by Sharon Gibbs
Elle had always been better with her aim than he and Jack couldn’t protest her words.
‘Your sister is right,’ Atlas interrupted. ‘Each must make their own decisions in life and follow the path that calls to them. It may not be the safest or easiest one, but it’s the one that we freely choose. To not have choice, is to live as we do now and everyday we must fight against it.’
Christopher understood Jack’s worry and spoke to them all. ‘We each must decide for ourselves. This won’t be an easy thing we must do, but I for one would be grateful if you joined us Jack. Your knowledge will be invaluable, we could all learn a lot from you. Think before you make up your mind, and if you still feel the same way when the time comes for us to leave, we’ll not judge you. Elle still needs to rest before we can move on, so there’s plenty of time. You don’t have to make the choice just yet.’
Chapter Thirty-four
As Kovak and his men scouted the land for signs of the traitors, the sun shone and the snow began to melt.
‘Over here!’ Brice called. He’d stumbled upon a rut left by the wheel of the wagon. He knew they were hunting Elle and the others she travelled with and as much as he didn’t like it, he was bound to his Lord and had no choice.
Kovak hurried over to where Brice waited. He looked at the rut and he smiled. Now they’d a marker to follow and if the sun kept up its warmth, the snow would melt fast. The tracks that lay beneath the frozen flakes had been preserved and they’d soon catch up with the traitors.
Kovak lusted after the chase and he now only thought of two things, to have Christopher’s head upon a pike as he rode back into the town of Canameer and Elle.
‘Pack up, we ride as soon as we’re ready,’ Kovak declared to his men. ‘Brice, scout ahead and look for other signs to show the way.’
With that Kovak went back to camp for his horse. He drew his sword from its sheath and ran his fingers over its edge. ‘Your time will soon come, Christopher,’ Kovak said and then he smiled.
Chapter Thirty-five
Royston Hark called for all the soldiers in Canameer to gather in the market square. Their Lord was to make an announcement.
‘Let it be known that today is one that’ll be marked in history!’Arnak spoke loud and clear.
‘Today we’ll gather those from far and near and journey to the Keep. We’ll leave only a few behind to govern the towns as we make our way across this land.’
Arnak stood upon the platform in his battle armour. His presence awed the soldiers who gathered before him.
‘It’s to war we go! None will rise up without retribution. We’ll hunt these traitors to the end of the realm. There’s one who travels with these Wizards, one who I seek beyond all. He’s mine! Any other, you may do with as you wish.’
Arnak then sent riders to all the towns and villages in the land to gather the army to become one again, while he and Athena returned to the Keep to wait their return.
As soon as Athena set foot within the Keep, she knew she had to find the book so she made her way to the Prophecy room to search for it. She had a feeling there was something she’d missed and that feeling nagged at her. The book had to be there, but why couldn’t she find it. Every time she’d entered the secluded space, the book would speak to her, but no matter how long she searched she never came upon it.
Today she wouldn’t leave until she held it within her hands. Today she had to find it.
Athena made her way through the passages of the Keep and down the stairs to where the Prophecy room held the knowledge of all that had come before. She moved past the Wizard’s enchantments with no problem for Athena’s dark magic was more powerful than the silly spells used to prohibit students. She opened the door to the Prophecy room and stepped inside. Within the entrance she stopped and concentrated upon that which she sought. In her mind she could hear the call of the book. It beckoned her forth to where it lay. As Athena opened her eyes the call of the book vanished. Around the room upon shelves and in stacks, were thousands of books. She stepped past a small wooden step that was used to access the books upon the highest shelves and ventured further inside. She walked past the students desks and over to an enormous bookcase on the far wall. It spanned the entire wall from floor to ceiling and the titles on the books told tales of years gone by. Athena ran her hand over the spines and scanned them with her magic for the one book she sought.
After Athena had searched for hours to no avail, she felt frustrated. Her need to find the book grew with every hour that passed. Within days the army would arrive, gathered from across the lands of Solencia, and she needed to be ready to go to war.
She quietened her thoughts and closed her eyes and listened for the book to call to her. Softly it began as a low hum and with her eyes closed she walked forward to where the book led her. Athena felt close, so close she could nearly touch the book and as she took another step forward her shin bumped into the small wooden step by the door. Angry, Athena’s eyes flew open and she used her magic to pick up the wooden step that’d caused her offence and hurtle it across the room. The step crashed into the bookcase on the back wall. The impact caused the joints that held it together to split and as it fell to the floor, in a heap, the step broke apart and there within the pile of broken debris laid the book.
Chapter Thirty-six
Joseph sat by the fire in the Bartholemew home and thought about his sons. He’d not heard from Peter and James since they’d left with Christopher and Henry. He could only assume, when he’d heard news of the uprising in Canameer that the people who led the revolt, somehow involved his sons. Now he waited with Albert and Rose in Corn Fallow for word from them.
Back in The Dale, Jimmy had organised the fold. Riders had been sent to the nearby towns and villages and advised them to prepare. They in turn sent men on and so the news spread. When each town or village felt the time was right they were to gather and make their way north.
It had already begun; the time was now and all within the fold made ready to leave.
Arnak’s soldiers arrived and brought word from their Lord that his men were to return to the Keep. The people watched as the majority of the army packed and left. Leaving only a handful to govern the people.
The rebellion began; the people of Solencia rose up and overpowered the soldiers left behind and as they travelled north they joined with others along the way. The time had come and the people made their choice and united. Freedom was what they desired and to obtain it they were prepared to fight.
Joseph sat in the garden wrapped in a warm blanket. He enjoyed being outside even thought the air was cool as the clouds shifted across the sky. The sun shone briefly upon him and he relaxed as he enjoyed its warmth.
A group towing a small wagon travelled along the path towards Thomas and Mary’s home. Joseph watched the group as they rode into view. He didn’t recognise them at first as the group had become larger than when they’d left, until James rode into view.
Joseph called to the others and he walked up to greet them. Rose rushed out of the front door. She was overjoyed to see Christopher and the boys return.
Christopher dismounted and hugged his aunt. He was glad his family had safely arrived in Corn Fallow.
‘Christopher, we’ve been so worried not knowing what had happened,’ Rose said as she hugged him.
‘Son, I’m glad to see you’re all safe,’ Albert said as he welcomed Christopher.
Mary and Thomas hugged Henry. They’d been worried about him while he’d been away. Henry then introduced Clarence to his friends.
‘Come into the house everyone,’ Mary said.
Christopher returned to the wagon where Atlas, Elle and Jack waited. He took Elle by the hand and led her and her family forward to introduce them.
‘Aunt Rose, Uncle Albert. I’d like you to meet Elle, her father Atlas and her brother Jack.’ Atlas and Jack stepped forward and shook hands with Christopher’s family. Christopher then introduced Elle to his aunt and uncle. They could tell by the
way he presented her to them that this wasn’t just a girl who travelled with their group. As Christopher let go of her hand Albert greeted her and Rose stepped forward.
‘Welcome,’ Rose said and then she took Elle by the hand and they went inside.
After introductions were made and thanks returned for Thomas and Mary’s hospitality, Mary and her family set about to prepare food, while water heated for their guests. Elle and Rose helped in the kitchen with the food and Elle told of her life and the happenings in Canameer.
‘Elle, come bathe before we eat,’ Mary said. ‘Do you have anything else to change into, dear?’
‘I’ve a few things packed in the wagon.’
‘I’ll have Christopher bring them in for you,’ Rose said and then left to speak with him.
Elle relished the tub. Not since she’d been a little girl had she the time to relax and actually enjoy a bath, and she lay there in the heat until it cooled.
After Elle dressed, she returned to the kitchen. The clothes she wore were clean, even if they were past their best. Mary wondered at the life Elle had lead, with no mother to guide her.
‘Come and eat,’ Mary said as she placed the final dishes on the table.
That night as they gathered around the fire, plans and ideas were spoken of as they waited for Jimmy to arrive from The Dale.
Chapter Thirty-seven
The next morning, wrapped in his cloak, Henry rode into the village of Corn Fallow while everyone else in the Bartholemew house slept on. His intentions were to call upon Frank, the man he’d met when he’d first left upon his journey to see Christopher.
It was early and the sun had just begun to cast its first rays of light upon the sleeping village. As Henry passed by the Trading House, he saw that the doors stood wide open and it appeared to be deserted. Henry reined his horse in and stopped by the tree where he’d first met Frank. He dismounted his mare and tied her to a limb and ventured over to have a look inside. When he entered the building, it had been emptied of all weapons and Henry worried where they’d gone.
He mounted his horse and hurried towards the lane by the bakery and onto the house with the red door. The little house was quiet and Henry had to knock twice before he heard any movement from within. Slowly the door opened. Frank stood before Henry with his shirt untucked. He’d dressed in a hurry and was still half asleep and his eyes lit up as he recognised Henry.
‘Come in, come in,’ Frank said.
‘I know it’s early, but I needed to speak with you,’ Henry said.
‘It’s never too early. I told you anytime you’d be welcome. Come in and I’ll make some tea and we can talk.’ Frank led Henry towards the small kitchen.
‘Sit, Henry, while I light the fire,’ Frank said as he pulled a chair from the table. Henry sat and watched while Frank began to rekindle the embers in the hearth.
‘So what have you come to see me about?’ Frank asked as he prepared the tea.
‘I came to see you about the armoury, but it now stands empty,’ Henry said.
‘Yes, a rider came early yesterday. The Lord has ordered the majority of his soldiers to return to the Keep. Why, what’s going on Henry?’
Henry filled Frank in on the events pertaining to Canameer, but he deliberately omitted the time they’d spent within the Caves of Choice. The caves were sacred and the less people who knew about them, the better.
‘So you’re the ones involved in the happenings there? Are you the Wizard the soldiers speak of?’ Frank had to ask the question, he needed to know.
‘Yes,’ Henry said.
‘Thank heavens,’ Frank said and he began to ramble on.
‘Frank, slow down. What are you talking about?’
Frank rose from the table and slipped into the small bedroom he shared with his wife, soon returning with a small red book. He handed it to Henry.
‘This book has belonged to my family for hundreds of years. Each one who has held it has guarded it with his life and in turn when they felt their son was ready, it was then passed on. As a child I relished the stories my father told me about it and I dreamt of the day it would become mine to hold and protect, until my turn came to pass it onto my son.
‘Late one night in my twenty-fifth year, my father came to me with the book. We’d just opened the Trading House in the village and I’d been working long hours and my wife and I had already retired for the night.
‘My father, Arath, was sick and had journeyed out with a desperate need to pass the book to my hands. His thoughts dwelt upon handing over his responsibility and he made me promise, upon the book, to take care of it. If the One didn’t come within my time, I was to hand the book over to my son and teach him the importance of its protection.
‘While he rode home, in the early hours of the morning, a storm descended and my father was thrown from his horse. He was found the next day down the bottom of a ravine with a broken neck. As the years passed by my wife and I had a son, a child to grace our home. But one day while he swam with his friends in the river, he was caught in an undercurrent and drowned. From that day, my faith to pass the book on also died.’
Henry was saddened for this man and he sat quietly while he waited for Frank to continue with his story. Frank sat at the table and said nothing more.
Henry looked at the book he held. It was one he’d never seen before, but as he opened the cover, he noticed an inscription inside. Under the inscription was the author’s name.
The instant Henry saw the name he knew Frank spoke the truth, for the name etched upon the inside page was that of Asterly Du Laurent, Wizard of the Order.
‘What does the book contain that I need to know?’
Frank took the book from Henry and then he flicked through its pages until he found the passage he was looking for. He turned the book for Henry to see and he quoted the passage.
‘For when the Wizard comes forth to save his brother, they’ll cause events unlike another. While all that’s good is there to save, the snake they fight for, he will enslave. The beast will rise and with his power, suck the life from every flower. This book they’ll find is the key, to force back evil it’s up to thee.’
Henry shivered. Had their actions triggered a chain of events that would lead them down yet another path?
Frank watched as the colour drained from Henry’s face.
‘Henry, it hasn’t yet come to pass. Things aren’t always as they seem. You of all people should know that.’
Henry shook himself. What Frank said was true. These books always had a way to instil fear into the reader and were quite easily taken out of context.
‘So what’s our plan, Henry? The book is now yours, and I for one will assist you in any way I can. There are others here too, who are willing to rise up. Most of the soldiers have left the village and I’m sure we can overpower those who remain.’
Henry rubbed his chin as he thought upon all that Frank had shared with him.
‘Gather those who’ll come to our aid. The time is now. We’ll oust those who’ve taken our lands. As we speak others are already doing the same and they ride this way to join us in our task. The reason we rescued the prisoner in Canameer is that he is, as the book says, my Brother of the Order and together we have returned the powers back to the One who will lead us. He’s come of age and is no longer hidden. He is, as he always should have been, a Wizard with powers greater than anyone can imagine. Christopher is the One to lead us forth and rid our realm of these evil foes.’
Henry rose from his seat. ‘I must go, Frank. Speak to those in your fold and find out if they’re ready to join with us. We leave early tomorrow. Meet us at the crossroad.’
As Henry rode back to Thomas’, he thought about the book. Should he tell Christopher about it? Of course he would, but maybe he’d wait until he’d had time to look through it first.
Chapter Thirty-eight
Jimmy arrived at Thomas and Mary’s home that morning. He brought news with him that the people had taken back their towns.
Henry returned to the house in time for breakfast and as the household gathered together they spent the day finalizing their plans.
Early the next morning as the group prepared to head into Corn Fallow, Albert drew Christopher away. In his hands, he held a large object wrapped in cloth.
‘Christopher, Rose and I have always believed in you. We’re proud to have watched you grow over the years, from the child you were when you came to us, into the man you’ve become today.’
‘Your aunt and I love you with everything we have and have always considered you to be our son, our blessing in life. Although we fear for what may come, we believe in you and will do what we can to aid you in your journey.’
‘Before you left home with Henry, to make your final choice as to where your destiny would lie, Henry asked me to craft you this sword.’
Albert unwrapped it from the piece of cloth and handed it to Christopher.
When Christopher held the sword he felt an immediate connection. Henry had helped Albert prepare the initial stages of the steel and had taken a small amount of Christopher’s hair from the wooden box to infuse into the raw metal. When Albert had finished the sword, Henry’s magic had created a talisman which, when held in Christopher’s hands, would bond to him and become part of his essence.
Four stones adorned the hilt and each one was placed precisely to represent the points of the compass. The stones connected the Wizards to all life around them. Sun, moon, water and earth, the four stones placed in the handle would draw energy from the world around and magnify Christopher’s inner essence.
The sword measured his worth as he held it in his grasp. Christopher was amazed at the craftsmanship. The fine latticework on the handle was one Albert could be proud of and Christopher ran his fingers over the stones. As he held the sword out in front of him, Christopher tested its balance. He moved it through the air, where it flowed as if it were an extension of his body, He could feel the power as it pulsed through the stones.
