Burden of Stones

by James Dale

  "He's been hanging around Cassy too long," Kirk Vanar grinned.

  "He needs to start...hanging around…someone who can teach him caution instead of colorful language," Lady Ara’fael sighed.

  "Would be up to the task Lady?" High Lord Perigaen asked with a smile.

  "I would be my pleasure High Lord," Ara’fael smiled wickedly as Jack gave her a pained look.

  "You can start tomorrow," Perigaen replied. "Tonight, I think Lord's Hall will have a feast. If the High King feels up to it?"

  "A bite to eat sounds great," Braedan nodded, retrieving Yhswyndyr. He was in no mood for a feast, not when he didn’t know if Anna was alive or dead. And if alive thought him an adulterer. Yet it felt like he hadn't eaten in days. "Did anyone think to get the garish scabbard from the alter?"

  "It...Slipped our minds," Lord Dhoran admitted. "But I'm sure the Staffclave's smith will be honored to fashion a sheath worthy of the Sword of Life."

  "I'm sure," Jack sighed, knowing he would have to oversee the work himself or the smith would make him one made of solid gold.

  "Assemble your men Captain Vanar," Perigaen instructed the commander of the Golden Lions. "Send a runner to Lord's Hall. Tell them the High King of Aralon will present himself presently."

  "Where are Elua and Arrinor?" asked Jack, realizing the pair was not among them as they began to make their way down the mountainside.

  "Arri took her back to the keep hours ago," Ailicia informed him. "She was distraught over your disappearance and High Lord Perigaen thought it would help if she rejuvenated herself with a bath."

  "They returned alone?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Kaiddra and Adept Harold accompanied them," the Ailfar princess smiled. "At Ara’fael's insistence," she added with a sideways glance at the Spellweaver. Ara’fael might find the idea of a union between Ailfar and Aerfal'Miera blood intriguing, but she was not going to condone any...well experimenting, before Cilidon and Aydera had given their blessing.

  "I could go for a little rejuvenating myself," Jack nodded.

  "Cousin," Ailicia asked hesitantly, "are you sure you feel no ill effects from your Dreamwalk?"

  "I haven't felt this good in days," Jack admitted. "What I want to know is why you were so concerned about me going to the Land of Dreams. Asleep or awake, I have Yhswyndyr now. Isn't that what Long Tooth was waiting for? For me to bring Bright Flame? Awake was the only way I could do lasting damage. Any real damage. "

  High Lord Perigaen answered for her. "There are ancient writings which speak of this. If a person encounters the Dark One during their Dreamwalk, the result is always death. But to go to the Land of Dreams waking, it has been speculated the Sa'tan could capture your soul, he could...turn you away from the Creator. If such a thing is possible, if he could capture the bearer of a Highsword, the bearer of Yhswyndyr, the consequences to Aralon would be...devastating."

  "Do you think it's possible?" asked Jack quietly, the thought giving him pause. Surely Yhswyndyr would have...warned him if it was possible Gol'gar could turn him or take the Sunheart for himself.

  "Promise me you will not do it again, Jack," Ailicia pleaded softly. "Promise me."

  "I promise," he nodded. Not until I learn the truth from Yhswyndyr. "But Ailicia, I didn't cleanse the Land of Dreams. Anna still thinks...she still believes we..."

  "We will figure out how to fix it later," the Ailfar princess said, taking his arm. "After you've rested."

  "But Graith can still..."

  "You can evade his snares now with Yhswyndyr," Ailicia said. "If...you do not attempt to enter waking again."

  "But what about Annawyn?" he asked.

  "She...there is nothing we can do for her at the moment," Ailicia admitted sadly. "I'm sorry."

  Dangerous or not, Jack was going back to the Land of Dreams tonight. There was no way he was going to sleep safely while his wife was still in danger, still unprotected against Graith's cruel manipulations. This time he would not be so...impulsive. The dark-King would not find it so easy to bounce him from place to place again. Perhaps...perhaps Graith wouldn't believe him foolish enough to return so soon? He couldn't roam the Land of Dreams every night. Could he?

  "It's okay," Jack said, giving Ailicia a quick hug. She wouldn't be going with him, he decided. He couldn't ask her to share such danger. Until he had learned how to do more than just protect himself, he would Dreamwalk alone. No, not alone, he would bring Long Tooth. The old wolf had warned him not to return without Bright Flame. Well, he had Bright Flame now. With the Highsword, and with Long Tooth to watch his back, there was a way he could protect Annawyn. He could bar Yh'gar from entering the dream world, Yhswyndyr had shown him how. It had shown him how to stop Graith from turning those he loved against him. His only mistake had been challenging the dark-King instead of doing what needed to be done first. He would cleanse the dream world, take away one weapon of darkness, then…then he could get about the business of dealing with the Bloodstone.

  "It'll be okay," he smiled reassuringly. "I promise."

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ul’gogrond

  By the time the company had made it back down the mountainside, the entire population of Lord's Hall was assembled before the keep, awaiting the return of the High King of Aralon. When they sighted Braedan carrying Yhswyndyr, the gathering fell to one knee in unison and bowed their heads in supplication.

  "Jack Braedan of the House Bra’adan," High Lord Perigaen cried to the assembly, "has drawn the Highsword Yhswyndyr! The Sword of Life has recognized his claim to the Throne of Immer! The High King has returned. Hail Jack Braedan! High King of Aralon!"

  "Hail!" the crowd replied with a shout, coming to their feet. "Hail the High King of Aralon!"

  "Will they still be so happy when they learn Graith kicked my ass today?" Braedan asked High Lord Perigaen as the crowd continued to shout.

  "Graith, Son of Halbar, has been in possession of the Bloodstone for eight hundred years," Perigaen replied. "Yet you battled him to a draw within moments of claiming Sunheart. It may have been ill advised, but I do not think your encounter will be considered an...ass kicking? I certainly do not."

  As celebrations go, Braedan had to admit, official recognition by the Staffclave as the High King of Aralon would certainly be one to remember. The entire population of Lord's Hall, maybe even the entire island judging from the crowd, gathered in the Grand Hall of the Keep until there was barely enough room to move. There was delicious food and plenty of drink, apparently Lord Perigaen judging this to be a special occasion, and singing and dancing provided by some of the most talented musicians in all of Aralon, men and women who'd all come to Lordsisle to offer their services to the land's protectors in gratitude for their sacrifices on behalf to its people.

  As fine as the festivities were, Jack took little part in it. How could he celebrate when he had used Yhswyndyr for the first time to burn the only thing he loved? How would he celebrate if she lived, but hated him? When Graith had convinced her he'd betrayed their sacred vows, how could he ever feel joy again until he had made things right between them? There was the possibility, remote though it seemed, he'd incinerated her with the power of Sunheart. It was possible she was at this moment...No, that too horrible to even contemplate. Anna had to be alive! She was safe and sound in Dorshev, protected by Captain Einnael, her Horsemaidens, and a score of Galekindar. Somehow, he would find a way to convince her he had been faithful. He had to.

  First, he had to get the Lord of Shadow and Graith out of her dreams.

  "Is something wrong, my Lord?" Tarsus asked, leaning close to be heard over the noise of the revelry.

  The Amarian had heard him recount his bounce through the horrid dream world of Graith, but thought those events, especially the unfortunate accident with Annawyn, only a cruel ruse, concocted in the dark-King’s perverted mind to demoralize him. He also knew Graith had manipulated his friend's dreams last night, but did not know Annawyn was convinced he was carrying on adulterous
affairs. Neither Jack nor the Ailicia had recounted those incidents other than to High Lord Perigaen.

  "No," Jack lied, concealing his agony, "I’m just tired."

  "Are you sure? Do you want me to fetch Lord Farra?"

  "There's nothing she can do for me sleep won't cure." Jack assured him. “It’s been a busy few days.”

  "Why don't you turn in?" Tarsus suggested. "You can flaming stay in bed until Muriel's Revenge is ready to sail. You've certainly earned the rest." The damage the Annothian dreadnought had suffered during Leviathan's attack had been relatively minor, all things considered, and repairs would be completed in two more days.

  "I think I will," Jack nodded.

  "Go," the Amarian smiled. "Everyone is so far into their cups they’ll not even notice you've disappeared."

  Leaving unseen was as easy as Tarsus predicted. The celebration was in full swing now, and not a soul paid attention to him as he discreetly made his exit from Lord's Hall. No one noticed his absence, except Ailicia of course. She caught up to him as he reached to door to his quarters.

  "Are you well cousin," she asked. Her concern for his well-being, both physical and mental, had not lessen during the course of the evening.

  "I'm just tired," he assured her, for what seemed like the one hundredth time today. "I'm going to turn in."

  "You are a poor liar, Jack Braedan," the Ailfar princess said quietly.

  "I must be out of practice," Jack sighed. "I used to be a very good liar."

  "You are not going to..."

  "I'm just going to get some sleep," Jack said, summoning as much sincerity as he could muster.

  Ailicia studied Braedan's face intently for several seconds. "On second thought, you are a terrible liar. Where shall we meet?"

  "We are not meeting anywhere," he insisted. "I have to do this alone. I will not risk you on a mission I still have no idea how to accomplish."

  "But..."

  "There's nothing you can do in this fight," Braedan lied. Ailicia probably would have been a great help in fact, being a much more experienced Dreamwalker, but it was just too dangerous. He would be safe, relatively, with Yhswyndyr guiding him and Long Tooth for company, but he wasn't sure he could do this task and worry about the Ailfar princess at the same time. And where he meant to start tonight’s business…he would not ask anyone to go.

  "But..."

  "But nothing," Jack insisted. "You're not going! If I catch you trying to follow me, you'll wish Graith were after you instead of me!"

  Braedan regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Tears formed in Ailicia's green eyes and her already pale skin lightened by a shade. But he needed the Ailfar maiden scared. Scared enough to stay the hell away from the Land of Dreams. Hurting her in the process had been entirely unintentional.

  "Come here Ally," he sighed, pulling her close in a fierce hug. "I'm sorry. I just want you to be safe. But I’m not going to spend another second of sleep while Anna is in danger, or still believes we…I betrayed her. Promise me you will sit this one out?"

  "I...very well," Ailicia whispered. "I promise. But you must also promise you will be careful, Jack Braedan."

  "Hey," he said, forcing a smile as he brushed the tears from her cheeks. "Who do you think you're talking too? I'm always careful."

  "I know exactly who I am talking to," she said, smiling weakly. "Now promise."

  "I promise," Jack said, giving her another hug. "Not to do anything foolish."

  "You will never be a good liar," Ailicia sighed, shaking her head. "Go save Anna, cousin. My heart breaks for her. Yh go with you and protect you. Just promise me you won’t go waking this time? Promise me." She insisted.

  “I promise,” he lied, giving her a kiss on the forehead. Whether she believed him or not, it was hard to tell. The Ailfar princess left without wishing him a good night. She knew there was little hope of that. Braedan went to his bed. Laying the Highsword Yhswyndyr across his chest, he closed his eyes, summoned the power of Sunheart, and willed himself into the Land of Dreams.

  He arrived waking in the Greenrun Plains with the Highsword in his hands, Sunheart glowing hotly in its hilt. He would certainly try to be careful, trying not do anything foolish, but keeping his promise to Ailicia about not going waking was impossible. Nothing he could accomplish in his fight with Graith or the Dark One mattered if he did not go waking into the Land of Dream. Without going waking, he couldn’t cleanse the Land of Dreams of Gol’gar’s taint. He couldn't help Annawyn. He could not do anything of consequence unless he went into the heart of the shadow world in mind, spirit…and body.

  "I see you have claimed Bright Flame, Great Lion," Long Tooth said, appearing at his side almost instantly. "I hope you can you use it."

  "I'm learning," Jack replied.

  "Learning?" the old wolf cuffed derisively.

  "Fire Mane is in danger," Jack shrugged. "She cannot protect herself in the Land of Dreams...I must do it for her. I have faced Red Slayer today and survived. I learned much from our battle.”

  "What do you plan to do, Great Lion?" Long Tooth asked.

  "Bright Flame has shown me," Jack replied. "It will not be easy, but I have no choice. If Red Slayer assails her again, Or if she is attacked by the Lord of Shadows, I fear she will not survive." ‘If I haven’t already killed her,” he thought ruefully. But he blocked the thought from the old wolf.

  "It is enough for me," answered Long tooth. "What must we do?"

  “I am going to cleanse the Land of Dreams.” Jack replied. “To rid it of the Lord of Shadow’s touch once and for all.

  "I hope Bright Flame is as powerful as the old tales recount," Long Tooth sighed. "Or this will be a very short night before we die."

  “Shall we begin?” asked Jack.

  “Let us be swift,” the old wolf replied. “The Lord of Shadow already knows you are here,” he warned, inclining his shaggy head to the eastern horizon. A red, angry glow was forming in the distance. “Every Dreamwalker with so much as a spark knows you are here. Where do we start, Great Lion?” the wolf asked.

  “Where else?” Jack replied, looking to the east. “We are going to Gol’gar’s prison.” The Sa’tan was chained in Ul’gogrond, but his spirit retained the ability to trouble the earthe. Unless the breach in his prison was sealed, nothing he did would make their dreams safe.

  “I have lived a long life,” the wolf sighed. “In this shadow land and the waking one. Do you think the packs will remember Long Tooth, the wolf who died fighting the Lord of Shadow?”

  “Everyone will remember this night,” Jack promised. “How long they remember it depends on whether we live through it or not.” he thought to himself.

  Ul’gogrond, Prison of the Sa’tan, had been formed by the Holy Word of Yh’Adan when He was raised by Father Yh the Creator. The resurrected Son of the Most High had bound his foe in chains, cast him bound into his cell, and the First War of the Stones was finished. Legend said the cell of the Sa’tan was in the Spirit Realm. Yhswyndyr informed Braedan differently. Yhswyndyr told him it was far beneath the surface of the earthe, in a place of oppressive darkness and eternal fire. It was an empty realm of lost hope and total separation from the smallest mercy of the Creator. No living soul resided there. The torment of its crushing desolation would strip away any spark of life. Sunheart and the Bloodstone had been formed with the same Word that had created Ul’gogrond. The power of Yhswyndyr would protect Jack, and by extension, Long Tooth, if they traveled there pure of heart and purpose.

  At least that is what Sunheart told him.

  Centuries ago, Graith had weakened the Word that formed Yh’Gar’s prison when he freed the Seven Dukes of Hell to aid him in his war of conquest. He had not possessed the deepest knowledge of the Bloodstone at the time, the knowledge to destroy the bonds that held the Sa’tan completely. Not then. He had only damaged it enough to allow the Lord of Shadow’s spirit to roam the Land of Dreams. His knowledge was growing by the hour now he was awake again, however. Soon
, if he desired, he would have the power to free the Sa’tan once again to walk upon the earthe. Unless Jack repaired the Word. Yhswyndyr had shown him how. Surely it was a purpose pure of heart?

  He was about to find out.

  Jack reached down and placed a hand on Long Tooth’s shaggy coat. He focused his mind on the Sunheart, letting its power flow into him and said a single word.

  “Ul’gogrond.”

  Man and wolf were instantly transported deep into the bowels of the earthe. The crushing darkness was an unholy weight, threatening to strip away their spirit and condemn them into land of eternal night. Silence surrounded them, as oppressive and final as the grave. Even with the power of the Sunheart surrounding them, Jack could sense the unholy heat of this place. He struggled to block out the darkness and heat, struggled to focus on Yhswyndyr. If he lost control, they would be doomed. Slowly, the darkness receded and the pair was surrounded by a bright glow of purest white.

  They were in a long corridor, hewn from the solid bedrock of the earthe by a blast of the Creator’s breath. The brightness of Sunheart was blinding in this place, but such was the oppressive gloom of Ul’gogrond even its power could only penetrate the darkness for several yards. It was enough for them to see their immediate surroundings, but nothing more. Behind him, Jack could only sense darkness and endless earthe. In front of them…in front of them he could feel an evil presence filled with unimaginable hate, a rage that nearly equaled the fire of creation. The most powerful angel ever created, powerful enough to defy the Most High, was imprisoned somewhere within these depths.

  And it could sense their presence.

  He began to walk toward the evil, Long Tooth padding along at his side.

  For miles it seemed they walked. There was no sense of time in the underworld. Its silence was only broken by the muted sound of paw and boot. Whether they had only been in Ul’gogrond for minutes or centuries, Jack did not know. But he knew the evil was drawing nearer. As they walked, Jack transformed the light surrounded them, transferring a fraction of Sunheart’s power to Long Tooth. Soon, the light encased them individually, clinging to their bodies, forming around them like a protective skin until they became a pair of pure white specters, invading spirits walking the corridors of Hell.