, the men got up, calmly leaving the room, speaking amongst themselves. Two other people besides Rozak remained. The king took a seat, then said, “I believe first and foremost, some introductions are in order. I am Rozak the third, king of the Known Lands. This tower is my home, and the city of Shinozuka is under my authority. To my right is Vizc, master mage,” he said, indicating an old man with a white beard and hair. “To my left is Feren, the leader of Adrish – a town you might be familiar with – but above all a friend.” Here, he indicated a man with short brown hair, and with a mischievous look in his eyes.
“My name is Glaide, and these are Jeremy, Emily, and Gwenn. We’re protectors with their maggs.”
The three men looked at each other. They seemed particularly pleased and relieved.
“Friends,” began the mage with a deep voice, “here, you are safe. We know where you come from. We have met your guardian, and were informed that you would arrive. Rest assured that what is said here will remain among us. Speak without fear.”
“What do we do?” Emily discreetly whispered into Glaide’s ear.
“Drekhor told us to tell the whole story,” responded Jeremy in his place. “And so...”¨But Glaide had already moved closer to the three men, and handed them the letter written by the general. Rozak took it and began to read aloud, while at his sides, his counselors listened attentively.
When he had finished, Glaide spoke. “It has been almost a dozen days now since the destruction of Rackk. We’ve spent ten days on the roads, traveling here to join you.” The young man took up the story where Drekhor’s letter had left off, speaking of their travels. The more he spoke, the more confident his voice became. He tried to recount everything that had happened as accurately as possible. It did him good to retell everything, to not have to make any decisions for a time, and to release that weight from his shoulders. No one interrupted him, not even when he mentioned their encounter with the voice of Baras, though the faces of his listeners became worried.
Once the story was finished, a long silence installed itself on the group, with each member reflecting on these new revelations. Glaide took an opportunity to shoot a glance at his friends, checking to see if they agreed with everything he had said. They nodded their heads, reassuring him. Finally, Feren spoke.
“What we have learned today is tragic. Drekhor was to come to Shinozuka, and I suppose that he intended to bring you here. When we didn’t see him arrive, we were concerned. Unfortunately, what you have said, and what we have read, has confirmed our worst fears.”
“On my part,” declared Rozak, “I’m afraid I owe you my apologies. The Guardian warned me of your coming, and nonetheless, you have been obligated to travel across lands that you had never seen before, and to confront black orks and other perils. My negligence could have cost you your lives. I am so sorry.”
The teens were ill at ease before this king who demanded their pardon. Emily replied, saying, “Oh, well, uh, it doesn’t matter so much now. We’re here, and that’s what counts. To tell you the truth, we’ve sought you out, because you are one of the few people who know of our origins, and because we need help...”
“You have shown great courage in coming to this city,” declared Vizc. �
��Although you were all strangers here, you decided to come to meet us. Why?”
Again, the young people looked at each other, and again they decided on speaking the truth. After all, they had nothing to lose.
“We started to study Iretane in Rackk, and, before we had to flee the city, we learned that there was a master teaching the technique here as well. It was to find him, as well as to meet you, that we attempted this journey. However, a few minutes ago, we were told that this man was no longer here...”
The king and his two counselors nodded, then the master mage said, “You can be sure of our support, even if we are unfortunately unable to assist you as far as Iretane is concerned. If you are willing, let us speak a little of the Guardian. He actually came to us and revealed his intention of bringing you here. You said that he spoke of a book, and I think I know what he was talking about. As soon as you’ve had a chance to get settled in, I’d advise you to present yourselves at the library of the city, to better understand what he had discovered.”
“Very good,” Emily interjected. “We would like to know what we’re doing here. For some unknown reason, Gwenn and I are white magicians, and these two young men are our protectors. But no one has really explained what exactly our role in all of this is. Are we really supposed to rebuild our lives entirely?”
The three men looked at her, not knowing how to respond. It was Feren who finally declared, “Do not worry. As we have said, we are here to help you. It is like a miracle that you are here before us today! You have so many things to learn, but henceforth you will have all of the time you need.”
Glaide smiled. It was good to no longer have to worry about anything, other than to take the time to behold the world that now surrounded them.
“I do, nonetheless, want to take a moment to explain to you everything that is happening,” declared Rozak. “We are here in the Known Lands, the part of Galadria where humans have established their home. Few of us can boast of being able to say much about what exists outside the limits of this kingdom. Some speak of emptiness, and others of gigantic expanses of water. But all agree on one point: that it is extremely dangerous. We are living in somber times. Orks, which you’ve already encountered, but also numerous other creatures infest those lands.
“Though their existence dates back millennia, and their combat is almost as old, we are now losing. Why? It is because their power comes from Baras, and ours from Aras. A god is only as powerful as those who believe in him, and the number of worshippers of the God of Evil is greater than that of the God of Good. We even have reason to believe that this miserable being can...” Rozak paused, as if what he was about to say weighed upon him. However, he forced himself to continue, “That he is able to incarnate himself. That is to say, to take on a physical shape. It could actually be that Baras is here, in Galadria.”
This revelation, which seemed to be very alarming, if one believed the faces of the three men, had little effect on the four friends.
“And what is our place in all of that?” demanded Gwenn politely.
“That’s a difficult question,” responded Feren. “As the Guardian explained to you – and what you have said agrees with what he said to us – we cannot do without the help of maggs. Two magicians more with their protectors would be a great asset in combat. As far as knowing why you, and why now... We are lucky that the Guardian was able to decrypt the book; the presence of maggs in another world is extremely rare, and there haven’t been more than two or three similar examples in all of the past. And then it furnished us with reinforcements, such as we never could have hoped for!”
Just as in the discussions with Drekhor, Glaide had the impression that the man before him was not telling him everything. It was as though he was carefully considering his words, so that he would not betray a secret.
“Friends,” began the magician gently, the responsibility you have towards the population is enormous, and I know that you have not chosen this life. We have imposed on you to help us. If there would have been another way, believe me, we would have taken it. It does not please me to say that we are obliged to send for help from other worlds. But a time has come where things are the way they are, and everyone must adapt to it as well as they can.”
Though their role was still not very clear, the four friends understood that protectors and maggs were essential individuals. Overwhelmed by this realization, they suddenly felt the fatigue and the weariness of their journey invade their senses.
“And do you have some plan of action for confronting Baras?” demanded Glaide, drawing on the last of his strength by sheer willpower. “A plan in which we can take part?”
The three men seemed to have realized that the young people before them were exhausted, because Rozak suddenly declared, “Don’t worry about that for the moment. Rest, and take your time getting settled. Many questions remain held in suspense, but we can continue when the time comes. Don’t hesitate to come here if you wish for something. As far as Iretane is concerned – it is true that the last representative of it has left. But many other schools exist, so do not despair.”
“You’re right,” sighed Emily. “We’ll go and find lodging here for a while. Our protectors should train, and we will study our powers. That will be a good start, I think.”
“Don’t forget to present yourselves at the library,” counseled the king.
“With pleasure,” Gwenn responded.
At this, the young people took their leave of the three men. Glaide, however, held back for a moment. He motioned to his friends that he would join them in a moment, then turned to the three.
“What is it, Glaide?” asked Vizc.
“It is about this whole story of a destroyer...” The young man noted the reaction of his listeners to this name, because it was the term employed by Baras himself. The three men couldn’t help smiling a little, as if they understood perfectly what all this was about, whereas the adolescent felt completely lost.
“Ah yes, the Destroyer,” sighed Feren. “Yet one more mysterious thing...”
“Do you know what it is about?” demanded the boy.
“Glaide, you need to go the library, and read the book the Guardian spoke of. We cannot give you a definition of what the Destroyer is. It is an old idea, that appeared years ago, during the time of Novak the Liberator – have you heard of him?” asked Vizc.
“Yes, Drekhor told us of him.”
“And Novak is associated with the Destroyer. The writings mentioning this name belong to that time period. That man is credited with being the Destroyer, but it’s just a name – like calling someone a protector. It is a sort of title that one acquires due to magic and ability with a sword.”
“Mmm... So it’s a sort of legend. I’ll try to learn more about it. The term seems important, since Baras used it. If it refers to Novak, I’ll have to try to find out more about him. Perhaps that would reveal something useful.”
“In any case,” concluded Vizc, “know that everyone here knows that name. It is synonymous with hope, because it refers to the Liberator. At the same time, no one knows what it really means. Everything relating to the Destroyer is vague and confusing, and we have but little information.”
Glaide nodded. Really, this question was not the most important in his eyes; he was much more concerned about the god’s evident desire to kill him. As if he could read his thoughts, Feren said, “As far as your training is concerned, don’t worry. The different schools all have value, more or less. It matters little if you change to another style now. Plus, as we’ve assured you, you are safe here in Shinozuka. We have seen how much you reassure your friends, and they don’t even realize how important you are to them. You are the only one who is pleased by this world, the only one who has accepted your fate, and that is your strength. If you are all here today, it is thanks to you alone. Don’t frighten yourself by thinking of a dark future; your friends need you now more than ever.”
“Yes,” murmured the young man. “You’re right. Thank you.” He sa
id his goodbyes to the three men, then left. His friends waited for him at the base of the great edifice. He rejoined them, and told them that they had spoken of the Destroyer, but that he hadn’t learned much. Above all, he didn’t mention his concern.
Chapter 15
IT took a good hour – and help from many passers-by, pointing out the way – before the teens found “The Enchanted Minstrel”. The place was welcoming, and its charm had the four asking for a room for four with no check-out date. The innkeeper suggested they pay by the week, and they agreed. That evening, their fatigue weighed upon them, and they ate dinner early. Those who were already familiars of the place, seeing the new arrivals, scurried to greet them and ask their names, and their reasons for coming. The four friends were evasive when asked the latter, primarily because they didn’t know the answer themselves!
Much to their chagrin, the other residents decided to play music and celebrate their arrival. Despite the protests of the guests of honor, a small orchestra was commandeered, and they played until late into the night. The music was joyful and catchy, so much so that the group decided to go along with it, and even Glaide, who didn’t like dancing, danced a few steps of a little jig.
During the celebration, the young people discovered how the hotel had gotten its name: many years before, a minstrel had come to Shinozuka. At that time, one of his friends had been in charge of the establishment. The man was a skilled musician, and a talented storyteller, and he soon developed a reputation there. He had the habit of leisurely taking a place there in the evening, armed with his precious mandolin, and starting a story by playing a few melodies – sad for some stories, jaunty and lively for others. The people who listened were enthralled by his storytelling prowess. It was even said that some seemed to be the victims of an enchantment. And so, the hotel had adopted the name, in memory of that artist.
At the stroke of midnight, Gwenn, Emily, Jeremy, and Glaide decided to go to bed. They slipped away quietly in the middle of the celebration that continued on in full swing, and climbed into their beds. They lay down and fell asleep immediately, overwhelmed by their fatigue.
Chronicles of Galadria I - The Other World Page 12
