Valley of the Ancients: Book Three of the Restoration Series

by Williams, Christopher

  Once again every head turned to face Kara. She nodded. "Cassandra told me as much, but it was stolen a week or so ago."

  "By Flaranthlas?" Nathan asked, not showing the least bit of disappointment that his hard sought knowledge was useless.

  Kara shook her head, "No. Cassandra said she thought it was taken by one of Zalustus' lieutenants." She paused and then decided that it was time to tell the majority of the rest of the story. "She also said that the dragon armor called Nerandall is a sign. She said it was lost in the Faerum city of Saprasia during the Third War of the Races. She also mentioned the dwarven shield Ocklamoor, which no one seems to know where it is located."

  "You are very well informed, indeed." Nathan said, "However, not everything you just said is accurate."

  "Which part are you referring to?" Kara asked.

  Nathan grinned, "You said no one knows where the Dwarven shield Ocklamoor is located, but I believe I know where it is hidden."

  Chapter 21

  Derek's head was spinning. It seemed that as many, if not more, surprises were coming from Kara as from Nathan. "Hold on," he said quickly, "how is it that I've never heard of these 'signs.'"

  "When Kelcer was translated into the common tongue, many of the names were translated literally." Nathan said, once again sounding like some sort of teacher. "For instance, Ashteroth literally means 'halo of fire' and that is how it was translated. Those who did the translating did not know that it was a name of an actual helmet. Even most historians today would not know of the helmet. Most of its story has been lost in the centuries and millennia since it vanished."

  "Then how do you know?" Kara asked, suspecting that she already knew the answer. "How is it that you have information that even historians do not have?"

  "Because, young lady, I was rather highly placed in the Church and certain information came to my attention. Information thatI do eigh I could not just pass on. I began to research these things and the answers I found were almost as troubling as the initial questions."

  "The Church knows that the common Kelcer prophecy is a bad translation?" Kara asked incredulously. "Are you saying they actually know that they're lying?"

  "Not all of them," Nathan answered quietly. "Most preach as they have been instructed to, all the time believing that they're doing the work of Adel. I suspect that only a few know the truth, Dalin Olliston was surely one of them. I suspect that some of the archbishops know as well."

  Silence descended around the table for several moments and Derek looked from Kara to Nathan and back again. Nathan remained calm, accepting, but Kara was flushed and looked ready to explode at any moment. Derek found it strange that the woman was still so ready to defend the Church. It had after all required her to do something which, in the end, she had refused to do. The Church that she so dearly wanted to defend would probably execute her when she returned. Craziness.

  "But you think you know where this shield is?" Trestus asked. It was the first thing he had said since he learned of his family having to go into hiding.

  "Yes," Nathan answered simply. "While I was still in the service of the Church, I began to search out these meanings, as I said, and I learned something of immense importance. You see, the Church also knows about these signs. They have sent men to search the ruins of Saprasia, but they did not find the armor. But the Church did find Ocklamoor."

  "The Church has Ocklamoor?" Kara repeated in disbelief. Her face, which mere moments ago had been flushed with anger, had now gone very pale. "How can that be?"

  "I do not know the details of how they acquired it," Nathan admitted, "but I do know where it is located now."

  There was another moment of silence, finally broken by Derek sighing deeply. "All right. Where is it?"

  "It is located in the Abbey of Enlightenment."

  "What? It's in Elem?" Kara asked surprised.

  Derek understood her confusion. Elem was a port city on the western end of Telurian territory, just south and east of the Az'ha'rill mountains. It was a thriving community, where enormous quantities of goods were unloaded from incoming ships before other goods were reloaded for the ships to return to wherever they had come from. The city had a rather dark and unpleasant reputation, as was to be expected with that many sailors on liberty. The Abbey of Enlightenment looked over the city from a large hill just to the north of the city proper. "Are you sure?" Derek asked. "I mean there are so many larger abbeys that are better protected, and why wouldn't the shield be brought back to the Church's seat of power in Telur?"

  Nathan grinned and leaned out over the table. "If you knew that the Church had the shield, where would you begin your search for it?"

  Derek hesitated at the question. His first thought was Telur, followed closely by or one of the powerful monasteries in the east. The last thing that came to mind was Elem. The city was more well known for its whores than it was for its abbey. "Surely they would have picked somewhere that's better protected."

  "You would be surprised at how well that abbey is guarded," Nathan answered. "In fact, there are so many guards placed there, and priests who were once guards, that I can not imagine how you will get in and then back out without getting caught."

  "What do you mean how we're getting in?" Derek demanded. "I have not decided to go there. It doesn't make any sense."

  "Are you sure of your information?" Kara asked of Nathan, ignoring Derek for the moment. "Does the Church know that you discovered the location of Ocklamoor?"

  Nathan shook his head, "No. They think the secret is safe, which is why you just might have a chance."

  Kara glanced at Derek and there was a determination that surprised him. A day ago the woman had seemed downtrodden and resigned, but now she seemed alive for the first time in a long while.

  "Derek," Kara began slowly, "Cassandra said we have to get the shield and armor before Zalustus does. If there's a chance then we need to go to Elem."

  Derek didn't answer right away, but considered their options. It seemed they could not return to Telur openly or they would be arrested. Flare appeared to be trying to fulfill the Kelcer prophecy and restore the Dragon Order and thereby making all of their lives forfeit. The only good thing, that he could see, in going to Elem was that it had put some fire back into Kara. He shook his head, "I'm not sure that I trust him," he said pointing at Nathan. There was an snort of indignation from Gilbert but Nathan waved him into silence. "What if this is a trap by the Church?"

  "Trap?" Kara repeated, shaking her head. "Doesn't make any sense. With Flare having stolen Ossendar, the Church is looking for us everywhere, so there are few enough places for us to hide from them. A city inside Telur's borders is probably one of the last places they will expect us to hide. And if Nathan's right, then this might be more important than we know."

  Derek paused again, considering. "You know that this might mean that you're helping Flare restore the Order."

  The words made Kara look sick and for the first time she hesitated, her resolve wavering.

  "Kara." Nathan said, pulling her gaze to him. "Do you believe that this is wrong? Do you believe that you are going against the will of Adel?"

  Kara didn't answer immediately but considered the questions. Finally she shrugged, "I do not know."

  Nathan smiled. "Do you believe," he put extra emphasize on the word believe, "that the Church is doing the will of Adel?"

  Kara sighed deeply and lowered her head. "No," she said quietly. "My faith has been destroyed."

  "No," Nathan said quickly, causing her to look up at him, "your faith in the Church of men has been destroyed and now you can begin to trust in your faith in Adel."

  Trestus excused himself and stepped outside. Nature was calling and he felt he knew where the meeting was headed. He descended the stairs slowly, stretching his back and shoulders as he walked. They had been in the building for several hours and he felt all the revelations were throughnast width="54.

  He stopped walking several feet away from the stairs and stared up at
the night sky. The stars were beautiful and relaxing to him. It was difficult to see the sky while in this forest. Most areas had the sky blocked by overhanging tree limbs, but there was a gap in the canopy affording a view of a small part of the sky.

  He began walking again considering what he had learned. Flare is the one! How is that possible? It still didn't make any sense. He worried about the world ending, talk of Kelcer brought that fear to many, but even more than that was his worry for his family. He thought of his mother and sister and his heart ached for them. If anything happens to them, how will I go on?

  Concerned that fear and worry might overwhelm him, he grasped for something else to focus on, and that was when he remembered why he had stepped out. Turning his steps to the south, he left the open area of the village and entered the edge of the forest and quickly began taking care of business. His aching bladder was much appreciative.

  When he was done, he turned to head back to the village, but a sound from his right pulled him up short. He froze and listened to the night sounds, trying to make out what it was he had heard.

  Hearing nothing, he began to slowly, and as quietly as possible, edge his way around the forest in the general direction of the sound. He was just coming around the edge of an oversized tree when he happened to glance up. The poor light reflected from two eyes. Something was on one of the tree's limbs.

  Trestus stumbled backwards as he quickly drew his sword.

  He could still see the eyes and they followed his progress, but the extent of their movement was to blink.

  "Who's there?" Trestus demanded. "Announce yourself or be considered an enemy."

  "I thought you already considered me an enemy," a voice called from the darkness.

  It took Trestus a moment to recognize it. "Reega?" he asked. "Is that you?"

  The eyes disappeared from view, and there was a 'thump' of two feet hitting the ground. Shortly thereafter, Reega walked slowly from around the edge of the tree. He was dirty and his clothes were torn in several places. He came to a stop several feet from Trestus and he glanced questioningly at the sword that Trestus still held with both hands.

  Trestus glanced around, looking for signs of any of Reega's friends. He didn't trust this boy. He had no reason to. In fact, everything the boy had done caused him to trust him less and less.

  "You planning on killing me with that?" Reega asked, motioning to the sword.

  "If I do, it will be because you made me," Trestus answered. "For some reason, I just don't believe very much of what you say." He glanced around again. "Where are your furry friends?"

  "Not here," Reega answered with a sigh. "I sent them away for a time and Melissa's leg is still sore."

  "Who's Melissa?"

  "Sorry. That's what I call the cougar."

  "You call the cougar Melissa?" For some reason that made Trestus chuckle. There had to be a story behind that name.

  "Do you like Karina?" Reega asked quietly.

  Trestus started at the question, both because it was completely unexpected and because the boy was actually behaving civilized. "What do you mean?"

  "I see how you look at her," Reega said.

  Once again this did not seem like the boy that Trestus had come to know and hate. "How I look at her?" Trestus said quietly, comprehension slowly dawning on him. "Are you afraid that I," he momentarily stopped speaking as Reega's words registered, "you think that she and I." Before he knew it, Trestus had lowered his sword to the ground and he was bent over laughing.

  "What's so funny?" Reega demanded, a little of the old hostility in his tone.

  Trestus managed to stop laughing and he wiped a tear from his eye. "Reega, I must admit that Karina is rather fair to the eye but I have no intentions towards her. I'd rather get friendly with my horse than that she-devil of a woman."

  "Really?" Reega asked, the glee that he was trying to hide was still evident in his voice.

  With a revelation, he realized the boy cared for Karina, really cared for her. "Do you have intentions toward her?" Trestus asked slowly. He didn't want to offend the boy again but maybe he could steer the kid in the right direction; the right direction being away from Karina.

  "No." Reega said with something approaching a chuckle, it sounded strange coming from the boy who was normally so angry.

  Surprised, Trestus returned his sword to its sheath and studied Reega in the moonlight that managed to filter its way through the trees. "I don't understand. If you don't have a desire for her then why would you care if I did?"

  "She found me when I was seven," Reega said softly, staring at the ground. The earlier mirth was gone from his voice now, "My parents were dead. My family had all been killed and she took me in. Taught me to survive. I would have died long ago without her." He raised his eyes to stare at Trestus, "So when I see the way you look at her, it makes me want to protect her."

  Reega's words brought the last revelation home. The boy didn't want Karina as a lover, he thought of her as a mother figure. He was just trying to protect her and he wasn't sure how to do it.

  Trestus nodded. "I see," he said softly. The boy did need some guidance, just not the kind that Trestus had assumed. "You know, it seems to me that Karina can take care of herself. In fact I pity the man that steps out of line with her." He also pitied the man that knew her, the man she met accidentally, and most of all the man that she fell in love with, but he felt it best to keep that to himself.

  "Yeah, she sure can," Reega agreed.

  "My point is that you needn't worry so much for her, certainly not to where you get so irritable with everyone. There are a lot of people out there who would do you harm, but there are even more who wouldn't harm either of you."

  The silence stretched out between them for a short while and Trestus resolved to remain silent and let the boy speak first.

  "I'm sorry for attacking you in the woods," R easTrestus,eega finally said. "I shouldn't have done that."

  "Thank you," Trestus replied. He decided it best not to bring up all the other things that Reega had done. Probably best just to take the apology and appreciate it.

  "When are you planning on leaving?" Reega asked.

  Not soon enough! Trestus thought, but wisely did not say out loud. "I'm not sure. The lord of the forest is back, so I assume that we will be going soon."

  "Luck to you." Reega said and then disappeared into the darkness.

  Trestus stood there for a moment, amazed at how things had turned out. An hour ago and he would just as happily run the boy through with a sword and now he was actually acting in a respectable manner.

  Chapter 22

  Trestus returned to the village slowly, enjoying both the night air and the way his conversation with Reega had gone.

  He walked slowly back to where their meeting with Nathan was occurring. Reaching the steps, he paused, not sure if he wanted to return just yet. He leaned against the stair railing and once again he looked up at the night sky.

  The sound of someone whistling pulled Trestus' attention back to the surrounding village. He scanned the area and was surprised to see Keenan waving at him from near their shack. It was hard to see in the darkness, but Keenan's white shirt helped to draw the eye.

  Trestus pushed off from the wooden railing and walked quickly over to meet Keenan. "Why aren't you in the meeting?"

  Keenan grinned. "It's over. Nathan was tired from his journey so he wants to meet again in the morning." He motioned inside the shack, "The others are waiting on you inside."

  They entered the small shack and Trestus was pleased to see that Kara had pulled back the blanket that split the shack in two. None of the men liked her using the blanket, but trying to tell the woman she was wrong about something was like trying to take food from a half starved, rabid, and sex deprived dragon. Not something he wanted to do for sure.

  "Where did you get to?" Derek demanded as Trestus sat down against the wall.

  "Must have drank too much water before the meeting," Trestus answered with a
grin, causing Kara to roll her eyes at his vulgarity.

  Derek snorted. "Sorry I asked, but now that we're all here, let's talk about the meeting." He looked at each of them in turn, "I don't think we can trust this Nathan. It's convenient that a former member of the Church appears when we need information. "

  "I'm not sure I trust him either," Kara began slowly, "but he did mention the helmet first. His information to that point agreed with what Cassandra told me."

  Mention of Cassandra brought more questions from the men and Kara was goaded into retelling her story, this time she even told the part about Heather's group being detained in Eled Aminor. The news only served to darken the men's moods.

  ast t="0"We must try and help them," Trestus said. "We can't just leave them to their fate."

  Kara sighed. "I think that would be disastrous. They are captured and they still insisted that we had to go after the armor. Cassandra believes this information is more important than all of them." Her eyes dropped to the floor, "And besides, what could we do? They think it will be a foolish for us to go there."

  "I agree." Keenan said from his position near the door. Trestus and Derek both glanced at him, anger showing in their eyes. "If, as this Cassandra says, one of Zalustus' men stole the helmet, then they may have spies in the King's court. They will want for your friends to suffer the punishment for the helmet's theft and keep Zarum and Zalustus' involvement quiet. They will probably be watching for us."

  Derek nodded slowly, surprising both Trestus and Kara. "I hate this, but I think going to Eled Aminor would be foolish. I'm also not sure that either Elem or Saprasia are good choices for us either."

  "Cassandra thought so," Kara said quietly.