Carrie narrowed her eyes and stared at the wizard. ‘I can handle myself thank you very much.’
Adair slumped back in his chair. ‘I know you can, and I didn’t mean it like that, but just the two of you.’
‘You can’t do it,’ said Luella, ‘my brother’s right, it’s madness.’
‘Of course we are,’ said Alex, ‘it was in my dream, and you know how they work.’
‘It’s too dangerous, and you will be without any power on a world that could have all kinds of monsters.’
‘And what if I don’t go and the devil gets the egg? How powerful will it be then?’
‘It already has Dagur’s power added to his own,’ said Birkaz. ‘If it adds the power from a golden egg it would be almost unstoppable.’
Alex nodded. ‘I think that says it all.’
‘Your dreams are not always accurate,’ said James. ‘Carrie wasn’t in your dream of the Dark World, and in many of the battles you didn’t see us.’
‘True, but this is different, and it quite clearly showed it would be just us two.’
‘Why did you say sorry?’ Carrie asked.
‘Because I’m not sure how long we will be away, as it could be days or weeks,’ said Alex, and the room went quiet.
‘When are we going?’
‘Today with any luck.’
‘I’m afraid that is quite impossible,’ said Korzak. ‘Whatever information the devil took from my brother would not be of where the dragon world is, or of the spell to get through the portal.’
Birkaz nodded. ‘None of us know where it is or the spell to enter, as they’re in the chest.’
‘Then there’s no way the devil would know,’ said James.
‘There’s one way he could get the information it needs,’ said Birkaz, ‘by communicating with the dead. He might have to travel down amongst them to find the answers.’
‘Would anything down there know?’ said Alex.
‘I would believe so, but he might have to summon a demon up to help him.’
‘I hate bloody demons,’ said James.
‘Same here,’ said Alex, ‘but it gives us time.’
‘Yes,’ said Birkaz, ‘the dead don’t like being disturbed.’
‘I take it we’re not talking of another world,’ said James.
‘No, it’s the underworld where all evil doers go.’
‘You mean hell?’ said Claire.
‘Yes, but not your hell, this one is from the old world and is still there as it always will be.’
‘Couldn’t it get the spells for its own world down there too?’ James asked.
‘No, not for the Dark Worlds, as nothing evil ever knew them.’
‘You best bring the chest here,’ said Alex, ‘before the devil finds out about it, and decides to look inside.’
‘It is protected by magic,’ said Korzak.
‘The spells are hidden,’ said Zakora. ‘We will have to consult the divining stone.’
‘We will bring it here anyway,’ said Korzak, ‘as the chest will be opened when we’re studying the books and scrolls.’
You need to take the spell off it for me, said House.
‘I will go with you,’ said Alex. A few minutes later they were in the library with the chest, and he returned to the party room for his breakfast.
‘My brother was mistaken when he said all the portals were here,’ said Birkaz. ‘The one to the dragon world is not on Earth.’
‘Are you sure?’ Adair asked.
‘Yes, I remember it now, it was on another world of men,’ said Birkaz, ‘but I don’t know where that is either.’
‘A world of men, are there no women?’ James asked, as two elves walked in.
‘Yes, there are women, I meant a world of humans,’ said Birkaz. ‘I best go and help my brothers find the answers we seek.’
Alex glanced across at the goblin. ‘Are they not in the chest like the spell to the Dark World?’
‘Yes, but the spells and locations to the other worlds are all encrypted.’
Joseph groaned. ‘Not again.’
‘I wouldn’t worry,’ said James, ‘they’re most likely in goblin.’
‘Why were the ones to the Dark World not encrypted?’ Torgon asked.
Birkaz stood. ‘In case we needed to seal it quickly if something managed to open it.’
‘Just the elves I wanted to see,’ said Korzak, as he walked into the party room. ‘I have found something of yours from out of the chest.’
‘What would you have of ours in there?’ said Thalion.
Korzak passed him a parchment. ‘It is an elven spell, which lets you enchant your stones to help you locate portals.’
‘That could be handy,’ said Alex.
Torgon studied the spell his brother was holding. ‘How come you have it?’
‘Your parents gave it to us until you were ready for it,’ said Korzak. ‘You were ready a long time ago, but someone hid the chest’
Birkaz folded his arms. ‘It is hard to remember things from so long ago.’
‘It was probably for the best,’ said Torgon. ‘We would have been looking for portals when we did not need to, whereas now we have a reason.’
‘Why are the others encrypted?’ Alex asked.
‘So nothing else could use them,’ said Korzak, ‘and as they are written in our language it would be quite impossible for any others to read them.’
‘Will any of the dead know the spells to unlock other worlds?’
‘There are those from their own worlds who knew their own spells, but I doubt they would be in hell.’
‘How soon can you get the divining stone to work?’ Adair asked.
‘It already does, but we have to find the name of the world we need the spell for.’
‘Is this going to take a while?’ Adair asked, impatiently.
‘We’re working as fast as we can, Great Wizard.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said Alex, ‘you’ll find it in time, as my dream says so.’
‘Was your brother always this grumpy?’ Carrie asked Luella.
‘No, but he never had a nephew before . . . one who thought he could save the world.’
Alex raised a brow. ‘No, Mother, but you did tell me that he tried doing it.’
‘I was a lot younger back then,’ said Adair, ‘and it took me a few hundred years before I realised I couldn’t.’
‘I don’t have that luxury. I won’t live anywhere near the age you are, but I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my children and friends safe.’
‘You don’t know how long you’ll live,’ said Adair. ‘None of us expected to live this long but the magic kept us alive.’
‘I don’t have your magic and it’s different for me,’ said Alex. ‘My time will soon be here.’
‘Never say that,’ said Luella.
‘I’m sorry, Mother, but if I live to be a hundred it will be quick in your years,’ said Alex, and part of him knew it wouldn’t be anywhere near that long.
‘No,’ said Adair, ‘you may not be of our blood, but you’re eternal like the rest of us. I saw that the first time I met you. Please don’t try to throw your life away because you think it will be short.’
‘I would never do that, and have cherished every minute since I found my daughters. But you have to understand, the dreams I have will come to fruition whether I like it or not.’
Blaze stood. ‘His dreams have always come true in the past, so maybe we should stop thinking of him being reckless and that he has to do the only thing he can.’
‘I do, and I believe it more than anyone could imagine,’ said Adair. ‘I remember the time Alex came to me when I was a prisoner.’
‘Then trust me,’ said Alex. ‘I don’t want to be dragging Carrie across some strange world when we could be here.’
Carrie smiled. ‘You wouldn’t have to drag me . . . I would more than willingly come with you.’
‘Yeah, but I would have chosen a much nicer world.’
&nb
sp; ‘You can’t get more beautiful than the Elf World, but I really want to visit the dragon world.’
‘I thought that too,’ said Alex, as he looked into her beautiful eyes that seemed to sparkle.
‘This is no day out,’ said Adair.
Alex shrugged. ‘Maybe it is, and we’re just going for a walk as we had already stopped the devil.’
‘That would be a nice thought.’
‘So,’ said Blaze, ‘it’s OK for them to go for a stroll on the dragon world now is it?’
‘Most dragons I met were friendly, but there are other dragons which weren’t. If they were going for a stroll, they would be pretty safe.’
After breakfast Alex sat in the hall and glanced at Luella. ‘I’m sorry, Mother, I don’t try to worry you on purpose.’
‘I know you don’t, dear, I just hate it when you talk about death.’
‘I did mean of old age, as I do intend to watch the children grow up.’
‘I thought you were going all morbid on us,’ said Claire.
James leant on a sofa. ‘I never thought about old age until recently.’
‘Is that because of our eternal friends?’ Alex asked.
‘Yeah, with all the talk of living for thousands of years it makes you wonder about growing old.’
Luella raised a brow. ‘Well, that won’t be for a very long time for any who live here.’
‘Do you really believe that?’ said Claire.
‘Yes, and I don’t know whether it’s because you live here, your new powers, or going to the Elf World. Your ageing has almost stopped and you will not look much different in a hundred years.’
Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘You mean I have to put up with her for that long.’
‘Don’t be mean,’ said Paige.
‘I’m going to need more money,’ said Alex.
George looked up. ‘You have plenty.’
Alex rubbed his chin. ‘How do you know we will live longer?’
‘Your hair,’ said Luella. ‘You said it hadn’t grown since you saved your daughters.’
‘Yeah, and it still hasn’t.’
‘It has, but not enough for you to notice, similar to the pucas fur.’
Carrie smiled. ‘That’s why you healers were worried about me cutting too much off.’
Luella nodded. ‘We only need it cutting every hundred years, and then only a trim.’
Carries look changed as she realised something. ‘I don’t have a job anymore.’
Alex smiled at her. ‘You do, you’re my bodyguard on the dragon world.’
‘Cool, I can live with that.’
James leant forward. ‘Will we need new identities like the warlock did when we get to a certain age?’
‘I’m not sleeping with any demon,’ said Paige, as Alex and James looked at Claire and both laughed. ‘She can be.’
Claire tilted her head. ‘It’s not saying we would be living here permanently then, we could be travelling other worlds for fun.’
‘You could be like Xena warrior princess,’ said James.
Claire shrugged. ‘I could do that, as long as you get rid of the princess bit.’
‘That does sound fun,’ said Sammy.
‘Does none of you want the quiet life?’ Adair asked, but none answered.
‘We’ll be travelling to one of these worlds soon,’ said James, ‘so we better get some training done.’
Paige rubbed her eyes and pushed her hair back. ‘I thought it was going to be just Alex and Carrie.’
‘When they get to the Dragon World, but before that we have to travel across another world, and we don’t know what to expect.’
Alex nodded. ‘You best organise an army and take the Order up on their challenge.’
James scratched his head. ‘I forgot about that.’
‘And Carrie needs to practice her archery.’
‘Why do I need to do that?’ she asked.
Alex smiled. ‘Because in my dream you were carrying a bow.’
~~~~
Drosca stamped his foot down hard. ‘The information is useless without the spells to enter either of those worlds. I will have to wait for one of the other goblins to be alone.’
That will be too dangerous and just what they expect you to do, said Lorbronika. At the moment they will be thinking you only wanted the spell to your own world, and not the information you have.
‘What use is it if we can’t get to any of those worlds?’
You can use Dagur to get into the first world once you find out where the portal is. As for the other spell, there is one way but it is very dangerous.
‘I do not fear danger.’
This way means travelling the paths of the dead until you get your answers.
‘How am I going to do that?’
You must take Dagur back to your world, and find the entrance to the underworld. You could go as a spirit, but they would not answer you.
‘And you know this how?’
I went down there a long time ago.
‘And why would they tell me?’
Because some are your own kind, and if you get the dragons power you could promise to bring them back.
‘I would be able to do that?’
Yes, but it would mean sacrificing one of your own so he could use its body.
‘That would be no problem,’ said Drosca. ‘I take it I’ll be doing all the work again.
I think my information has been more than enough help, and I’ll be going with you as I know what to expect.
‘Let us get it done then.’
Don’t be so impatient, if you go down there unprepared you will not return, they will try to trick you, and you must not fall for it.
‘Is the Final Destiny worth all of this?’
Yes, you know it is.
‘If it succeeds, will there be any humans left for us?’
There will be some, and all the other worlds will be ours.
~~~~
Alex and the children watched Carrie practice. She was already quite accurate at a standing target, and now Jodie and a couple of elves were showing her how to hit a moving one while she was running. It was Kerry who floated the target through the air. Jodie of course never missed the target, and after an hour Carrie was hitting it quite regularly.
‘Are you going to have a go?’ she asked, as Alex passed her a towel and a drink.
Alex shook his head. ‘No, I’ll let you keep us safe.’
Carrie wiped her face on the towel. ‘That’s kind of you.’
‘I thought so, and you’re very good.’
‘You shoot your arrows very fast,’ said Thomas.
Carrie smiled at him. ‘Thank you.’
Alhena sat by them. ‘Are you going to protect papa with your bow when you go away?’
‘Yes, I will, honey, so you don’t have to worry.’
Alex raised both brows. ‘How do you know we’re going away?’
‘We just know, but we were not spying.’
Alex smiled. ‘It’s OK, sweetheart, but why didn’t you say something sooner?’
‘We were waiting for you to tell us,’ said Adhara.
‘I was waiting until I knew when we were going.’
‘At least you will have Carrie, Rho, and Chi with you,’ said Sarin.
‘I didn’t see the wolves in my dream,’ said Alex.
‘There is someone else who goes with you,’ said Alhena.
‘Who’s that, sweetheart?’ said Alex, and she told him.
~~~~
James sat outside the Brightstone tavern discussing tactics for the battle with the Order. The elves would be the largest contingent of the army with almost sixty of them, twenty gnomes, and the rest from the mansion making it up to a hundred. ‘I have a feeling this might be too easy for us.’
‘You should not underestimate their soldiers,’ said Fergal.
‘I don’t, and never will after seeing their skill in battle, and with the laser guns,’ said James. ‘I reckon Henrik was over
generous giving you five hits.’
‘You believe it would take less,’ said Fergal.
‘No, but I can’t see anyone hitting one of you five times when you’re running at full speed. They would have to put half their army on you.’
‘That be true,’ said Jarlath, ‘and even if we could take five real bullets, we would have slowed down after the first couple of hits.’
‘Well,’ said Fergal, ‘we want it to be a challenge so three hits will be plenty.’
Thalion picked up a drink. ‘What will their tactics be?’
‘Henrik will know of the other battles which James led,’ said Joseph. ‘He might come to the conclusion that you might fight in three separate groups of races.’
‘We haven’t always fought like that,’ said Claire.
‘No, but you did when you had a big army on the Dwarf World. He could be thinking of getting rid of one of the group’s first.’
James considered it. ‘If that’s his plan, he could have all his best shots in one place to shoot the gnomes from a distance.’
‘How would you combat that?’ Joseph asked.
‘By not having any groups, but have us all spread out, and leave him with the problem of having his best soldiers all in the wrong place.’
George raised a brow. ‘Henrik is no fool, and may have worked that out already.’
‘Yeah, I agree, and if his army is not in that formation, half our army will take to the trees, and the other half on the ground.’
‘That’s interesting,’ said Torgon. ‘They will have to look both up and down where we won’t have that problem.’
‘Is it fair to use your powers?’ Joseph asked.
‘Yeah, as this is also a training exercise, and they will be using technology,’ said James. ‘No shields to stop the paintballs will be allowed though.’
‘So do we just attack them?’ Claire asked.
‘No, we split up into four groups.’
Claire shook her head. ‘I thought you said there would be no groups.’
‘I meant as in individual groups, we will be mixed,’ said James. ‘You will lead one group through the trees on the right. Fergal will lead the group on the ground to the left of you. Torgon will lead the next group through the trees, and Asima will lead the last group on the ground at the far left.’
The Final Destiny: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Three - Fantasy Page 20
