The Fallen Guardian tgc-2

by Steven R. Burke

  Lord Keb took advantage of this slight break in the dark one’s concentration to lock down the one secret that he knew he must keep secret. He did this so subtly that the wicked beast did not take notice. Keb looked up at the impressive devil standing in front of him and smiled back. “It’s nice to see that you have not let yourself go after all this time. What have you been doing all these years locked away in that icy fortress?”

  “You will soon find that out for yourself, my old friend. You too will have a new eternal home just like I had for all those centuries. This mountain will be your icy fortress for as long as you live. Who knows…I might be able to find a way to end your misery. Of course, it would be easier if you just joined my side. You of all people should appreciate how precious life is. I know that you will do what is best for you. It is time to stop living for others.”

  “You should know by now that your smooth talk and subtle coercion does not work on me. I thought you would remember that.”

  “People change, Keb….especially right after they realize that they are trapped. So, what is it that you have locked away in your mind?” Keb shifted slightly from this declaration because it meant that his subtlety did not go unnoticed.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “When I was probing your simple mind, I thought I saw an image of some kind of object of great importance or power. Now, I can no longer see that image. What was it?” His deep voice had a soothing tone as he tried to pry to information from the earth elemental.

  “You seem to be a bit touched in the head after all those years alone in that castle. I do not know what you are talking about.” He was trying his best to sound cool and unconcerned. If ever there were a time that I needed help, it would be right now.

  “Believe me when I say that there will be no one coming to your rescue. Your friends are all a little busy at the moment. Kana has made sure of that.” A wicked grin flashed across the dark lord’s face as he spoke. He snorted derisively at his prisoner as he inched closer to Keb.

  “That may be true, but I have other friends that you do not know of that will rescue me.”

  The dark figure looked slightly apprehensive for the first time during their little chat. He did not like the tone in which he referred to these other friends. What is this little fool hiding from me?

  “So, you have invisible friends that will break you out of this prison?”

  “Yes, they will come to my aid when the time is right.”

  “I think that you have the very dementia that you accused me of having earlier. Your arrogance will be your downfall. I see through your lies and deception, old friend.”

  “You may believe whatever you want; that does not change the fact that they will come. Mark my words.” His tone took on a very serious edge to it as he said these words. His bold words were giving him confidence to stand firm against the devil in front of him.

  “Considered your weak words marked. Now, you will tell me everything you know about that image I saw in your feeble mind.” His eyes began to burn bright red and looked as though flames were about to shoot out of them. His impatience was rising to the surface and his anticipation of discovering important information was causing him to lose control.

  “Torture me all you like, Drogan; you know you cannot kill me.” Keb had a definite edge to his voice as he spat back at his dark tormentor. His confidence began to waver once more as the demon continue his deliberate approach.

  “Well, well…you are not afraid to speak my name aloud anymore. Impressive.” He had a wicked gleam in his fiery eyes that told Keb that he had better prepare for the worst. He had seen that look before from his villainous captor. He braced for the physical and mental attacks that were about to be unleashed upon him with ferocity that he knew all too well.

  “You must do what you feel is necessary, of course. Know this…friend, any information you find in my mind will not help you or your cause. Remember, limitations beset everything in this world; you should know this by now.”

  “We shall see…” The dark one raised his hands above his head, which caused a blackish fire to ignite in his outstretched hands. He lowered his arms dramatically and sent balls of fire directly at the defenseless guardian. In an instant, he was engulfed in fiery blackness. His very substance burned painfully hot while the real threat of this attack bored into his mind. The blackness was a foreign spirit that penetrated most of his mental barriers within a few seconds.

  Lord Keb dropped to his knees as he clasped his head, which was engulfed in flames. He was reeling from the power of the dark spirit Drogan was using on him to extract the information he desired. The spirit easily circumvented the magical barriers he had placed around a secret race he had knowledge of. However, the spirit quickly moved on because that was not what its master was looking for. There was a particular image that needed to be found and identified. Keb tried his best to fend off the relentless assault on his mental facilities to no avail. His walls seemed to melt away at the whim of the intruder. It was a very uncomfortable feeling having one’s mind read like an open book. The strain of trying to fend off the evil spirit was draining any remaining strength he had left after his encounters with Kana, the serpent, and most recently Drogan.

  After only a few minutes of perusing, the spirit lurched suddenly while in Keb’s head. The image that he was sent to find was just behind a series of mental barriers. Keb tried desperately to conceal the secret that he knew he must not reveal. Drogan sensed the iron will of his captive increase in intensity and knew that he needed to do something immediately to distract the Elemental long enough to give his spirit creature the edge needed to gain access to the concealed information. He held aloft a jet-black staff that had appeared in his hands out of thin air. He pointed the tip of the staff at the burning guardian and sent a cloud of ferocious vampire bats swirling at him. The bats began to bite and generally torment the beleaguered Keb as he struggled to fend them off. They did not do much damage physically, but mentally he let his guard slip slightly.

  During the split second that Keb was distracted, the demon spirit smashed through the magical barriers and captured the information that the guardian had tried so desperately to conceal. Once the creature had the information, it withdrew from the battered mind he had invaded and returned to its master. A broad smile crept across the demon lord’s face. This was a very unpleasant sight to behold and sent chills down the spine of the hunched figure of the broken Lord Keb. He knew that he had given his enemy a secret that would alter the fate of Tuwa and its people forever. He silently hoped that Drogan would not know what to do with the information that he had successfully retrieved for his new master. Kana would know what to do with this intelligence. Keb did not doubt that. He hoped that the dark lord would try to keep his findings a secret and not divulge it to the now twisted elder guardian. That was really the only hope he had for this horrific situation he found himself in.

  “You are a weaker than I thought. That was not much of a defense, earth lord. I expected greater things from you.” He laughed raucously at the bent figure before him. He was enjoying the fact that he was able to so easily break a guardian. He really did believe that it would take days of torture instead of a few minutes.

  “Leave me, dark one. You have what you were sent here for. Go back to your new master and report what you have found.”

  “I serve no one!” He smacked the poor Elemental across his right temple with his black, gnarly staff. Everything went dark, and Keb knew no more for a space of time.

  “Mistress Kana, I have the information that you were unable to find,” stated the dark lord wickedly.

  “Very good; let’s hear what you have found out,” replied Kana coolly. She did not care for her dark companion, but she could not dismiss his results and his effectiveness. Sometimes a person is required to make a pact with the devil in order to achieve their designs. This was one of those situations. It was just too bad that this devil annoyed her.

  “What is i
n it for me?” He felt that his bargaining position had improved since their first meeting. He was going to push his advantage while he still had it.

  “Well, it seems to me that you feel you are in a position to change the deal. Why don’t you show me what you have found, and I will tell you if it is worth giving you an expanded area to rule.” The hint of a threat in her voice was unmistakable. After all, it was she that had undone Drogan’s attempt at world domination the last time. She was even more capable than before at controlling the dark beast, and she was simply making that clear to her fellow conspirator.

  “As you wish, my witch.” He did a quick and unconvincing bow of submission.

  “If you would like, I could return you to your beloved icy fortress instead.” She wanted to make it very clear that she was in charge of things.

  “Once you hear what I have to say, you will not blame me for trying to better my situation.” Drogan said this with a little more humility this time. He was a master at manipulating most living things; however, he had had no affect whatsoever on the formidable witch.

  “Very well, out with it then.” She did not like being linked to this dark creature, but it was the only way to communicate effectively over the vast distance that separated them. She had other matters to attend to that were more important than any information that the earth-loving lord possessed. She did not believe that anything stored in his mind would be of any value to her plans. She mentally sighed as she waited for the dark lord to spit out whatever information he had obtained.

  “As you wish, Kana the ever so patient one. There was an image of some ball that appeared to have vast power. It was clear by virtue of the significant mental defenses that were employed that this magical ball was of the utmost importance.”

  “The question is who this object belongs to and why it is important?”

  “It seems to me that this ball is important to the guardian himself. That is what I think.”

  “I will look into this matter further. If it proves to be of any worth, then you will be rewarded. For now, you will still be given reign over the north lands as we agreed before.”

  “What do you want me to do with Keb?” At least I gave it a try; she is still underestimating my abilities, so that is something.

  “Keep him where he is, and don’t allow him to send any messages. I will take care of the rest. You will not be needed again until the end,” Kana said this with a slight edge to her voice that made it clear that the conversation was over. Drogan said nothing in reply and broke the connection.

  What is this ball, and why have I never heard of it before? Is this something the guardian created? Is it a secret weapon that he is planning on using against me? Answers are what I need right now. As she continued to muse over the barrage of questions, she reviewed the images that were captured by Drogan. The ball was in some sort of cave and did not appear to be protected by any visible means. It was probably protected by magic of some kind. The ball seemed to have every color in it and did not look particularly impressive when she first saw it. As Kana continued to scrutinize the image, it hit her. This ball contains all of the elements of this world! How is that possible? And, more importantly, why would someone put all four elements into an orb like this? What purpose would that serve?

  Fall from Grace

  The sky above was clear, and the stars shone brightly overhead as Mistress Khalida made her way through the dense underbrush. The moon cast awkward shadows through the trees and thick foliage. As she neared the border of the Seda’s realm, she could feel the presence of several of the spectral creatures. Why had he requested a meeting here of all places? This cannot be a good omen. As she continued to push her way through to the designated meeting place, she stumbled into a wide clearing of burnt trees and charred earth. She realized that she had just entered the burnt remains of the portion of the Seda’s home that was damaged during the siege of Tarisdell. This made the situation even more perplexing because the guardian did not care for these foul spirits. He was the one who had banished them to this secluded place all those centuries ago.

  In the distance a white, furry object appeared to be making its way toward her. This was no ordinary fur ball; this was Osborn, the largest white bear in all of Tuwa. He was also the trusted steed of the guardian himself. As Khalida looked closer, she could see her beloved sitting atop the snow-colored beast. It was then that she noticed that there was another bear beside Osborn. This bear was not quite as large as the white bear, but its size was greater than almost every other bear on the continent. The creature had once been Khalida’s steed years ago. She had an uneasy feeling of deja vu come over her as she watched the pair of massive beasts approach her. They were as tall as the shortest giant when they stand on their hind legs and weighed many times more than one of the heaviest giants.

  “I am glad to see that you are well,” welcomed the guardian with a warm smile. Osborn stopped and let his master slide off his back. Khalida and Adair embraced one another tightly for moment.

  “What news do you bring?” she asked straight away. She did not like to waste time…especially when war was looming on the horizon. A feeling of apprehension swept through her as she looked at the guardian.

  “I am afraid that Lord Keb has been imprisoned by your dear sister. She has entrapped him in Mount Mephistopheles in the farthest reaches of the north lands.”

  “What? Why has she done this?” Khalida asked this a little more angrily than she had intended. Her nerves were on edge and her restraint was non-existent.

  “I share your frustration with your sister, believe me. She has done some horrific things that defy all logic for someone with her knowledge. She not only entrapped our dear friend Keb, but she has also tortured him for information.”

  “Oh no. Has she found out anything? Does she know about the orb?” She clasped her hands tightly over her mouth at this revelation.

  “Well, she has recruited our old friend Drogan to help her retrieve any vital information from Keb. She knew that Keb was close to me and that I would have been likely to share secrets with him. She knows that you know the same secrets, but your power is equal to hers, so that is why she entrapped our friend instead.”

  “So she knows about the orb then. What are we going to do now?”

  “There is no need for panic. She does not fully understand yet what it is that she has learned. All she knows is that this object has great magical powers. I alone know the secrets of its power. My concern is what she is planning to do with the knowledge she now possesses.”

  “So, are you saying that even if she could find it that she could not use it?” Her master had a way of calming her down even in the most dreadful of situations.

  “Unfortunately she will be able to use most of its power if she should find it. However, she will not be able to unlock its most powerful secrets. She will be able to inflict serious harm on the races and creatures of Tuwa. That, I cannot allow.” Adair said this with an edge to his voice, which made it clear that the danger was very real.

  “Will she be able to find this orb?”

  “No, I have moved it once again to a new home. She should not be able to find it. I do worry that Keb may sense where I have moved it to and that Kana would be able to extract that information from him.”

  “I too can sense the orb in its new location. Should we focus our efforts on securing the orb or on dealing with the war that is about to break out in Tuwa?” she asked with a look of urgency on her face.

  “I believe that we need to direct our efforts toward preventing an all-out war. If this object should come into play, then we will deal with it. I sense that we are needed in the field of battle right now. If we cannot stem this tide of war, then we must turn it in our favor…for the benefit of the good peoples of Tuwa,” replied the guardian stoically.

  “I shall return then to the peoples gathered together in Landen. They probably have the greatest need right now.”

  “I have a special favor to ask of you
before you return. I need you to visit our friend Lord Neb. It is time we got back the Nairi Canyons from those fallen elves. Have Neb cleanse it.” This last statement has an ominous feel and sent shivers through Khalida.

  “Ah…you are right, of course. That course of action is probably long overdue. I will take care of it.”

  “I leave you in charge of this affair for the time being. I have other matters to attend to.” Adair said this with a faraway look in his eye.

  “You are going to visit him, aren’t you?” Khalida spoke in a reverent manner that was almost a whisper.

  “Yes. He is the only one who can advise me in these matters. Plus, I must report that your beloved sister has fallen from her high station. He will not be pleased, but he will be able to give me the guidance that is sorely needed in this delicate situation. This bloody affair that is ravaging these free lands is the responsibility of the guardians. We shall be the ones who will rectify the wrongs. However, I sense that we are going to need help from my special children.”

  “Please be careful while you travel. Kana may target you next. She knows that if you get involved that her plans will be thwarted in the end. I will attempt to track her movements, but I believe that she may be using powers that are not rightfully hers.”

  Adair pulled Khalida into another warm embrace and held her for a few minutes. When he broke away from her, he smiled widely and winked at her. He jumped lightly onto Osborn’s back, and they were off. Khalida watched him go as the sun began to peak through the trees. After a few moments of watching the guardian ride off toward the sunrise, she realized that he had not explained why they had met in the Seda’s home. She had been too engrossed in their discussion to remember her initial query. It was at this point that she looked around the charred clearing and noticed the spirit creatures watching her. There were several hundred floating in the cool morning air. As she continued to look around, it was clear that they had surrounded them during their discussion. Why did they surround us? Were they trying to protect us?