The Dark Crown

by S C Gowland

  ‘Oh, it’s only you.’ said Zalen relaxing and rubbing his left arm, looking accusingly at Zahara.

  ‘You have something to tell us?’ asked Kaoldan with a hard smile.

  ‘Yes.’ said Zalen taking half a step backwards, ‘Zahara does have something to say. Don’t you.’ he looked expectantly towards her.

  ‘Really?’ she said turning to face him, jaw hard.

  Zalen was about to respond when Kaoldan moved in between them, his head was starting to ache, he looked at each of them fully in the eye.

  ‘What is it?’ he said slowly with great effort.

  ‘We’ve found something.’ blurted Zahara.

  ‘Something magical.’ said Zalen with a grin.

  Kaoldan frowned.

  ‘It is quite magical.’ conceded Zahara with a nod.

  ‘Very magical, I’d say.’ said Zalen eyebrows bouncing.

  ‘You’re probably right.’ said Zahara face softening.

  Kaoldan groaned. ‘Ok, ok.’ he raised his hands in defeat. ‘What is it?’

  The pair paused, looked at each other, faces screwed up with concentration. They huffed and grimaced.

  Zalen’s eyes lit up. ‘Stairs.’ he offered.

  Kaoldan’s eyebrows said everything.

  ‘Magical stairs…’ said Zalen rocking on the balls of his feet.

  ‘You’ve got to see it really.’ said Zahara.

  ‘Yeah.’ nodded Zalen. ‘It’s a bit hard to describe.’

  ‘Fine.’ said Kaoldan with a growl, beginning to walk.

  ‘They have to come too.’ said Zahara, pointing over his shoulder.

  ‘Trust me.’ said Zalen with a wink.

  Kaoldan hummed a response but said nothing. He poked his head back through the doorway.

  ‘Come on.’ he said. Aralorne and Nova frowned, looked at each other, stood and followed on.

  ***

  The sound of boots on hard surfaces bounced around Kaoldan as he followed a whispering Zalen and Zahara down a corridor.

  ‘Any idea what this is about?’ asked Nova cane rapping rhythmically on the floor.

  ‘Magic stairs.’ said Kaoldan out of the side of his mouth. His head was really hurting now.

  ‘Magic stairs…’ he heard Aralorne murmur, he caught a look of concentration on his face in between shafts of light.

  ‘Is it important?’ he asked.

  ‘I’m not certain...’ said Aralorne, hesitating between words.

  After a few moments of twisting down corridors they came to a halt.

  Kaoldan stood stiffly and spread his hands. ‘What have you found?’

  The pair grinned.

  ‘This is what we have found.’ said Zalen, pointing behind Kaoldan at two large arched wood panelled doors.

  Kaoldan frowned, Nova and Aralorne shrugged.

  ‘This is the good bit.’ said Zalen brushing past his friends, with an effort he pushed at the doors. They groaned in protest but moved smoothly.

  A roar escaped through the gap.

  A light spray of cold water enveloped Kaoldan face, he blinked. Wiping the moisture from his forehead. He rubbed the liquid between his fingers and sniffed; nothing.

  ‘It’s just plain old water.’ assured Zahara.

  ‘Come on.’ beckoned Zalen.

  Kaoldan grimaced as he made his way down the dark corridor towards the light.

  The noise of water rose, almost to the point of being deafening.

  He blinked away the brightness – eyes fluttering - and emerged onto a staircase. His jaw went slack as he took in the sight before him.

  A magnificent stone spiral staircase winding upwards and outwards around the edge of the circular wall. It was at least twenty metres wide, white blue stone sweeping upwards into the darkness. The strangest part, however, was in the centre of the room, a hole. A great gaping hole with an endless stream of water dropping through its centre, an indoor waterfall.

  Light shone down its centre from high above, causing a kaleidoscope of colours which shone out on to the walls.

  Kaoldan inched closer to the edge, the chasm of blackness beneath sent a wave of dizziness through his entire body. Water disappeared into nothingness.

  He flinched backwards fighting the urge to be sick, a firm hand grabbed his arm.

  ‘Steady.’ came a reassuring voice, a woman’s voice.

  He swallowed down the acid taste in his mouth, opened his eyes and saw Zahara holding his arm.

  ‘I don’t mind it so much.’ she shrugged, ‘But I remember you hate heights.’

  He smiled weakly. ‘How do you know that?’

  ‘Not everything changes.’ she said with a soft smile.

  ‘Thank you.’ he croaked, his other hand moving to cover his chest.

  She nodded and moved backwards as he shuffled away from the edge.

  ‘I don’t believe it.’ rang out Aralorne’s voice, neck arched back, mouth gawping. He shook his head in disbelief.

  ‘Do you know what this is?’ he demanded. Zalen’s face went serious.

  Silence.

  ‘This is the Prism Descent.’

  ‘Is that good?’ asked Zalen, leaning forward.

  ‘Oh yes.’ laughed Aralorne. ‘This is very, very good.’

  ‘Oh. I found it.’ grinned Zalen.

  ‘Well done my good man.’ said Aralorne clapping him hard on the shoulder. ‘You have an explorers’ instinct.’

  Zalen looked rather pleased with himself.

  Zahara snorted, squished up one side of her mouth.

  ‘I never thought I’d see this.’ said Aralorne marvelling at the sight in front of him. ‘Never even thought it actually existed. If I’m honest.’ He moved forward and swept his hands through the rushing water, whilst slowly shaking his head. Kaoldan winced as he did so.

  ‘And that’s not the best bit.’ said Zalen.

  Aralorne’s whole body tensed. ‘There’s more?’ his head snapped round.

  ‘Up the stairs.’ said Zalen.

  ‘Which means…’ Aralorne murmured. ‘No...not possible...’ he said each words slowly, then scrambled for the exit. ‘My notes.’ he shouted over his shoulder. ‘I need my notes, I’ll catch you up.’ voice fading down the corridor.

  Zalen nodded pointing up the stairs, his smile slipped.

  Halfway around the sweeping curve of the stairs stood a four legged black figure. It barked, sound bouncing off the walls, eventually drowned out by the sound of crashing water.

  ‘Oh, how did he get up there?’ hissed Zalen, face hardened.

  Dref barked again, tail wagging.

  ‘Must have run on ahead.’ said Zahara a small grin spreading across her face.

  Another bark rang out.

  ‘I found it’ said Zalen sulkily.

  ‘Indeed you did, my friend.’ said Kaoldan. ‘After you.’ he pointed the way ahead.

  Zalen stomped off up the stairs, in the distance Dref played bowed, barked then ran off up the stairs.

  ‘You don't see that every day.’ said Nova falling in alongside Kaoldan.

  ‘Beautiful.’ Kaoldan nodded, deliberately avoiding looking towards the edge, concentrating on the refraction of light on the walls and began to climb the steps.

  ***

  Romina couldn't think. Her mind was numb.

  She stood unable to comprehend the sight in front of her. Breath caught in her throat, heart pounding.

  In life she knew, some things were fact.

  When she had last seen her mother, she had been barely a teenager: fact.

  She had been told her brother had died: fact.

  She had been told her mother had died: fact.

  And yet, her mother now stood right in front of her: fact.

  ‘How are you, my dear?’ smiled Morveen, walking slowly towards her. ‘I do hope this isn't too much of a surprise to you.’ her strides were relaxed, at ease; the opposite of Romina who said and did nothing.

  ‘There are reasons for all this,’ she waved her hand abs
ently, ‘but time is somewhat pressing. So I will have to explain everything later.’ Morveen raised her hand as if to touch her daughter’s cheek.

  Kubrean stepped forward and intercepted the hand before it touched, teeth clenched.

  The sound of stretching bows strings echoed around the room. Morveen calmly raised her other hand, the tension immediately dropped.

  ‘Stay away from her.’ he snarled.

  Morveen turned her head and smiled.

  ‘How I have missed you.’ she said sweetly, twisting her hand free of his grip. ‘Have you been keeping well?’ she asked turning away, slowly walking around the group.

  Each rap of her boots on the polished floor sent a spasm through Romina’s heart.

  ‘How's the cooking?’ she said conversationally. ‘Learnt any new recipes I might like? I was always rather partial to your chicken and white wine, what was the special ingredient you put in?’ she tapped her front teeth with a fingernail.

  She snapped her fingers. ‘White truffles, of course’; she looked over at him, teasing. ‘That aroma.’ she smacked her lips.’ ‘Earthy, smooth and rich. Beautiful.’

  Kubrean said nothing, his eyes following jaw set hard.

  She smiled at him, clicked her tongue, back towards him.

  His face hardened, and he half attempted to raise his hand towards her.

  ‘I wouldn't if I were you.’ said Morveen without turning. ‘Before you do anything an arrow will be through your throat and what would be the sense in that?’

  Kubrean froze, eyes moving between Morveen and Romina.

  ‘You always were so terribly predictable.’ she said shaking her head. ‘And why would you want me to inflict more trauma on my daughter?’

  Blood rushed, whining into Romina’s head.

  ‘Your daughter?’ Romina spat; eyes narrowed. ‘Your daughter?’

  ‘Ah, she speaks.’ said Morveen, licking her lips.

  Romina held her gaze.

  ‘Yes.’ screamed Morveen, ‘You are my daughter.’ bursting forward like a wild animal charging at its prey. Her face whitened trembling with anger, she grasped at the open air between them.

  Despite herself Romina took half a step back, and the group closed in around her.

  Morveen hesitated, face softening. ‘You will always be my daughter.’ she said, voice lowering to barely a whisper.

  Romina sniffed and raised her chin.

  ‘Forgive the outburst. It has been a long, emotional day.’ Morveen said voice returning to normal. ‘Who else do we have here?’ she peered to the back of the group.

  ‘Dalon… I almost didn’t recognise you. Nice beard, it suits you. Makes you look rather manly, for a change.’ she pulled a face.

  ‘Kryst, I might have guessed. Never far away, always hanging on. Surprised you’re still with us to be honest.’ she prowled around the edge.

  ‘Who else…’. she frowned at Lauden.

  He tensed and attempted to stand tall. ‘My name is…’

  There was a metallic ring, and he gargled.

  Words stuck in his throat along with the purple blade of a sword stuck right through his neck.

  He twitched, hands reaching towards his neck, as a dark velvety liquid began to ooze from the wound.

  Romina gasped and recoiled from the sight, head back, eyes wide.

  There was another metallic ring and the purple blade shot backwards and shrank back into Morveen’s hand. ‘I don’t need to know who you are.’ she said placing the black rod back into its sheath.

  Lauden gurgled, hands grasping, blood pulsed between his fingers.

  Kubrean fell to his knees by the side of Lauden as he collapsed. His face was pale, he choked breaths through his nose, voice rasping. Kubrean tried to help, hands clasping trying to stem the flow of blood. But it was no use, the damn had burst. Blood continued to flow, spilling through their mesh of fingers.

  Romina looked at her mother, who caught the look and shrugged. ‘Don’t need to know.’ she smiled sweetly.

  There was a long groan as Lauden wobbled - looking straight at Kubrean – air hissed from him and then he was still. Yellow light flickered, emerging from within his body. It rose silently and gracefully up, limp as if being pulled through water. His head turned, and he looked at Romina, who simply watched, it rose up into the air, illuminating the room in golden light, upwards towards the ceiling. It passed straight through and the room was dull yet again.

  Kubrean shook his head, collapsing into Lauden’s body.

  Romina felt her body turn icy cold from head to toe.

  ‘What?’ said Morveen as eyes fell upon her. ‘I only wanted people I know to speak.’

  ‘That was beneath you.’ said Tokel face like stone.

  ‘What makes you so certain?’ asked Morveen.

  ‘The woman I knew...’

  ‘That woman has gone.’ hissed Morveen moving towards her. ‘Things change.’

  Tokel shook her head sadly.

  Morveen’s face brightened ‘So, how are you? It has been so long.’

  Romina watched this person who looked like her mother - who was her mother, she reminded herself - as she shrank towards the back of the group, away from Lauden and away from whatever this was.

  Tokel did not move.

  Morveen frowned. ‘Why the silent treatment?’ she asked.

  ‘What do you want?’ said the old woman hatred in her eyes.

  ‘What do I want? What do I want?’ mused Morveen looking towards the ceiling.

  Romina felt a fresh wave of dread wash over her. Her head was still numb, like it was wrapped in ice.

  Morveen gasped as if coming to a great realisation. ‘The answer is very simple I want a great many things, but first I want my daughters back.’

  ***

  Kaoldan’s legs burned like hell.

  ‘Come on.’ beckoned Zalen through the archway ahead of him.

  ‘How many times have you done this?’ asked Kaoldan stretching his muscles out.

  ‘Twice.’ he shrugged. ‘It’s more fun on the way back down.’

  Kaoldan winced.

  ‘Getting old?’ teased Zalen.

  Kaoldan gave his friend a withering look, sensing danger Zalen retreated back through the archway.

  The view from the top of the staircase was not one that Kaoldan particularly wanted to take in. The waterfall that dominated the centre of the stairwell ran from a great stone lip which jutted out above the entrance to the main door. Water streamed over the edge, soft, gentle before disappearing downwards - Kaoldan shuddered before following Zalen.

  ‘This is what I really wanted you to see.’ said Zalen pushing open two large white doors with a loud creak.

  Darkness greeted them.

  Nova looked blankly around.

  Still darkness.

  ‘Well done.’ said Kaoldan with a frown.

  ‘Wait, wait.’ said Zalen voice coming from nowhere.

  Slowly Kaoldan’s eyes began to adjust. He blinked several times the black began to melt into sharper and faded shades. The room was cavernous, no windows but slowly walls began to emerge. The room was huge, it appeared to be circular or hexagon-shaped, it was hard to tell. But Kaoldan saw two or three familiar shapes form in front of him. Zalen, Zahara and Dref.

  ‘Look up.’ said Zalen. Kaoldan could hear his smile through the murk.

  He lifted his head and his jaw went slack.

  There was no ceiling. Not something that could even be described as a ceiling. There was a night sky. Black velvety, rich. Thousands, no tens of millions of stars, stared back twinkling in all the colours of the rainbow and every other colour in between. Yellows, greens, reds, blues, oranges, purples. Endless, uncountable clusters of stars. On a clear night it was possible to see stars in the sky, but this was something else entirely. Everything was bigger, brighter, more colourful; it was quite the most beautiful thing that Kaoldan had ever seen.

  ‘Not bad is it.’ came a voice by his ear.

  Kaoldan j
umped.

  ‘Be careful.’ said Zalen, catching his friend.

  Kaoldan let out a sigh of relief and shook his head.

  ‘It is rather…’he turned, and his head clanged into a something hard and cold. Pain and bright light burst through the front of his head.

  ‘Oh, yes, sorry.’ came Zalen’s voice. ‘Forgot about them.’

  Kaoldan’s eyes fluttered and a wave of fizzing pain rippled across his scalp.

  ‘He did the same thing.’ sang Zahara’s voice.

  ‘It can happen to anyone.’ Zalen said defensively.

  ‘It did.’ winced Kaoldan as he shook his head, the light faded, and darkness returned.

  ‘They run around the edges of the room.’ explained Zalen, boots echoing around the room. ‘Not really sure what they’re for.’ he said shoulders shrugged in the dark.

  ‘I think I might know.’ said a fresh voice. Aralorne.

  ‘I thought you might.’ murmured Kaoldan.

  Aralorne moved forward head up, mouth gaping, a book stuffed under his arm, just gazing up at the stars.

  Kaoldan frowned.

  Still he wandered, slowly shaking his head

  ‘You were saying.’ came Zahara’s musical voice through the murk.

  ‘Oh yes.’ Aralorne shook his head. ‘This is a very important room.’

  ‘You don’t say.’ sneered Kaoldan.

  Aralorne continued oblivious. ‘If my theory is correct, this may be exactly what we have been looking for. Have you touched any of the panels?’

  ‘Only with their heads.’ replied Zahara arms crossed, leaning against the entrance.

  ‘That is not the right way to do it.’ sniffed Aralorne.

  ‘I thought so too.’ said Zalen face serious.

  ‘Push that one lightly with your hand.’ Aralorne pointed to the panel nearest to Kaoldan. The big man paused. Nova nodded. Taking a deep breath Kaoldan turned and pressed the panel with his hand. Light spread outwards from the point of contact, like ripples on a lake across the panel.

  A smile slowly built on Kaoldan’s face as they all moved backwards. The panel was enormous, square about the size of a house now fully illuminated, green and blue flickered in the darkness revealing shapes and symbols. Walkers, dozens of Walkers in lines.

  Kaoldan tilted his head, then turned to his right and took half a dozen steps to a different glass panel. He raised his hand and pressed it - cold like stone - it was only when all five of his fingers were placed upon the glass, it burst into light. He winced; slightly taken aback.