The Rising Past: Book 2 in The Keepers of the Orbs Series

by J. G. Gatewood

  Norlun had given him three rather large books to peruse on his journey. The old man intended to provide him with a background of the Keepers. He grabbed the one Norlun told him to read first, and cracked it open while he took another bite of meat. He started reading.

  The book started off with a background; a background describing the necessity for the creation of the Keepers. Raythum’s eyes grew large when he first noticed the date stamp. It showed a date stretching back two-thousand years. Apparently, an individual named Martul, had tried to gain control of all of Askabar.

  The book described Martul as a powerful wizard, kicked out of the Havenbrook conclave of wizards for abusing his powers, and trying to gain it by force. This angered Martul and fueled his desires to take control. With the power he wielded, the conclave could do little to stand in his way.

  He started his conquest by overtaking Melina. They were unprepared for his nontraditional military tactics and were overwhelmed. This didn’t surprise Raythum as he read through the state of the city’s defenses. He could see how even a simple army could’ve besieged them.

  Raythum continued reading with wide eyes. The next portion of the book involved Norlun. He thought the wizard to be old, but never expected he would be this old. How does someone even live for over two-thousand years? he wondered. He hoped the book would shed some light on that point as it felt unnerving.

  As Martul moved north and seemed to be a non-concern for Havenbrook—at least for the time being—Norlun and his apprentice Turl began an ambitious plan to create several vessels to assist them in their battle. They would be given to the most powerful within the conclave to store energy from their spark, allowing them to draw on additional power when they confronted the full evil of Martul.

  Over the course of the first month, Norlun and Turl hit their fair share of roadblocks. The first attempt resulted in an explosion that almost took the life of the young apprentice. After their failure, Norlun suspected they needed to proceed with more caution. Several more attempts and still no progress. The vessels either seemed unable to contain the amount of energy they wished to store, or they couldn’t draw upon any of the stored energy once inside. Norlun wore a look of defeat, and Turl thought he would give up.

  Everything changed one cool mid-summer morning when Turl approached Norlun’s cottage. In his hands he held what he felt would be a sure-fire success. An image had come to him in a dream and he spent the next day crafting the item in the exact image. He felt as if he had done it—they had finally created the item they had labored so long to create. He ran up to Norlun’s home to show him the fruits of too much labor.

  Skepticism filled Norlun at first, but he decided to test it anyway. After several moments of transferring energy from his spark to the vessel, it seemed evident it would hold. Norlun danced with glee. They had created the first orb. They fled Riverfell and made for Havenbrook, creating a portal with the assistance of their new tool, the orb. Norlun discovered the orbs not only stored energy from an individual, or several individual’s sparks, but also drew additional energy from all life forms within a close range.

  Once in Havenbrook, the pair made their way to the conclave to meet with the council of wizards. Displaying their successful creation, they made plans to create several more, copying the design of the first. Norlun feared an orb in the wrong hands would produce more issues than they intended to solve. He commissioned the novices and apprentices to create various pieces of the orbs, so that no one individual could craft one from start to finish, thus preventing the creation and misuse of future orbs.

  Several spells were necessary to enchant them before the energy transfer could begin. Norlun didn’t trust anyone else to do this. He loaded up the empty orbs and headed to a remote part of the forest outside Havenbrook. This served two purposes: if something went wrong, they would be far enough from civilization to ensure no collateral damage. Secondly, this would safeguard against anyone else knowing the incantations to complete the process; further protecting against abuse.

  After successfully transforming the vessels into orbs, he noticed that the conditions were horrible and changed as they progressed toward town. Norlun didn’t know this could be possible, but it all seemed to be random and out of control. Is it related to our work with the orbs? Norlun wondered. Are there other powers at work?

  Upon returning to Havenbrook, the strange conditions continued for several days. Massive flooding wreaked havoc on the town, only made worse when the temperature dropped and the build-up of water turned to thick sheets of ice.

  Norlun retreated to his own quarters for days. He studied the strange weather patterns- afraid they were somehow tied to Martul—which soon turned out to be false. After a long week of wild weather, he concluded the new orbs were the culprit. He tested his theory by leaving two orbs in the possession of Turl, while he left town on his wagon during the worst windstorm on record in Havenbrook.

  The weather seemed to get better the farther he got from town. The orbs contained too much power and it disturbed the balance in nature, causing an unwanted effect on the climate. He decided that to be safe, they should never have more than two orbs together at a time. At least until they needed them to confront Martul in battle.

  Using the orbs, he created a portal opening in front of his cottage in Riverfell. He took the orbs inside and opened the trap door he had hidden beneath his bed. Fortunately, he had a large chamber beneath his cottage—similar to a basement. He used the orbs to create another portal back to Havenbrook where he gave Turl the news.

  Raythum felt the smooth hair of his horse nuzzling and interrupting him. He stopped reading and looked around the countryside surrounding him. Sweat dripped from his face due to the hot sun beating down, and squinted his eyes as he looked up into the sky. The sun had moved eastward and neared the horizon. He put the time as late afternoon. He had been reading for hours and hadn’t even noticed. The story fascinated him. He thought about packing up and setting back out for another couple of hours. Really though, what would that gain him? He decided it would be best if he made camp here for the night.

  He started a fire before grabbing his bow. He ventured off into a ravine with thick bushes and vegetation covered by boughs of oak and maple trees. He sat down, his bow ready, and kept his eyes alert for movement. As he waited, his mind drifted back to his reading, glad that he had begun gaining an understanding of the creation and purpose of the orbs.

  Lost in thought, he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. He slowed and quieted his breathing as he stared into the thicket and briar, searching for the creature. After a moment, he spotted the fluffy, white tail of a rabbit. He drew back on the string and let loose an arrow. It flew true, and pierced the body of the plump animal.

  He pulled out his clean knife and chopped off the head. He carried the carcass back to his camp where he skinned it and removed all of its organs and entrails. He ran string through the body and hung it from a tree branch to keep out of the reach of other predators.

  With the rabbit taken care of for the time being, he put a pot of water on the fire to let it boil. When it began to bubble, he used the scorching hot liquid to clean his knife and hands. He walked back to the river and re-filled the pot with fresh water, which he set about boiling. He had brought plenty of carrots, potatoes, and onions with him to supplement what he could kill on the road, at least for a week or so. He cut several of the vegetables up and tossed them into the pot of boiling water, sending water spilling over the sides. He moved it off the direct heat of the fire and let it simmer. He needed to wait a while before he could cut up the rabbit, and the vegetables needed time to cook down, which left him with a bit of free time. Afraid he would become engrossed in the story again, he didn’t want to start reading just yet, he decided to go for a quick swim in the river instead.

  Feeling refreshed after his swim, he ate his dinner and decided to pick the tome back up. He delved once again into the history of the Keepers.

  After ret
urning to Havenbrook, Turl and Norlun finished creating the eight orbs. They took them in pairs and hid them in secure locations. With the extra precautions, Norlun seemed satisfied when no further events transpired, and the weather remained calm, returning to its normal pattern.

  The eight orbs were completed and ready, but it would only be the beginning. The conclave needed to coordinate and prepare the Havenbrook troops, while they searched and found allies within the now-conquered cities of Melina and Shakiel. Finding allies wouldn’t be difficult, but communicating with them would be another story altogether.

  Norlun instructed several of the most trusted wizards to travel to Melina and Shakiel. Once there, they searched out and found several underground groups interested in regaining their freedom. They found friends and the preparations began. The groups organized with orders to create civil uprisings and other delays, taking Martul’s concentration away from Havenbrook, while also organizing groups of soldiers loyal to the cause.

  These tactics worked for a little while, but Martul became wise to the plan and created counter tactics to thwart and infiltrate the groups or cells. It seemed every advance Norlun and Havenbrook accomplished, Martul’s troops appeared and drove off the attack. It frustrated Norlun and forced him back to the drawing board.

  The game of cat and mouse seemed to drag on all winter when Norlun found the break he was waiting for. He received confiscated orders intended for troops in Melina, detailing Martul’s plans for Havenbrook. Norlun consulted the council and planned their offensive. It seemed Martul intended to march when the spring thaw concluded, which put the expectation for the battle in late spring. They would watch the troop movements in Shakiel and Melina. When they began organizing, Norlun would give the order to march and meet them. If they chose the site of the battle, they stood a much better chance against the might of Martul.

  As winter came to a close, the lands surrounding Havenbrook began to green up as the temperature rose. A sure sign spring loomed just over the horizon. Norlun grew restless. They had spent the winter months studying and learning more about the orbs. Some knew more than others did, and Norlun did his best to keep the information contained. It seemed that if he wanted his plan to work, sacrifices would be necessary; primarily by the wizards who controlled the orbs in battle. He wanted only the most powerful in the conclave to use the orbs in the confrontation. He would have to pull each one aside and explain the significance of what they were about to do. He owed it to them to explain the ramifications, but also that it seemed necessary to stop the worst evil their planet had ever faced.

  Late one evening in March, Norlun sat at his desk in his quaint quarters with nothing but candles to light the room. He studied the maps the conclave had drawn up, and reviewed the well-thought out plans. He had spoken to the others and explained the details of their sacrifice. Many seemed reluctant, but understood their undertaking. It would all be for the greater good and they understood the role they each had to play. He sat deep in thought, knowing he was over thinking the entire process and should just leave it alone, when a knock came at his door, startling him out of his deep concentration and bringing him back to reality.

  He shook his head to bring himself out of his trancelike state, when he called out, “Enter.” He turned to see who walked through the door, not surprised to see Alassa, an older female Elf with long, flowing silver hair, deep green eyes, and a smooth relaxed complexion. She strode over the cold stone floor and approached Norlun.

  “How are you doing this evening?” She noticed the maps and drawings arrayed on his desk. “You should really take a break. You can only plan so much before you will begin to drive yourself crazy, and you will lose your focus on the task at hand.”

  He welcomed Alassa into his quarters with a bow. He always found her to be quite attractive, but suspected given their age—and difference in species—he would never have a chance at a courtship. It didn’t mean he didn’t welcome her company. Her very nature calmed and soothed him, and it seemed to bring clarity to his work. He gave her arm a companionable squeeze. “Alassa, my dear. It has been too long since you last visited my quarters.” He looked around his room, letting his gaze linger far too long on the mess at his desk. “You’ve known me a long time, and should know I tend to overthink things like this. I just feel as if I have the weight of the world on my shoulders; as if my own failure would spell certain doom for the entire planet of Nithor.” The old wizard rubbed a hand over his eyes in an exhausted motion Alassa understood all too well.

  She shook her head. “You do carry a heavy burden, but I can guarantee we have prepared as much as we can.” She brought up a letter, sealed with red wax. “Besides, we received this letter this morning. It might change your view of the entire situation.” She handed it to the old man. She peered at him, quietly waiting while he read.

  He grabbed the letter and broke the seal with a pure silver letter opener, scanning the contents within. His eyes took it all in. When he finished, he sighed and sat down in a chair, handing the letter back to Alassa. “It looks as if my hand has been forced. Troops are massing in Shakiel and Melina. They are loading supplies, and it seems they will march any day. Order the alert to rouse the troops. We march in the morning,” he said with a hint of fear in his voice. Although he was worried by what transpired, in a way he felt relieved the time had finally come.

  Alassa bowed her head before turning to leave. She opened the door, when he called after her. “And Alassa, summon the conclave.” She nodded her head before leaving as silently as she had entered.

  Norlun looked tired and it showed on his face. He walked to his basin and poured water from a silver pitcher into it. He grabbed a cloth and dipped it into the water, before wiping it on his face. Although daylight waned and it grew later with each passing moment, he suspected he would get no rest this evening. He had much to discuss with the conclave and figured they would work straight through until daybreak. He freshened up, wiping the cloth over the entirety of his body before changing into a fresh set of clothes. He grabbed a clean cloak, and made his way out into the darkened and deserted streets of Havenbrook.

  The twin moons sat bright in the sky, punctuated by the wide array of stars filling the blackness. The air had a chilling bite and he wrapped his cloak tighter around his body to keep in his warmth. He paid little attention to his surroundings as he made his way through the city. He kept running over the plans in his head to ensure he wouldn’t leave anything out. Lost in his thoughts, he almost walked past his destination. He stood in front of the door and took a deep breath, before walking in.

  A Battle Looms

  Norlun seemed pleased as he walked into the chambers of the conclave. Most of the elder wizards sat around the over-sized wooden table in silence. He looked around and felt the warmth from the fires raging within the two hearths, positioned on opposite sides of the room. He shed his cloak and took his seat at the head of the table. A novice walked over and offered him a mug of hot tea.

  Sitting in his chair, he noticed all eyes were on him. He took a sip from the mug and set it down. “I thank you all for coming on such short notice. I know several of you were already in bed for the evening, and I know you don’t appreciate being roused in such a manner.”

  He looked at each wizard solemnly before he continued. “I received word tonight that Martul is massing his troops and organizing his supply caravans. If he doesn’t march tomorrow, it will be very soon. We need to depart Havenbrook to meet him at the pre-arranged site. There is no guessing where he is headed—straight for Havenbrook. We will have the advantage of height, and hopefully surprise, in the valley we have selected. I cannot stress how important it is we arrive there and make our preparations before he comes through.”

  Alassa sat in attendance at the table and, of course, spoke before any of the elder wizards. “But what of the orbs? If I’m not mistaken, we will need time to gather them before we can depart.”

  Norlun grinned before responding. “Thank you. I h
ope everyone will now understand the need for the late night meeting.” He looked around at the others seated at the table. “I’m afraid there will be no sleep for any of us this night.” Including himself, there were eight wizards seated around the table. Conveniently, there were eight orbs. “I have selected each of you because of your own unique abilities. We don’t know what will happen when we use the orbs. We just haven’t tested this scenario because of the wild effect the orbs had on the weather.”

  A Human elder, Norroar, spoke up. “Are we making a mistake? Just as you have mentioned, we haven’t had the proper time to test these devices. I’m afraid of the possible negative effects their use might incur on all of us. I feel as if we are walking into this blindly.” He gestured to the others, trying to garner their support.

  Norlun shook his head as he stroked his long flowing beard. “I’m afraid it is a risk we have to take. With each passing day, Martul’s strength and reach grows. We must take the opportunity presented to us to once and for all put a stop to his accursed goals.”

  He received nods of approval from several of the members seated at the table. He couldn’t blame them for their hesitation. He felt the same reservations, but didn’t see any other choice. He continued. “So we are all in agreement then? We must leave at first light.”

  Alassa narrowed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t think you leave us much choice, Norlun.” Several of the wizards nodded their agreement. “Tell us what we must do.”

  Norlun stood. “I just want to say I share the same fear and hesitation some of you are feeling right now. Believe me I do. I wish we had more time, but we don’t.” He had brought a shoulder bag with him to the chambers. Inside he had a large roll of papers. He pulled the tightly packed tube out of his bag, and unrolled it; displaying it on the table so all could see.