Once outside, Iltar whistles the signal established by Cornar.
He is replied back by a variation of the tonal pattern and the three other warriors appear in front of them; Cornar is leaning against the corner of the wall that opens up to the bridge across the moat. Kalder is leaning against the other corner opposite of his mentor and Menal is sitting against the wall further down with his legs stretched out.
“Where is Tilthan?” Cornar asks with impatience.
“Looting the good baron’s horde of treasure,” Nordal chuckles.
Cornar shakes his head and rolls his eyes at the thief’s actions, “Well let’s leave without him,” the warrior notices the eight member of their band. He smiles as he recognizes the half elf and moves closer to him.
“Balden!” Cornar happily smiles as he stretches out his arms and wraps them around the grown half elf. The two embrace and Cornar runs his hand through Balden’s blonde hair then shakes it out. “My you’ve grown!
“And I’m glad we freed you from this place,” Cornar’s words are filled with remorse, as if he had failed once before for someone else.
“Enough nostalgia,” Iltar states with anxiousness. “Balden, shroud yourself with magic along with Midar and Nordal here.” Then, pointing to the two warriors who had been with him at the time of the young half elf’s rescue, Iltar warns, “No one should see you leave the path leading to the castle.”
Soon after their reunion outside the castle, each of the warriors disappear under their cloaks or Balden’s magic then walk down the winding path, with Iltar in their lead.
After a few minutes, the necromancer reaches the base of the trail and silently walks toward the gates leading to the city. The guards on the opposite side of the gate notice him and move to open the gate for him. However, Iltar pauses, just as he had when all the other doors opened to allow his invisible companions to pass by unnoticed.
“Your baron is pathetic,” Iltar calls out, “I will see that he is removed from his seat and another placed in his stead.”
“That kind of language is dangerous, stranger,” the guard who addressed Iltar when he first arrived states in a dubious tone. “And the Baron’s influence reaches further than this island.”
After hearing the last statement, Iltar laughs and then moves through the gate, donning his cowl and walking down the street away from the gateway.
After a quarter of an hour, Iltar arrives at the ferry docks. He stands alone at the edge of the pier, waiting for his companions to join his side.
One by one, the men emerge from between the tight alleys dividing the Serethian buildings. Balden is the last to join Iltar’s side, and the seven companions walk toward the wharf where a ferry boat waits for its final departure of the day.
Each of the members of Iltar’s infiltrating band take their seats near the ferry’s gangway and watch for Tilthan.
Just prior to the boat’s departure the averaged sized thief comes into view. The pack used to carry the cloaks and his weapons is bulging over his right shoulder. The bow and sling are both strapped above his other arm.
Nordal shakes his head as Tilthan steps aboard the ship and Cornar buries his forehead in his palm.
“What…? It’s a bonus!”
Most of the warriors laugh aloud and several passengers on the ship look over to the small group of men with curiosity. Noticing their gaze, Iltar replies with a soul-piercing glare, which causes them to turn away abruptly.
“So, your pack is full Tilthan,” Cornar states frankly, “Where are you going to put the cloaks?”
Taking a deep breath, Tilthan sets the heavy pack down and looks around at the men in his company before answering, “You can carry them.”
“That means you’re going to pay us for holding them, right?” Nordal looks up at his cunning friend. Both men had a strange but mutual affection for each other and bantered in this manner during times of victory.
“Fine… fine,” Tilthan pushes down on the air in front of him, as if suppressing the cries for money. “We’ll talk more on Soroth.”
Epilogue
Later that evening, within the city of Soroth, the shrouded figures of Balden and Iltar walk through an empty street east of the Sorothian Magical Order; both are dressed in black robes with their cowls donned.
“This city hasn’t changed,” Balden remarks from under his cowl. “In fact, this street looks familiar.”
“Well, Balden, It should,” Iltar states and points with his left hand toward a partially opened round gate housed within a brown cement wall with orange flecks. “There’s Cornar’s estate.”
Both necromancers walk through the gateway and enter the gardens of Cornar’s city home. The moons of Kalda cast shadows behind the trees and other plants that dot the landscaped yard. Once within the walls, Iltar leads the pair along the path and toward the doors of Cornar’s estate.
As Iltar and Balden round the fountain in the center of the path, Balden briefly stops and looks down at the still water within the basin. From the light of the moons, Balden can see his reflection; a sight which he has not seen in many years.
The half elf leans forward and studies his partially shrouded face in the water. Balden swallows hard and as he leans forward to see a clearer view his attention is jarred by his former master in the magical arts.
“Balden!” Iltar barks from the covered porch, “Get in here.”
Looking up from the water at Iltar’s demanding beckon, Balden moves away from the fountain and toward the doors of Cornar’s home.
Through the glass around the doorway and the windows of the two rooms off the foyer, light from burning lanterns shines out into the portions of the garden nearest the home; the shadows of those inside the rooms can be seen dancing across the walls.
“Is everyone ready?” Iltar asks as he steps through the doorway.
“Yes,” Cornar answers Iltar and looks out the open door and towards Balden. “My nephew and some of the others went down to the White Duchess before we returned from Sereth.”
“They better not have been seen,” Iltar scowls as Balden reaches his side.
“Hem and Dith were with them,” the warrior answers Iltar and changes the subject as he looks at Balden. “There’s some food on the dining room table. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
“Yes, thank you Cornar,” Balden replies and steps into the foyer.
The half elf looks around briefly, remembering the home he had visited often over a decade ago.
Amid his recollection, Balden walks through the left part of the home into the large parlor. To his left, several of the warriors are playing a game of chance with Tilthan and Nath. He glances to the players but moves toward a doorway to his right and into the dining room of Cornar’s home.
Immediately to the right of the table, the young maid-turned-conjurer Nilia is grabbing several empty plates. As she stacks the plates she hears the half elf’s footsteps coming into the room and she turns to face the doorway. A awestruck expression crosses her face and her eyes gaze directly at Balden.
“Excuse me,” Balden says as he walks toward the table. He quickly glances for a plate and notices the almost-empty platters of food. Without hesitation, the half elf picks up a plate and the nearest utensil.
“If you want something else I can prepare it for you,” Nilia stammers while watching the half elf.
“This will do,” Balden says with a smile and glances to Nilia, dishing the food onto his plate. “You don’t need to prepare anything especially for me.”
The young woman blushes and smiles at the half elf; her pale green eyes pleasantly study Balden as he finishes filling his plate.
“Nilia, it’s time for you to leave,” Cornar says as he enters the dining room with Iltar immediately behind him. “Kalder and Menal are waiting in the foyer.”
“Okay,” Nilia says with slight trepidation, “I’ll clean these first.”
With that said, Nilia steps through a doorway to the right of the room, leaving the
two necromancers and warrior alone.
“Where is everyone going?” Balden asks and puts a small handful of food in his mouth.
Iltar smiles with diabolical glee, “Your rescue has greater meaning than you suspect Balden.”
“I thought you said that you were only able to rescue me because of your ascension to Grandmaster, what is going on Iltar?”
Cornar looks to Iltar with an anticipating expression and the necromancer nods his head.
The warrior steps out of the room and can be heard telling those in the large parlor to move to another room. Once they are gone Iltar steps closer to Balden.
“Six months ago, Cornar discovered an ancient record written in both elvish and the common tongue. It spoke of a powerful amulet that can control chromatic dragons, red dragons.”
All the while, Balden carefully listens as he continues to eat.
“It is an amulet that is divided into three pieces; an activating scroll, a red ruby and a metallic housing. I need your help to retrieve it and in turn, you will accomplish a dream you have had since your youth.
“We’re leaving tonight, and from what Cornar has told me the rest of our expedition is already aboard Captain Kenard’s ship.”
Furrowing his brow, Balden puts the partially eaten plate on the table and stares hard at Iltar. Silence passes between the two necromancers for a moment before Balden speaks up, asking, “Merda?
“You’re going to Merda?”
“Yes, Balden,” Iltar continues to smile with a widening grin. “You’ll cleanse your ancestral home and for helping me complete this amulet you will be richly rewarded.”
Balden swallows hard and puts his hand on the nearest chair tucked under the table. The half elf blinks for a moment as he thinks over Iltar’s words: Merda, home of the White Citadel, was a source of romantic fantasy throughout his youth. For as long as he could remember, Balden dreamed of freeing the eastern side of Merdan from the mysterious evil that had laid claim to it ages ago. And now, that fantasy was becoming reality.
“Well Balden,” Iltar asks with a raised brow showing his intrigue about the adventure that lay ahead of them. “Will you join us?”
Looking up to his mentor in magic, Balden answers with a resounding exclamation.
“Yes!”
The End
the search for the Au’misha’k continues
in
Secrets of Merda
About the Authors
D. J. Zangari is the creator of the Legends of Kalda fantasy universe, a work which has been in development since the early 1990’s. He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California and a Masters Degree in Systems Management. His love for science fiction and fantasy prompted the creation of this fantasy universe. When he’s not writing he enjoys reading, watching movies, spending quality time with family and serving in his local church congregation.
R. J. Zangari is the co-author of the various books which belong to the Legends of Kalda universe. He studied Bio-Medical Engineering at the University of Utah; however, his love for stories and storytelling took him down a different career path. When he’s not writing he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, playing video games, practicing martial arts and immersing himself in a good story
Other titles by the Authors
For an up to date list of publications, visit http://www.legendsofkalda.com/books.html
Published by LOK Publishing
Tales of the Amulet
Secrets of Merda
Short Stories
The Last Barsionist
Novels Coming Soon…
The Mages’ Agenda
Treachery in Los
Ruby of Lish
Short Stories Coming Soon…
The Cleansing of Merda
Assembly
Connect with the Authors
LOK Publishing’s Official Website
http://www.legendsofkalda.com/
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The Dark Necromancer Page 36
