Quest for the Sundered Crown (The Sundered Crown Saga Book 3)

by Matthew Olney

  “At the battle, he flew down and helped,” Yepert said. “He helped stop the Gargantuans and bought us time to escape. Do you not remember anything?”

  “No … The last thing I remember was standing on the Watchers wall and looking out at Danon’s army. I know I used my magic, but after that, it’s just a blur. Is Hannah here?”

  Yepert glanced at Lycia ,who had placed the palm of her hand to Luxon’s forehead. She shook her head gently.

  “Umbaroth told me that your companions are safe and that he took them far away from the reach of Danon.’ She paused. ‘You still have a temperature, but it is far less severe than it was yesterday. Tomorrow we can begin your treatment in earnest.’

  “Treatment?”

  “The Void sickness has corrupted your magic. Your over-exertions at the Watchers allowed it to spread throughout your body, almost killing you. Umbaroth also told me of the bond you two share. It is that alone that has kept you alive and enabled you to resist the taint. Even the King of Dragons has felt the ill effects of the taint that threatens you. Fortunately, there is a way to cure it, but it will be far from easy. Many Nightblades have been afflicted by the sickness over the years. They are sent here, but few leave alive; the treatment can prove more deadly than the sickness. I will assess your strength tomorrow, and we shall see if you are ready. But for now, I suggest you eat something and get some rest.”

  Lycia turned to Yepert. “I imagine you two have some catching up to do. I will see you again in the morning, Luxon. Good night.” The mysterious silver haired woman swept out of the room, and the door closed with a clunk.

  Luxon raised an eyebrow at his friend. Yepert’s eyes had not left Lycia.

  “A bit old for you, isn’t she?” Luxon joked.

  Yepert sputtered for a moment before chuckling.

  “That obvious? Sheesh, I was trying to play it cool. You know the older lasses and me.”

  Luxon laughed. He winced as pain shot through his torso. He gripped the bed sheets tightly as he rode it out.

  “You’re lucky to be alive, Lux. Lycia says that only a handful of Nightblades have ever recovered from Void sickness. She says that yours is the worst case she has ever seen.”

  Luxon lay back on the bed and sighed. “My time in the Void felt like aeons, Yepert, and yet I can barely remember it. It feels like a bad dream. Grand Master Thanos told me that no mortal has ever returned from it. A part of me thinks that maybe I didn’t come back, that a part of me remains trapped there. Some days I feel so old and tired, and worse still, uncaring. Hannah helped me through it, I guess, but she would be the first to say that I can be cold.” He looked at his hands. They were those of a young man, but sometimes he swore that at times they appeared old and ancient.

  “You’ll be fine,” Yepert said encouragingly. He had seen his friend struggle with his experiences in the Void. He had been there when Luxon had suffered from nightmares, or suffered from the strange fits that sometimes struck without warning.

  “Enough about me. How are you, Yep? The battle must have been terrifying.”

  Yepert looked away. He wanted to tell him what had happened to him but knew that if he did so, the pain would be too much to bear. The dark voice in his head whispered a warning.

  Tell him and die…

  Instead, he forced a smile onto his lips and walked over to the chest. Opening it, he pulled out Luxon’s green wizard’s cloak and laid it carefully on the bed. Next, he returned to the chest and carefully picked up the staff that rested at the bottom.

  “Dragasdol was damaged in the battle. I spent the days you were unconscious fixing it,” he said pointing to the freshly varnished wood. The dragon head at the staff’s top was scratched, and it had taken him two days of sanding to make it look right again.

  “Thank you, Yepert, but you didn’t answer my question,” Luxon persisted.

  Yepert’s shoulders sagged slightly as though a great burden was upon them. Luxon frowned. Carefully, Yepert placed Dragasdol back into the chest and closed the heavy lid.

  “I’m fine. I am. It is hard to sleep sometimes, but aside from that, I’m okay. Anyway,” he said, quickly changing the subject, “I’ll get you some food. You’re going to need to get your strength up for tomorrow.”

  With that, he hurried out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Luxon looked at the door, confused.

  Out in the hallway, Yepert pressed his back to the cold stone wall. Tears filled his eyes; it took all of his strength to stop himself from crying out.

  All the while, the voice laughed mockingly.

  4.

  The next day, Luxon awoke feeling like he had slept for a thousand years. The bed was amazingly comfortable, and it had not been long after Yepert had returned with a bowl of boiling venison stew that he had fallen asleep.

  A ray of light filtered in through the room’s solitary window and struck the statue of Zahnia. Light reflected from the precious metal, turning the room gold. The sight was impressive, and further highlighted the detail of the statue. Luxon got out of bed; the dizziness from before did not return and he walked over to the artwork. The tales of Zahnia had bedazzled him as a child. Before him was one of Delfinnia’s greatest heroes, a man who had been raised to do one thing: end the darkness.

  Luxon touched the statue. A crushing weight of expectation was on his shoulders. Could he challenge Danon as Zahnia had done a thousand years ago? Could he succeed, where Zahnia had failed, and end Danon for good? He couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that the task would prove too much. Zahnia had defeated Danon in battle, and yet instead of destroying him, he had banished him to Void. It had been a move that had brought in millennia free from the evils of the N’gist, but now evil had returned stronger than ever, and this time Danon had the power of the Void at his command. Memories of the desiccated giant corpse he had seen in the Void flickered into Luxon’s mind.

  Had Danon truly slain the god Vectrix? If Danon could kill a god, what chance did Luxon have against such power? He looked into the statue’s eyes. Whoever carved the masterpiece had captured a look of determination to perfection.

  He stared into the eyes for a good while, his thoughts drifting to Hannah: the day they had first met in the Medica of Caldaria; the night he’d finally plucked up enough courage to tell her how he felt about her; the first time they had made love. He set his jaw. He had to be the wizard the world needed; he would find a way for her. He would not stop, even it took him thirty years like it had taken Zahnia the Great.

  He walked over to the green cloak that Yepert had left out for him. Tentatively, he picked it up and reached into the pockets. His fingers brushed the smooth surface of the sigil stone; he could feel the magic emanating from it. Carefully, he removed it from the pocket and placed it onto the bed. Reaching back into the pockets, he found the small battered book that his mother had handed to him before they had launched their rescue mission in the city of Stormglade. On the cover was a faded emblem of the Diasect. He closed his eyes. The memory of his mother being struck down by a Sarpi arrow was raw. Again, he rubbed the tears from his eyes. The book and stone lay side by side, two items that could hold the key to defeating Danon. He opened the book, careful not to damage the already worn pages. He turned several until he reached one that had a golden sword sketched onto the surface. Written underneath was the word Asphodel. He carried on thumbing through the book until he reached a page titled Trials. He had glanced at the page before at the Watchers, but events had meant that he hadn’t had the time to read it.

  By degree of King Riis, the first king of Delfinnia, and to safeguard the sword of light, three trials were created by the mages of Caldaria. The first is the trial of strength, a series of traps and devices that shall test the strength and abilities of those seeking the sacred blade. The second is the trial of courage, a magical challenge that will test the bravest of heroes. The third is the trial of wisdom, a puzzle that will test even the wisest. By completing these trials, the challenger will prove the
y are worthy.

  Luxon lowered the book and sighed. If the vision that the sigil stone had shown him was right, then just reaching the trials would be a dangerous job by itself.

  A gentle knocking came from the door, and he put the book back into his cloak pocket. He put the cloak over his tunic and pulled on his boots.

  “Come in,” he said.

  The wooden door creaked open to reveal a man wearing a long purple cloak. It was a similar style to the blue ones worn by the mages in Caldaria. The man had a neatly trimmed blond beard and a stern face.

  “Follow me. Leave your staff – you will not need it,” the man said gruffly before turning away and walking off down the hall.

  Curious, Luxon followed. The man led him down a spiral staircase which went on for what felt like an eternity. As they walked downwards, the stairs opened out onto different floors. Most were just corridors with side rooms like the one they started in, but others opened out onto wide open hallways. One had a large stone fireplace dominating the back wall. Of people, they encountered no one. Finally, they reached the bottom. The man strode off down a long passageway which was lit by flaming torches ensconced into the stonework.

  As they walked, the sound of the sea grew louder. Luxon surmised that they must be at sea level or close to it. Eventually, the passageway led into a large cavern. The ceiling of the cavern was so high that it was hidden in shadow. Standing in the centre was Lycia and a half dozen purple-cloaked figures. Yepert sood nearby, and flashed him a nervous smile. The figures’ faces were hidden by their hoods, but Lycia’s was not. Upon seeing Luxon, she raised her arms and smiled.

  “I see a good night’s rest was just what you needed for what is to come,” she greeted warmly.

  The man Luxon had followed bowed deeply to Lycia, before joining the other purple-clad mages.

  “For more than a thousand years we have guarded this sacred place,” Lycia said reverently. “This is the spot where the Goddess Aniron first set foot upon Esperia; it is here that magic was born. For where her feet touched the earth, her power seeped into the soil and sea. It is here in this sacred grotto that the Waters of Magic reside, and it is that which will cleanse the taint of the Void from within you.”

  Luxon looked around the grotto in awe. As Lycia spoke, the magic began to radiate from the stone and water until the grotto lit up in a near dazzling white light. He could feel the power of the place coursing through him.

  “What must I do?”

  Lycia gestured for him to approach.

  Luxon walked forward. As he did so, the mages banged their staffs on the ground so that the noise echoed. The sound grew until it eclipsed the waves pounding on the rocks outside and grew in volume until it felt like a physical presence.

  Lycia took his hand and led him to the base of a set of stone steps that led upwards. The top was hidden in darkness.

  “Follow the steps, Luxon. Follow them to restore your power. Follow them to cleanse the corruption from your veins. You will see things – strange, wondrous things. Different worlds, different times await you.”

  *

  Yepert watched his friend approach the ancient staircase. He wanted to run over and go with him, but he knew that Lycia would never allow it. Luxon had to face this trial alone. Yepert’s hands were clammy, and a thin layer of sweat was on his forehead. The voice in his head had grown more vocal; it’s tormenting words, and maniacal ramblings had increased in intensity. Upon entering the cavern, the voice had cackled so loudly that he feared that Lycia and the mages would hear it.

  For so long I have wondered where the Waters of Magic were hidden, the voice mocked. Now, thanks to you, my little slave, I know. Once I am done with Delfinnia, I will go there and claim all of that power for myself. Yepert, you are the gift that just keeps on giving.

  Yepert shook his head as though trying to shake the voice from it. He stopped when he noticed Lycia staring at him.

  “Does she suspect?” he gasped.

  She is a powerful mage; you’d better hope not. If she finds out that you’ve brought little old me into her sacred sanctum, well, I don’t think things will end well for you. She might decide to vaporise you with lightning, or perhaps blast you apart. I would choose fire. I like the screaming, and that smell of burning flesh is just delightful.

  Yepert bit his lip. He wanted to shout at the voice, tell it to shut up. He resisted. If he did, then pain would be his only reward. He forced a smile onto his lips and nodded to Lycia. She returned the smile, before turning to watch Luxon take his first step on the staircase.

  *

  The mages ceased the banging of their staffs as Luxon’s foot touched the first stone. A silence full of expectation filled the cavern, making him nervous. He looked back over his shoulder, and Lycia offered him an encouraging smile. Taking a deep breath, he faced the stairs and began to climb. With every step, he could sense magic permeating through his body. At first, the sensation was slightly painful, as the magic reacted to the Void Sickness coursing through his body. However, with every step higher, the pain was slowly replaced by a tingling sensation.

  He climbed for what felt like hours. His legs grew tired. He looked behind him again and gasped. The bottom of the staircase was no longer visible. Instead, all he could see below him was a strange greenish glow.

  “Something tells me I’m not in the cavern anymore,” he muttered.

  He walked on until finally, the stairs reached a flat surface. On the stone was carved an intricate pattern of magical runes, and ahead of him stood a stone archway. As he approached, the archway lit up and where there had been open space, the archway flickered with a bluish light.

  Cautiously he approached it. He gasped in wonder. Beyond the flickering, he could see a lush green land filled with trees.

  “Different worlds and different times await you,” Lycia had said.

  Luxon hesitated. The last time he had entered a magical portal he had ended up in the Void. The world he could see shimmering in the archway looked nothing like that dreadful place. Nonetheless, he would have given anything to have had Dragasdol in his hands. There was no way around the archway. With nervous trepidation, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stepped through.

  There was a blinding blue light followed by the sensation of falling, and all the hairs on his body stood on end. The sensation faded and the blue light was replaced by yellow. A warmth covered his face and the air smelt like a fresh summer’s day. He could hear birds singing and insects flitting to and fro.

  Slowly, he opened his eyes and found himself stood on a grassy hill. In the distance were mountains, and below him was a forest clearing and a meadow full of wildflowers. He could see a man moving through the trees picking flowers, and lying on her back with her eyes closed was a woman with red hair. Memories of his and Hannah’s trips into the Great Wood drifted into his thoughts and made him smile.

  “This place doesn’t seem bad at all,” he said to himself.

  He walked down the low hill and into the meadow. For some reason, he felt no fear. He sensed that this place was free from the threats posed by Fell Beasts.

  He looked to the sky and basked in the warm rays of the sun as he walked through the trees. His attention was brought back to the man and woman who were now nearby. He slowed his walking; he didn’t want to disturb them.

  The man stood over the woman and showed her the flowers he had picked. The couple laughed.

  “Kal … I,” the man said.

  Suddenly, the man’s body went rigid; Luxon gasped as the man slumped to his knees an arrow sticking out of his back. The woman named Kal stood, trying to help her friend. Luxon watched and began to hurry towards them. He was stopped in his tracks as arrows began to whistle through the trees. One impaled itself into a tree next to his head, and he dived for cover in the undergrowth.

  “Run, Kal!” the man gasped.

  Luxon hid. Rapidly approaching were strange armoured figures. More arrows were loosed, forcing him to crawl on
his belly through the long, wet grass. He heard the woman turn and flee, the armoured figures in pursuit. Cautiously he raised his head. The figures were no taller than five feet, their skulls were elongated, and thick black hair stuck out from the gaps in their armour. They reminded him of the goblins from the Void, only these were more humanoid. Whatever they were, they weren’t friendly.

  The smell of smoke carried on the breeze. Scrambling to his feet, Luxon set off in that direction. Whatever was happening here, people needed help. As he ran, he caught sight of the red-haired woman. She had reached a ridge that overlooked a now burning village. Luxon skidded to a halt and dived for cover once again as an arrow zipped dangerously close to his face. He closed his eyes and focused his magic. Immediately, the Void Sickness made its presence felt. Dizziness almost overwhelmed him, but he gritted his teeth and blasted one of the goblin-like creatures with a telekinetic blast that sent it smashing into a tree with a sickening squelch. He glanced behind him just in time to see the woman jump over the ridge. Scrambling to his feet, he ran to the edge. The woman was tumbling downwards towards the ruined village. Luxon gasped. Towering over the burning settlement was a dragon.

  “How can that be?” he whispered in awe.

  The woman landed heavily at the bottom of the ridge and scrambled onto her feet. She was hurt, that much was clear. But still she ran. More arrows whistled past. Luxon took a deep breath and leapt over the ridge. Using his magic, he controlled his descent so that he landed gently at the bottom.

  Spinning, he cast a magical shield as a hail of arrows were aimed at him. The projectiles struck the shield snapping harmlessly against it. The sound of flapping wings caused him to return his attention to the dragon. The red-haired woman was running for the river, and the beast had her in its sights. Luxon ran into the burning village; something told him that he had to protect the woman. As the dragon swooped down towards her, she leapt into the fast-flowing water that ran alongside the village. Luxon focused his power to summon a fireball into life.