The Path Of Peace (The Cremelino Prophecy Book 3)

by Mike Shelton

  Somehow the Preacher raised his hand in an effort to stop the attack. The third man in the room motioned for the eastern wizard to stop. It seemed the Preacher had something else to say. The Preacher sat up, still struggling for breath. His eyes were bulged and watery.

  In a raspy voice, he croaked. “The Cremelinos. I’ve found them.”

  The eastern wizard looked shocked but pleased. His demeanor changed, and he motioned for his former pupil to stand and report. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier?”

  “There is one in the city now.” The Preacher’s voice grew stronger. “A gift to a young wizard, the daughter of the governor. And the rest are on an island a short distance from here.”

  The two eastern men grinned.

  The wizard said, “You may redeem yourself after all. The Cremelinos could increase our power at home and here in the west. Your new assignment is to kill the girl and take the Cremelino. Bring it to me, and I will force it to bond to me.”

  Rapp almost let out an audible sound. He had to warn Tali. Without waiting to hear more, he turned to sneak back out of the room. Upon doing so, his foot knocked over a bucket. The ensuing sound of the bucket rolling around caused the neighboring conversation between the wizards to stop. Without any other stealth, Rapp quickly ran up the stairs and hopped over the railing to another ship close by on the docks. He noticed the three guards, still half-drunken in front of the eastern ship.

  * * *

  A short time earlier, Kelln was following and watching Alessandra. When he knew she was alone, he approached. She was in a room above an inn that was known for being used by the Guild of Thieves for some transactions. He entered the inn alone, but Taliana and Radiance stood outside, ready to assist if necessary.

  Rapp had earlier informed Kelln and Sean where he had seen Alessandra’s mother, Berlain. Since Kelln was too well known in the city in his status as ambassador, Sean took the assignment to confront the woman and convince her to meet with Alessandra. Kelln took upon him the assignment to talk to Alessandra and arrange a meeting with her and her mother.

  Walking up the steps to the second floor, Kelln knocked on the door. He heard sounds of movement within, but no one answered.

  “Alessandra,” he whispered at the door. He thought he heard a gasp. “Open the door. It’s Kelln.” He hoped she would respond for old time’s sake. This would be his last ditch effort to get her away from the Preacher’s influence so he could take the man down.

  She did. The door opened, and she stood looking at him. Her dark-colored auburn hair still fell in beautiful layers past her shoulders. Her large almond-shaped eyes pulled him in once again. She smiled a melancholy smile.

  “Hello, Kelln.”

  He asked if he could come in, and she opened the door wider. She moved over and sat on the edge of a bed while Kelln closed the door behind him.

  “How are you?” He didn’t know how to start the conversation.

  “Why are you here?” she answered. “My father is looking for you, you know. “

  Kelln shrugged. “As are you. I heard you bargained away my life for the chance to visit your mother again.”

  The statement seemed to catch Alessandra off guard. She looked panicked.

  Kelln stood in front of her. “Come with me?’ He offered his hand.

  Her hand came up as if without thinking, but then she pulled it back in an abrupt move. “My father will be back here soon. You need to leave.”

  “That is why we need to leave together. I found your mother, Alessandra.”

  Jumping off the bed, her eyes opened wide in shock. “Is this a trick, Kelln? After all I have done against you, why would you do something nice for me?”

  “That’s a good question, one I have been asking myself over and over again, Alessandra. I harbor no more notions that we can be together after what you have done. My job is to take in the Preacher, but for the feelings I had once for you, I am willing to help you see your mother before I take both you and your father in to custody.”

  Tears filled Alessandra’s eyes. “Why? Why are you so good to people? I saw the way you never gave up on your friend Darius. You are loyal to a fault, Kelln. I am not worthy of your help.”

  “Look, Alessandra. I know your father can be manipulating. I know he can be hard to resist, but you can leave him right now and see your mother.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you want to see her?”

  Indecision and pain played across Alessandra’s face. After a long silence, she whispered, “Yes.”

  They left the inn by a back door and met up with Tali outside. Kelln was trusting Sean to bring Alessandra’s mother to the rendezvous point but still wasn’t fully convinced of Sean’s motives.

  They had chosen an old courtyard on the eastern outskirts of Mar. It was enclosed on three sides by old dilapidated homes, which over time had been worn down by the harsh salted sea air. The paint had peeled off years ago, and part of the walls and roofs had collapsed. At the center of the courtyard stood a large ruined water fountain and small swimming pool, signifying the wealth the past inhabitants had once enjoyed. Weeds and old scrub bushes sat in cracks of brick, while a thick layer of sand covered it all.

  Kelln, Alessandra, Tali, and Radiance stood at one end of the courtyard. Nothing was said as they waited. The sound and smell of the ocean wafted over them in their stillness.

  Kelln’s hearing picked out the sounds of someone approaching. He felt Alessandra stiffen next two him as two people entered the courtyard opposite them. Sean stood there with Berlain. He nodded his head toward Kelln, and Kelln ushered Alessandra toward her mother.

  Berlain whipped her head toward Sean. “You did not tell me she would be here.”

  Sean just shrugged.

  “You told me it was a meeting with my father.” Berlain wore brown leather pants with a brown jerkin over a shirt. A blue cloak moved in a slight breeze around her.

  Kelln looked at the two women and noticed the similarities. The almond-shaped eyes of both mother and daughter held a firm resolve.

  Both ladies stood looking at each other for a moment, then Alessandra rushed into her mother’s arms with a cry. Berlain stiffened at first, but then relaxed. She held her daughter and stroked the back of her head.

  “You are so beautiful, my dear,” her mother said. “I have missed you for so long.”

  “Why?” Alessandra could hardly speak. “Why did you leave us?”

  Berlain backed away from Alessandra an arm’s length. Sadness and regret filled her face. “It’s complicated. I can’t explain it all. Your father, however, was part of it.”

  The rest of the group backed away to give some privacy to the reunion. Sean stood next to Taliana. “How are you today, sweetheart?” He tried to break the serious tension in the air.

  Tali squinted her eyes at him in a mock glare but didn’t move away.

  Kelln took up the silence. “Sean, thanks for bringing her. I don’t know what’s going to happen with Alessandra, but it was important for her to see her mother.”

  Sean nodded his head in acknowledgement and said under his breath, “It actually feels good to do something decent.”

  Tali looked at him and smiled. “There is hope for the young, arrogant noble.”

  Sean snorted but smiled anyway.

  The quiet moment was shattered by a loud wail coming around the other side of the building. Kelln heard his and Tali’s names being called. In an instant, they were all on alert. Kelln pulled his sword, Sean ran to where Alessandra and her mother were visiting, and Taliana moved over closer to her Cremelino.

  With shouts and yelling, Rapp came stumbling around the corner, dirty and out of breath. He ran up to the group and tried to talk, but he was breathing too hard.

  “Rapp, what’s wrong?” Tali tried to get it out of him.

  “He’s going to kill you,” Rapp finally said.

  “Who is going to kill who?” Kelln put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Rapp was clearl
y afraid.

  “He’s going to kill Tali.”

  “Who Rapp? Who is trying to kill me?” Taliana looked around the square with nervous glances.

  At that instant, another man came around the corner. Tall and broad, calm, overbearing with short red hair. A red cape swirled around him.

  “I am,” the man said.

  “Father?” Alessandra whispered.

  “Dominic?” Alessandra’s mother said.

  “Dominic?” Sean echoed with a slight smile.

  Kelln gave Sean a look that said to be quiet and guard the girls. Sean moved between Taliana and Alessandra. Rapp backed up behind the Cremelino.

  “Ah,” the Preacher continued, “everyone in one place it seems. The little urchin was easy to follow.”

  Another man came around the corner, flanked by two guards. “Not everyone, Mr. El’Han. What is the meaning of this meeting?” It was the guildmaster.

  “Father!” Berlain shouted.

  Alessandra’s face drained white. “The Guild of Thieves’ guildmaster is your father?”

  “And your grandfather,” Berlain finished. “I told you it was complicated.”

  The guildmaster walked with intent toward the Preacher. “I told you to stay away from my daughter fifteen years ago.” His guards pulled out swords and walked with him.

  “I had nothing to do with this meeting.” The Preacher’s neck pulsed with anger. “I tried to keep my daughter away from this side of the family. It would only bring her pain and suffering. This is the doing of our beloved ambassador, Kelln El’Lan, who has meddled in my affairs for the last time.”

  “Father,” Alessandra said. “You told me you wouldn’t hurt him.”

  “I lied,” the Preacher said. “He has interfered too much. You were better off never seeing your mother again. She is the daughter of a thief and will always be living in the underground with them, their guild never sanctioned. I wanted glory for you Alessandra. I told you I would give you a city to rule.”

  “I don’t want a city to rule, Father. I just wanted to see my mother again. You don’t understand the bond I had with her as a little girl. I would do anything to see her again.”

  The Preacher smirked and turned toward Sean. “Nice to see you here, Mr. San Ghant. I trust you have been following my plan?”

  Sean nodded noncommittally to the Preacher and smiled. Kelln’s face grew red. He shouldn’t have trusted Sean.

  “Sean, what did you do?’ he yelled and ran toward him.

  The Preacher lifted his hands in the air. Blue, green, and white fire and lightning circled his hands, crackling in the air. He hurled a hot white fireball toward Kelln as he ran for Sean. “Now you will die once and for all!”

  The fire raced from the Preacher’s outstretched hand, but Alessandra ran to intervene. As the bolt of flames reached them, Alessandra threw herself in front of Kelln, offering herself in a final moment of redemption. She took the brunt of the magical force and crumbled to the ground as Kelln skidded into Sean.

  “What have you done?” Berlain yelled to her former husband. “You would kill your own daughter?”

  The Preacher did indeed look shocked as he tried to comprehend what he had done. His eyes glazed over in madness, and he brought another bolt to bear; however, Taliana sent a wave of wind crashing into the Preacher, taking him to the ground before he could launch the fire.

  Tali jumped on her Cremelino and, with a few swift strides, rode over to the Preacher to finish the job.

  Rapp yelled at her from across the courtyard. “No, Tali. He wants to kill you and take your Cremelino. Stay away!”

  Tali paused and looked back at Rapp. It was enough time for the Preacher to stand again. He reached out his hands toward the young wizard and shot blue lightning from his fingers.

  “Tali, jump,” Sean yelled.

  She dove off the horse, the bolt of lightning only hitting her right arm. A scream followed as a burn raced up her forearm.

  Kelln sat down next to Alessandra on the ground. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. A large gap in her clothes showed inflamed and burnt skin across half her middle. Her leg was badly scorched. Hurt eyes pleaded with Kelln to help, and then she passed out.

  Kelln looked up, trying to figure out what to do. The two guards with the guildmaster were hanging back and tried to circle around the Preacher. Kelln needed to distract him.

  “You are ruined, Preacher. There are more of us here.”

  “Worthless. All of you!” the Preacher shouted, his voice amplified by his power. Energies of various colors began to circle around him, and Kelln stepped back.

  The two guards rushed the Preacher from behind. The first ran a blade toward the Preacher's back, but he, along with the second man, were killed instantly with fire from the Preacher’s hand as he turned to face the attack.

  When he turned back around, Tali, though untrained, lifted a barrage of pebbles from the ground and threw them at blinding speed toward the evil wizard. They pelted his body, but still the man stood.

  Grinning with eyes blazing, the Preacher stomped his foot on the ground, and the ground rose up in bubbles, knocking everyone down. He took an inhuman leap and landed a dozen yards away directly in front of Tali. Reaching out his hand toward her throat, he squeezed in the air, and she began to choke. Her Cremelino made an awful shrieking noise, filling the air around them.

  “Stop that, you monster!” Berlain, who had been standing in shock, drew a small knife and threw it at the Preacher’s chest. It hit low and stuck in his gut, his power on Tali weakening momentarily.

  The Preacher pushed his other hand toward his ex-wife and tossed her like a rag doll into the air, throwing her into the old tile fountain in the courtyard. Her body stayed still. The savage act snapped the guildmaster back to action, and he jumped on the back of the Preacher trying to gouge his eyes from behind.

  The distraction enabled Tali to break free from the Preacher’s magical hold. She lay on the ground, gasping for breath.

  Sean, surprisingly, reached down and pulled Kelln from the ground where he still sat trying to protect Alessandra. “We’ve got to do something!”

  “Haven’t you done enough Sean?”

  “You mistake me, Kelln. This was not my plan. I have remained loyal since I arrived here.” Sean pleaded his case. “I can tell he’s a monster. He will kill us all. Now get up and fight.”

  Kelln stood and grabbed his sword. The Preacher was still busy with the guildmaster, having just thrown him down again. The wizard was relentless. Blood poured from his back and gut; his eyes were bloodshot and crazed. Dirt and pelts of rock covered him, but still he pushed on. Sending a killing burst of fire on the guildmaster, he turned to face his final standing opponents.

  Rapp yelled for Sean to come and help Tali, leaving Kelln alone facing the Preacher. His mind raced back in time and covered in mere seconds all the pain and harm this man had caused in his life. His family had been misled by the Preacher’s evil dreams, resulting eventually in Kelln’s father’s death. Kelln himself had been imprisoned and tortured by him on multiple occasions., and Darius had been held under his power for a time. He spared a lingering look at Alessandra lying crumpled on the ground, her chest rising and falling slowly. She was unconscious, which was a blessing in her badly burned state.

  Kelln, raised a sword maker’s son, now made a stance. He had learned as a toddler how to hold a sword with perfect balance in his hand. He thought of Darius’s sword, his relic of power, and wished for that golden sword at this time. Looking around at the carnage, wishes obviously were not being granted that day.

  “Fight me!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “Man to man. Fight me without your powers.”

  The Preacher stiffened and smiled. He hadn’t touched his sword yet, but now with a ring to the air, he drew it from his side and settled into position.

  Kelln attacked first, going on the offensive. Back and forth they dueled, clashing swords in the midmorning air. Kelln tasted th
e salty sea in his mouth. His wild red hair was plastered to his forehead, drenched in sweat. Kelln sliced the Preacher’s arm just above the bicep and jumped in to take advantage of the pain; however, the Preacher cut low and caught Kelln across the thigh. Screaming in pain, he limped backward.

  Both approached more cautiously this time. Kelln’s energy was dwindling; the Preacher was more powerful than him, even without his magic. With the affairs of the ambassador’s office, Kelln hadn’t trained like he should have recently. He stopped thinking and instinct took over.

  Kelln bumped into an old stone bench. He hadn’t realized that the Preacher had been pushing him backward a step at a time. Now he was pinned against it, and when the Preacher lunged into a full assault, Kelln’s legs couldn’t move; all he could do was bend backward at the waist. He would break or fall soon.

  Without warning, Kelln felt his legs sweep out from under him by the Preacher’s foot, and he fell backward, laying unprotected across the bench. The Preacher smacked the sword out of Kelln’s hands and looked down in mad glee at his young opponent.

  Kelln looked up at the Preacher, and everything stopped in his mind. This was how it felt to die. He had done his best. He didn’t want to die, but he wasn’t afraid. The things Alastair, ironically the Preacher’s father, had taught him in the cave last year came back to him now. He could leave this world knowing he had done his best. No one could ask for more. May God protect him.

  “I will kill you,” the Preacher grunted through clenched teeth. With sweat dripping down his face, his eyes shifted momentarily over to Taliana and Rapp. “Then I will destroy you, young girl wizard, and take your bonded Cremelino from you.” The mad wizard brought his sword up in the air.

  Falling limp to accept his fate, Kelln heard Tali scream at Sean to stop, then a rush of brilliant white blurred the air to his right side. It was accompanied by a loud wailing, deep and painful. Both he and the Preacher turned their heads.

  Sean was riding Radiance, and he spurred the speeding horse toward the Preacher. Agony contorted his face in obvious pain from riding a Cremelino he was not invited to ride on or bonded to. In unmeasured speed and in radiant, blinding light, he waylaid into the Preacher.