Ancient Prophecy

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “I still find it hard to believe that I’m married to the Emperor of Sordoa,” she whispered. “Look out and everything that you see is at your command.”

  Ali Kasim followed her gaze and looked out over the city of Trekum. She always found ways to inspire greatness in him, he thought.

  “Ali,” she cooed, “sit up on the crenel. I want to gaze at my Emperor with his city laid out behind him.”

  Like a schoolboy in love, the Emperor hopped up on the crenel and posed for his wife. Miriam smiled brightly as her wedding band slipped off of her finger and dropped to the floor.

  “Perhaps I should have that refitted,” she murmured.

  Miriam bent down to retrieve the ring. With an amazing burst of strength, she grabbed the Emperor’s feet and pushed them up and back over the crenel. Ali Kasim’s scream lasted all of the way to the ground and was silenced by a resounding thud. The Empress started screaming at the top of her lungs. The entire Palace stood shocked. Some men ran over to the Emperor’s still body, while others raced up the tower steps. When they arrived at the top they found the Empress curled in a ball on the floor crying hysterically. Their questions about what happened went unanswered by the grieving widow. Not until the guards had carried the hysterical woman down to the courtyard full of soldiers and servants was Miriam able to utter a single word. The Empress crawled to her husband’s still form on her hands and knees, shunning attempts of help from the guards.

  “I begged him not to,” she cried loudly as she held Al Kasim’s head in her lap, her tears flowing down her face and dripping on the courtyard pavement. “Oh, gods, why did he have to act so childishly? He didn’t have to impress me with his school boy displays.”

  Miriam’s maidservant tried to ease her away from the Emperor’s body and the Empress violently shrugged her off. “Oh, gods,” she screamed, “I want him back. Can’t somebody do something?”

  The Royal Physician directed two of the guards to take the Empress to her room and Miriam allowed them to drag her away from her deceased husband.

  For two days, Miriam stayed in her room without talking to anyone. She refused to eat and the Royal Physician became concerned for her health. The entire country was in mourning and flowers and holy objects arrived by the thousands as the people grieved not only for their fallen Emperor, but for their new Empress, as well. Word spread quickly that the Empress had taken the loss so severely that she might never fully recover. People started talking about who would succeed the Emperor and fights broke out between the Empress’ supporters and those who didn’t believe that a woman could lead the country.

  The burial was on the third day and thousands gathered to watch the procession. Miriam got out of bed and dressed herself in a simple black dress. She placed her golden crown on her head and marched into the courtyard. The Palace was alive with whispers and people pointing as she walked over to the coffin and demanded that the lid be removed. For several moments she leaned over the coffin and cried.

  Miriam curtly, but politely, refused all offers of help. Finally, she rose and ordered the coffin raised by the bearers. She stood between the bearers on her husband’s left side and grasped his hand and then ordered the procession to proceed. With her head held erect, she marched the entire route holding the Emperor’s hand. When they reached the burial vault she ordered the casket lowered. Miriam turned and ordered the Honor Guard to salute with raised swords. She walked over and lifted the Emperor’s sword and crown and placed them in the coffin. She knelt, once again, alongside the casket and gently removed her wedding band and placed it in Ali Kasim’s hands, leaning over to kiss him one last time.

  Standing once again, she ordered the casket sealed and lead the bearers into the vault. Miriam proudly led the procession back to the Royal Palace and stood at the top of the steps to address the mourning crowd.

  “Citizens of Sordoa,” she shouted, “together we mourn the passing of one of Sordoa’s great leaders. I know my husband would have been proud of the spirit the Sordoan people have shown today. I have had my time of personal mourning although I shall feel the loss greatly for the rest of my life. Our great nation, however, requires a longer period of mourning for such a great man. I proclaim that the nation of Sordoa shall mourn for yet another three days. Let no business be conducted during this period of grief so that we may reflect on our loss together. I shall issue no writs nor accept the call for any grievances until the fourth day. May the gods bless us all in our time of mourning.”

  Miriam turned and walked into the Royal Palace, knowing the country was now united under the leadership of their first Empress, for there was not a person in the crowd who would dare issue an ill word against the Empress after her performance today.

  Chapter 11

  Prophecy

  Alex sat with his back against the outside of the cottage, chewing absent-mindedly on a piece of grass and watching the birds cavort over the rushes alongside the lake. Prince Tergota walked purposely along the shore and headed to Alex’s cottage and sat down beside Alex.

  “You look troubled, my friend,” the dwarf Prince began. “Is Jenneva still feeling poorly?”

  Alex gave a weak attempt at a smile and nodded. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. Podil is in there with her, but I don’t think that an elf magician is what she needs. She needs a good healer.”

  “Don’t be too sure,” reassured Prince Tergota. “The elf magicians know a great deal about healing. Your own shoulder should tell you that much.”

  Alex threw the piece of grass down and pushed himself to his feet. “I guess you’re right. I just worry about her. I don’t know what I would do without her, Tergota. I probably should have stopped her from pouring over Podil’s books. She spent too much time trying to learn their magic and not enough time enjoying the outdoors.”

  Prince Tergota stifled a laugh and Alex shot him a searing glare. “Sorry, Alex,” apologized Prince Tergota. “I know this is not the type of honeymoon you would have liked but, then, not too many honeymoons last this long, either. Have you given any thought about returning to Targa?”

  Alex looked around for listening ears before answering. “Yes, I have. I’m not sure that I can believe that Alutar is going to spot us if we make one more Junction crossing. I know King Solva is serious when he talks about forbidding us, but I don’t plan on spending my life here, no matter how beautiful it is.”

  “Good,” replied Prince Tergota, “because I am looking forward to seeing home again.”

  The door to the cottage opened and the elf magician came out and walked over to Alex.

  “What is it, Podil?” Alex asked anxiously. “Is she going to be all right?”

  Podil smiled and put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Yes, Alex, both of them will be all right.”

  “Both of them?” puzzled Alex. “What do you mean both of them? I’m talking about Jenneva, not anybody else.”

  Prince Tergota made no attempt to hide his laughter this time. “Alex, I can see you’re busy. We’ll talk later, Dad.”

  “Dad?” murmured Alex before the comment fully registered. Suddenly, his eyes widened and his face reddened. “Do you mean she’s going to have a baby?” shouted Alex. “Are you sure?”

  Podil just smiled and Alex didn’t wait for an answer. He leaped up the three steps to the cottage and barged through the door. Jenneva sat in bed, propped up with three pillows and smiled as Alex came running into the room. She stretched out her arms to him and Alex slid to a halt. He bent down and embraced her so lightly that she hardly felt him. Jenneva reached up and pulled him onto the bed and hugged him.

  “I am not going to break,” she laughed. “I can’t believe that I am so far along. Podil says that I am due about the same time as Callie and she was starting to show when we left.”

  “Are you sure you are going to be all right?” Alex questioned. “I thought you were sick from all the studying you have been doing.”

  “Studying has never made me sick,” she giggled. “
I would think that I would have been sick earlier, though, but I am glad I was not. Actually, I feel great now.”

  “What are we going to call him?” queried Alex.

  “Him?” chided Jenneva. “Why a boy? I thought you liked girls.”

  Alex smiled sheepishly. “Well...I guess I do, if they’re anything like you. Okay, we’ll shoot for a girl.”

  “We’ll take what we get,” laughed Jenneva. “I left a book on the porch when I came in. Run and get it for me.”

  “Jenneva, why don’t you rest?” Alex said. “I still think you have been spending too much time reading.”

  “Don’t be silly, Alex,” replied Jenneva. “Reading doesn’t hurt anything. Stop treating me like I am frail and get me the book to read.”

  Alex drifted off to get the book and Jenneva giggled to herself and started when she looked into the corner of the room and saw a figure sitting in the chair. Alex came back into the room and followed her shocked gaze.

  “Egam!” shouted Alex. “How did you get in here? Where have you been?”

  “Let me be among the first to congratulate both of you,” greeted Egam. “It is so good to see you both again. I hope you will forgive my intrusion, but I have little time.”

  Alex started to talk and Egam held up his hand to silence any questions. “Evidently,” the Mage began, “coming through the Junction and discovering Alutar jogged my memory a bit. There is still much that is not clear to me, but in time I am sure it will all come back. Unfortunately, I fear that we are already out of time. We are in dire times, my friends. There is an ancient prophecy that has already started to unfold and we all have important parts to play. Your parts are to be played in Edona, which is the name of the Universe that Targa resides in.”

  “We are forbidden to use the Junctions,” interrupted Jenneva. “King Solva says that to do so will enable Alutar to escape his imprisonment.”

  “Alutar has already escaped,” sighed Egam. “Had I my memory, I might have been able to prolong his imprisonment, but now that he is out the prophecy has begun. Perhaps I should make you aware of the developments that occurred while you traveled. Dalgar and Aurora escaped the attack at Mordac’s castle and they had already digested portions of the Book of the Beginning, enough to enable them to enter Sarac’s Universe.”

  “Then Sarac is free?” cried Jenneva.

  “Yes,” declared Egam. “Sarac had already stumbled into another Universe named Sagina. Sagina is a land of fairies and ogres or at least it used to be. I’m not sure if there are any fairies left, but I’ll get to that later. Sarac must have learned about Mordac’s seizure of the Targa Throne because he sent his people to repeat the feat in Sordoa and Cordonia. One of his Inner Circle, Mitchel, was elected to the Presidency through trickery and murder. Our old friend, Aurora, managed to become Empress of Sordoa, again through trickery and murder. The Emperor of Lanoir also died and his many heirs squabble over the Throne.”

  “What does all this have to do with Alutar?” Alex asked impatiently.

  “It has to do with the prophecy,” stated Egam. “The prophecy begins when all the great nations of Edona are without their rightful rulers and the Demon escapes his imprisonment. At that time, the Demon will send forth a dark sorcerer of great power to destroy the Universes.”

  “Sarac!” gasped Jenneva. “Is he the dark sorcerer?”

  “I believe so,” Egam answered. “Darkness will reign over the lands and rich soil will turn to dust. Trees and plants will struggle to survive and the people will go hungry. Great nations will split and disintegrate and brother will kill brother. Distrust will be more common than air to breathe. The dead will rise and fight again for the Dark One, though he will be imprisoned.”

  “Do you mean that Alutar will be imprisoned again?” asked Jenneva.

  “That is my part to play,” responded Egam, “but the Dark One refers to the dark sorcerer. Sarac does not know it yet, but Aurora carries his child. When Sarac finds out, he will try to have the baby killed.”

  “Why?” queried Alex.

  “In a moment,” replied Egam. “The Dark One will reign from a prison until one of two things happen. The Dark One will become immortal, but can be killed by his descendant with the Sword of Heavens if, and only if, the King of Alcea has regained his Throne. If the Dark One can manage to kill all of his descendants or all of the heirs of Alcea, he will be released to rule forever.”

  “I am really getting lost here, Egam,” Jenneva pleaded. “Can you explain this again?”

  Egam nodded and tried to smile, but failed. “Alcea is an ancient kingdom that was located at the mouth of the Boulder River. It is the forerunner of Targa. The child of Oscar and Callie will be the heir to the Throne of Alcea or one of his descendants will be. Right now John Secor could serve in the position or Callie could after his death, but King Byron, while legally the King of Targa, does not fulfill the prophecy. Should Sarac kill both of them before Callie bears an heir, he will be free to rule with immortality. Your part of the prophecy is to ensure that the heir lives...at any cost.”

  “What of Sarac’s child?” asked Alex.

  “It would be best if he never knows of his heir,” declared Egam, “but if he does, the child must also be preserved.”

  “I would think that this is too easy,” remarked Jenneva. “King Byron would quite willingly step down to fulfill the prophecy.”

  “Don’t be misled, Jenneva,” Egam chided. “You are forgetting the Sword of Heavens. The sword is an ancient artifact that was fashioned thousands of years ago. It was fashioned by the gods, themselves, in celebration of the seven Universes, Helva, Estara, Aquina, Vasta, Edona, Natona, and Sagina. That is how the sword came to have its name. Each Universe is represented by a unique gemstone set in the hilt. In the beginning the Universe was Helva and its stone is an Amethyst. It was the Universe of gods and demons. Later, Estara was created as a home for the dragons and their stone is onyx.”

  “Are the descriptions of these stones important, Egam,” asked Alex.

  “Yes, Alex,” retorted Egam. “Please, time is short and I have so much to tell. The elf Universe, Aquina, was next. This is the Universe that we are in and its stone is an emerald. Then came the dwarf Universe called Vasta and represented by a ruby. Alutar later created goblins in this Universe. Your Universe was called Edona and a diamond was your symbol. The sixth Universe was Natona, Universe of the unicorns, to which Alutar added the Yaki. It is represented by an opal. Finally, Sagina, Universe of the fairies was created and Alutar spoiled it with ogres. The final stone in the sword is a sapphire.”

  Egam got up and walked to the window. Jenneva did not recall ever seeing Egam look so old and weary. She sensed a feeling of despair within him.

  “The reason I am telling you all of this is because by the time you recover the sword, the stones will be gone. The stones in the hilt represent the uniqueness of the Universes, but the Universes will be shattered and the stones flung to the far corners of the world. The prophecy cannot be fulfilled until the Sword of Heavens is made whole again. So you see, even if King Byron would be willing to step down and John Secor would be willing to assume the throne, nothing can be done until the Sword of Heavens is restored and wielded against the Dark One by his kin.”

  Egam returned to the chair and slumped into it. “I tell you of the peoples who match the stones, because they may give a clue as to where to look. I don’t know for sure. I can tell you where to find the Sword of Heavens, but protecting the children is more important right now. Even if you had the Sword of Heavens intact, the stones would still disappear. In the Southern Mountains, in the headwaters of the Toulane River is a waterfall. Behind the waterfall is a cave called the Cave of Winds. It is in that cave that you will find the Sword of Heavens. There is much more there that you will find valuable, Jenneva.”

  “Will you help us to find the stones, Egam?” asked Jenneva.

  “If I am able, I will search for them,” the magician replied. “I cannot pr
omise for my task is to imprison Alutar once again. I hope that my skills are up to the task.”

  “What about imprisoning Sarac?” asked Alex.

  “Jenneva will have to accomplish that, if she can,” Egam stated. “There is a scroll in the Cave of Winds that contains a binding spell that will hold him. There are so many chances for us to fail at fulfilling the prophecy to our liking that I fear all of us will suffer greatly before this is done. I have looked upon the two of you as my children and it grieves me to have to part but I must make haste, for Alutar seeks to escape even further and I cannot allow that. Alutar, himself, does not enter into the prophecy except to send forth the Dark One. The prophecy does not forbid him from joining in the destruction of those people and things we need to destroy the Dark One.”

  “Can we stop the prophecy by destroying Sarac?” questioned Alex.

  “Many things can alter the prophecy right now,” admitted Egam. “but we cannot avoid the foretelling completely. If you destroy Sarac before Alutar sends him forth then Alutar will send forth someone different. After Alutar sends Sarac forth, he cannot be killed without the Sword of Heavens. The important thing is to realize what we can accomplish and to do our best. Alutar must be contained and Sarac must be imprisoned. If we fail at these tasks then all hope is lost because the Children of the Prophecy will never have the chance to survive.”

  Jenneva got out of bed and embraced Egam. “I am going to miss you, Master. You have been a father to me. You have my oath that nothing will stop me from fulfilling my part of the task, no matter how personal my loss.”

  “I know that both of you will do your best,” sighed Egam. He reached into his pouch and produced two vials of amber liquid and handed them to Alex and Jenneva. “I hope our best is good enough. I fear that Alutar will finally win this time. It does not look good for us. Drink this, it will help.”

  Alex and Jenneva looked at each other and drank the thick fluid, draining the vials. They turned around to return the vials to Egam, but he was gone.