“It’s nothing but lies,” Brodan growled. “Hand it over!”
“You know what this says, don’t you?” Aldrick accused.
“It’s nothing but rubbish!”
Aldrick was stunned by the betrayal. “These guards were ordered to kill Gilmoure and make certain he did not return with the crown.”
There was a dangerous look in Brodan’s eye. “Gilmoure is a liar and a traitor. That note is a forgery! Stand aside Aldrick.”
“Brodan,” Aldrick began, and then swallowed. The implication of what he was about to say was staggering. “This is your handwriting. You ordered the deaths of the finalists. You killed them all. How could you do this?”
Brodan glared at Aldrick, his face crimson with rage. “Step aside and forget this, Aldrick. This traitor must die. That crown is mine!”
“Brodan…” Aldrick was speechless. With so many contradictory emotions, he did not know what to feel.
Gilmoure consoled Aldrick with a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Aldrick. I know he is your friend. This can’t be easy for you.” Turning to the trembling regent, he added, “You haven’t said how you plan to take the crown.”
Brodan was livid, but contained his rage long enough to spit out, “That’s the simple part, traitor. Guards!”
In answer to his summons, several well-armed, scowling guards appeared from several hiding spots behind trees and a large cluster of rocks. They joined those already with Brodan, bringing the total to over a dozen armed men. Warren squeaked in surprise at the approaching horde; every man was armed with a sword or axe, each with a murderous glint in his eyes.
Gilmoure surveyed the encroaching mercenaries as they slowly encircled them, cutting off any escape. “That answers that question.”
Brodan gave a smug smile that reeked of victory. “My father was king, and I am the rightful heir to the throne! I have worked too long and too hard to lose the crown to some country bumpkin, simply because he can swing a sword and solve stupid riddles. That crown is mine!”
Aldrick was appalled by this turn of events. He had suspected someone was murdering the finalists, but the implications here were heartbreaking. The deaths of the other finalists had appeared accidental, but could have easily been engineered to look that way.
Aldrick had not wanted to believe that Gilmoure was responsible for something so reprehensible, but with the evidence mounting, he had begun to suspect the point leader. Yet it was even more difficult to accept that his life-long friend could have not only cheated at the Tournament, but also ordered the deaths of all the finalists. All to win a crown he did not deserve. Who was in the right? Aldrick did not want to believe either one.
“Brodan stop this!” He demanded. “You have been like a brother to me. Don’t throw away a lifetime of friendship. The crown is Gilmoure’s, he earned it fairly.”
“Friendship!” Brodan snorted. “What is the point of your friendship if I lose the crown? The kingdom is mine by birthright! Choose now Aldrick, this traitor is about to die. Are you with me or not?”
“What is the point of friendship if you aren’t king?” Aldrick repeated, bemused. “Brodan, what has happened to you?”
“Aldrick,” Brodan stepped forward with a sympathetic smile. “You are my best friend. We are like brothers. Look at me. You cannot believe this stranger over me. You see a note that only looks like I wrote it, and you doubt me? You’ve known me your whole life! Help me my brother.”
Part of Aldrick did want to believe the regent. He needed to believe. They had grown up together, more than friends; they were like brothers. Was a hand-written note enough to condemn his best friend? Could he be wrong?
Brodan was correct about one more thing; Gilmoure was a stranger. Could Gilmoure have fooled everyone with his charm, but in truth be the actual traitor, as Brodan claimed? Visions aside, how much did he really know about this stranger from the north?
And yet here was Brodan––who earlier sounded almost as if he was admitting to this treachery––demanding he betray everything he believed in. To stand by and watch what might be innocent men die. Not a choice he relished. Not a choice he ever imagined he would be faced with.
He did not understand how anyone could order these deaths, simply to ensure his own victory. True, he himself did not have the ambition to be king that these men had, and the stakes in this game were unrivaled: the crown and kingship of all Asturia. That did not justify any of this, however. In retrospect, the signs might have been there if only he had been looking, but how could he have known any of this would come to pass?
The guards began to advance, grinning savagely and brandishing their weapons. Aldrick berated himself for not seeing where this situation had been headed earlier. Now he wondered, as he had before, why Brodan needed such men, obvious mercenaries instead of the normal Asturian forces. Why so many of them, here and now? Had Brodan learned of the assassinations and hired the necessary extra protection? Or were these the men responsible for the murders?
Gilmoure was hopelessly outnumbered, but with a look of grim determination he stashed the crown into a pocket of his pack and unsheathed his broadsword. Watching him move into a defensive stance, Aldrick wondered if his confidence would be in vain.
His ever-present friend and sponsor raised his sword as well, but Warren appeared anything but confident. From his demeanor and sloppy stance it was clear Gilmoure would be on his own for the most part. That put his odds at over fifteen to one, including Brodan and his three personal guards.
Brodan sneered. “Now Gilmoure, you may have bested the three men I sent with you, but you obviously don’t stand a chance against a dozen! Since I’ll soon be king, I will magnanimously allow you to surrender. I promise you and your…friend here, a fair trial, followed by a quick exile. That should satisfy you, Aldrick.”
Gilmoure smiled and bowed. “I thank you sire, for your kind and truly generous offer. That may be the third or fourth best offer of my day! Sadly, I must decline your graciousness at this time, but I’ll certainly keep it in mind for next time!”
“I promise you there won’t be a next time,” Brodan snarled.
The guards had halted their advance while the regent spoke, but started forward again as Aldrick tried one last appeal to his life-long friend. “Brodan, stop this madness! You are better than this. Gilmoure is the rightful king now. If he’s guilty, we’ll prove it. I will prove it. He’ll lose the crown and you will become the rightful king. But not like this, I beg of you. Let us go back and sort this out, civilly and properly.”
Brodan barked a humorless laugh. “You must be joking Aldrick! The rules be damned, the rightful king could never be a commoner. No, I am the true king of Asturia by birth. Choose now, or you will share his fate.”
“Aldrick,” Gilmoure smiled at him. “I understand if you choose your friend. But for whatever it’s worth, I want you to know I did not do what Brodan is accusing me of.”
With conflicting evidence, Aldrick was being forced to choose between his best friend, and a stranger with whom he shared nothing but a strong feeling of familiarity. Innocent lives hung in the balance. The guards began their advance, leaving Aldrick in the middle with his thoughts. He glanced back and forth between the man who had earned the crown, and the man who claimed to deserve it.
Aldrick realized he now faced the biggest decision of his life.
To be continued…
Glossary
Adrias, son of Aldrick: (Ay-dree-us) Son of Aldrick and Jelénna. At the start of the Tournament of the King, he is ten Summers old.
Akkadia: (Ah-kay-dee-ah) The capital city of the country of Asturia and home to Brodan, Tiberius and the Tournament of the King.
Aldrick, son of Tiberius: (All-drik) The son of the noble Tiberius, advisor to the regent Brodan. He gave up the life of a noble to become an investigator in the lake town of Ubarra, where he lives with his wife Jelénna and his son Adrias.
All Father: Creator of all existence.
Anu:
(Ah-new) First child of the All Father, who embodies the sky above and the spirit within.
Asturia: (Ass-tour-ee-ah) The home country of Aldrick, Tiberius and Brodan, which lies to the south of Illyria. Split in twain by the mighty Tianna River, its capital city is Akkadia.
Asturian Mint: A painkiller, usually administered in the form of a tea.
Berach: (Bear-ack) The head cook in the palace of Akkadia.
Brandt, son of Paulinus: A pompous noble in Akkadia that Aldrick meets at the Tournament parade.
Brodan, son of Hermanus: (Bro-den) Son of the late King Hermanus. Currently, he acts as regent of the country of Asturia, residing in the palace in its capital city of Akkadia. He is a childhood friend of Aldrick.
Celynn, son of Torben: (Sell-lin) Finalist in the Tournament of the King, with his second Ahoth, son of Mogann.
Clavis: (Clay-viss) Official name for the artifact found by Aldrick.
Crown Run: The name of the final phase of the Tournament of the King, wherein the five finalists are given a riddle that points to the hidden location of the crown of Asturia. The first to return with the crown is chosen as the new king.
Dathan, son of Garath: (Day-than) Gate guard in the city of Kishen, and a friend to Warren.
Doctor Quintus: Jovial physician in the city of Akkadia.
Durin: (durr-in) Small mining village to the west of Kishen. Documents discovered there seem to prove that Sargon was behind the Great War and invasion of Asturia by Illyria, not the king at the time, King Ninevall.
Elias: (El-ee-ass) Legendary archer who slew Sargon the Destroyer with but a single arrow.
Erimar: (Air-eh-mar) The main city of the Kannes region.
Felinus: (Fell-eh-nus) Arrogant advisor to the regent Brodan.
Garrick, son of Zabalan: (Gare-rick) Son of the king of Illyria. He is described as a lady’s man, and as a man who doesn’t take things too seriously. Dathan believes he may have fled the country with his friend Warren.
Ghandahar: (Gan-dah-har) A country that lies to the distant south of Asturia. This far off land is covered with jungles, and brave souls navigate there along the Tianna River to trade exotic goods such as cocoa and ivory.
Ghandaharian sloth: A type of tree sloth known to originate in the far off land of Ghandahar.
Gilmoure, son of Zakhar: (Gill-more, son of Zack-car) Commoner who competes in the Tournament of the King. He is sponsored for the Tournament by a noble family from the Kannes Region, represented there by Warren, son of Bryce.
Gormond, son of Gormond: A corpulent, simple noble who accompanies Brandt to find Aldrick at the parade for the opening ceremonies of the Tournament of the King.
Great Fens: Large marshy swamp to the south of Asturia and to the east of the Lost pyramids of Aegizeh.
Hermanus: (Her-man-us) Former king of Asturia, and the father of the regent Brodan. His recent death, under somewhat unusual circumstances, prompted the new Tournament of the King.
Holmes, son of Adler: One of the nobles listed on the parchment Aldrick discovers and shares with his father.
Illyria: (Ill-ear-ee-ah) Country immediately to the north of Asturia. Bordered to the north by the towering Kalligros Mountains, it is the home of Prince Garrick.
Iokan Extract: (eye-o-can) A deadly poison.
Jahann: (Jay-han) A middle-aged, emaciated, bald advisor to Brodan. He dresses all in black, and one bony cheek sports an odd reddish scar.
Jarvus: (Jar-vus) The cantankerous servant at the palace of Akkadia. The thin, older man has a hawkish face and an aristocratic nose, which supports a pair of round reading glasses.
Jelénna: (Hell-ay-na) Beautiful wife of Aldrick, and the mother of Adrias.
Kalligros Mountains: (Ka-lee-gross) Mountain range north of Kishen, which creates the northern boundary of the known world.
Kannes Region: (Cons) A region in the northern part of Asturia.
Karkerech: (Car-ka-resh) Large city in Southern Illyria, which is the hub of all trade between there and Asturia.
Kemett: (Kem-met) Southern desert country to the south of Asturia and the Fens. Populated by nomadic tribes.
Khelvar: (Kel-var) Short, wiry assassin who traveled in the company of a Triad and their robed leader.
Kian: (Kee-an) Second child of the All Father, who embodies the strength of the land, as well as logic and reason.
King Ninevall: (Nin-eh-vall) King who led the Illyrian invasion of Asturia during the Great War. Recent evidence suggests it was Sargon, and not Ninevall, who was the cause of the war, in which case Ninevall may have only been a pawn.
King’s Sanctum: Special area in the library of Akkadia where only the king of Asturia has access. The Sanctum contains the oldest and rarest documents, books, scrolls and clay tablets.
King Zabalan: (Zah-bah-lon) King of the country of Illyria, and father of Prince Garrick.
Kishen: (Kish-enn) The capital city of the kingdom of Illyria, which lies to the north of Asturia.
Lake Parime: (Pah-reem) A large lake in eastern Asturia. Aldrick lives in the lake town of Ubarra, which lies on the western shore of Lake Parime.
Lost Pyramids of Aegizeh: (Ah-gee-za) Recently discovered ruins of pyramids, which lie in a forested area west of the Great Fens.
Marinus, son of Cefin: (Mare-in-nus, son of Keh-fin) A noble from Ubarra, contestant in the Melee Tourney, and finalist in the Tournament. His second at the Crown Run is Elrick, son of Alphonse.
Mount Zagrias: (Zag-ree-azz) The site of the Oracle Stones and the last battle of the Great War, where Sargon was defeated.
Nizar: (Ny-zar) Third child of the All Father, who rules Urkalla, otherwise known as the underworld. He embodies jealousy, hatred and death.
Oracle Stones: Remains of the Temple of the Oracle.
Paden: (Pay-den) A serious-looking young man, who works for Tiberius.
Raleigh, son of Brenton: (Ra-lee) Contestant in the Melee Tourney, and finalist in the Crown Run. His second is his son, Silas, son of Raleigh.
Sargon the Destroyer: (Sar-gone) Powerful Mage who fought on the side of Illyria during the Great War. He led a campaign to subdue or destroy any magic that he and Illyria did not control.
Simon: A guard of the city of Kishen, and partner to Dathan.
Summers: The primary unit of measurement for the passage of time.
Thallium Powder: A deadly poison, originating from the mines near Kishen, in Illyria.
Tianna River: (Tee-ah-na) The large river dividing the country of Asturia, which flows down from Illyria and the mountains to the north. The river provides a central trade route between Asturia and Illyria, as well as distant lands to the south, including Kemett and Ghandahar.
Tiberius: (Ty-beer-ee-us) Father of Aldrick, and an advisor to the king of Asturia for Law and Tradition. He currently serves the regent, Brodan. He has short white hair and a close-cropped white beard, and dresses simply. He is described as very intelligent, with a friendly face, but lacking in commonsense. Smokes a pipe.
Tritaph: (Try-taff) The legendary artifact created by the All Father as the Keystone for all existence. Legend says the All Father rent it into thirds in order to protect its power from being abused by his child Nizar.
Ubarra: (Oo-bar-ah) A lake town on the western edge of Lake Parime, and home to Aldrick, Jelénna and Adrias.
Urkalla: (Err-kah-la) A plane of existence ruled by Nizar, known to men as the underworld, or the land of the dead.
Warren, son of Bryce: Clumsy squire and companion of Prince Garrick of Illyria.
Acknowledgement
It is common knowledge that it is always the author(s) who receive the full credit for the work you have just read. However there are many who help bring the final work to its current condition, and these unsung heroes deserve recognition. The following people (we hope we are not leaving anyone out, and if we did, please know it was due not to intent, but to age!) are those who helped us improve the book in part or in whole. We wanted to make sure these wonderful people receive our gr
atitude officially, one last time.
In no particular order:
Carrie Wetzler
Buffy Kaufman
Paul Bel
Kathryn Bushnell
Don Aaker
Ruth Bushnell
Roger Aguilar
Steven Williams,
Thomas Duder, ‘Author Of “The Things,” that bastard from Bellingham’
Karen Sherard (KB Lever)
Andrew T. Kuligowski
Beth Barany
Ozzie Fazaeli
Karina Ward
Kevin William Wilson
Rahim Vossoughi
Omid Vossoughi
Travis Taylor
The Key of Creation: Book 01 - Rise of the Destroyer Page 18
