Quarterstars Awakening

by David L. McDaniel

  The torch fire flickered as it chased away the musty darkness revealing a room that contained rare and precious artifacts, many of which Jaerick had never seen before, but had known they existed through the tales his of father and high-ranking elves of this land. Jaerick knew what he wanted, and what it looked like. He went straight to a small box covered with leaf shaped jewels that sat on a shelf centered on the back wall. Above it was an historic painting of Val Eahea holding the Sword of Valkilye as four shooting stars fell to the ground from the dark sky. The painting depicted the epic battle against the Markenhirth on the day of creation of Wrae-Kronn. It was the day that they not only sent the Markenhirth to the underworld, but when the Star of Rae-om, the mother of their creation, split into four pieces, creating the three races: the two races of elves, the race of dwarves, and the last piece falling to the west contained the heart of the spell and the heart of the Markenhirth.

  In another painting to Jaerick’s left, Val-Eahea wore the talisman around his neck. The Quarterstar Talisman lay on top of his leaf armor housing the Quarterstar Shard in its place in the Talisman. This painting depicted the future of the return of Val-Eahea and how he would retrieve the Shard and place it in the Talisman. Prophecy written by Val-Eahea and Raezoures predicted how one day they would both return and secure all of the Shards and reunite them in peace.

  This elven god, Val-Eahea, came to a young Keiyann Krowe, while he was yet in his youth, to give him a sword that he would eventually give to the human king, and he also explained to him the power of the talisman and how the shard and talisman must not be joined until a time of great need. The key to the prophecy was the human king. The talisman could only be used to defeat the Markenhirth. The shard joined with the talisman will give the wearer everlasting life and the power to travel anywhere in the land instantly and at will.

  Jaerick picked up the box, instantly knowing by its weight that it would be empty, but instead of opening it immediately, he said a small silent prayer to Val Eahea. Naemyn placed his hand on Jaerick’s shoulder, interrupting his prayer. Jaerick raised his head, looked at Naemyn accusingly, and then swung open the lid. As he feared, all he saw was an empty velvet liner. The Talisman was missing and had been for some time. Naemyn took two steps back in shock. “How did you know it would be missing?”

  “A dream.”

  “We will search the castle! Every person and their possessions will be searched. We will search the land for this. No stone will be left unturned. We will find it.”

  “No need for all that, Naemyn. I know who has it.”

  “How could anyone have possibly stolen our precious symbol of elven existence when it has been so guarded?”

  “Not stolen, but given away.”

  “Who has it and who gave it away?”

  “Traelyn has it, and my father gave it to her.”

  Naemyn winced, revealing to Jaerick that Naemyn knew this was the truth.

  “She must be long dead by now. How will we find it?” Naemyn asked as he rubbed his chin, recomposing himself.

  King Jaerick shook his head. “No, she is not dead. I do not know how, but she is alive.”

  “How can you know?”

  “I can feel it within; something has changed, and it is not right. My memories of her had been completely erased until now. I do not know why or how this has happened, but it has, and something has set the wheel in motion. I intend to find out why I have forgotten all about her. My father knew this would happen, triggering the prophecy to be set into motion long before she left; we know the prophecy, but I am just now beginning to believe that she is part of the prophecy.”

  Naemyn straightened his robe and looked back to Jaerick. “But that prophecy changed when she left our kingdom.”

  “I do not yet remember everything that happened, in fact, for many years I have had no recollection of her. It is as if she never existed until now, and I have only a foggy memory of her life here and why she left, but I do know that she did not leave on her own accord, but rather was sent away.” Jaerick thought carefully before he spoke again. After a few silent moments, he looked at his friend and boldly stated. “I also think you have a part in this.”

  Naemyn said nothing, but stared into his friend’s eyes disconcertingly.

  Jaerick let the matter drop for now, and continued with the matter at hand. “We must seek her out and find the Quarterstar Talisman.”

  “Then I will find it for you, my friend. I will personally search all of the known lands for you.”

  King Jaerick forced a smile. “My friend,” he repeated his friend’s response. “I cringe whenever you say that.”

  “It is because you know that I mean business.”

  “It is also because it means that your decision is final, and that I know I cannot talk you out of anything once you say that.”

  The two friends stood gazing at each other as in a duel of the mind for a few moments before Naemyn spoke. “I await your command.”

  “I want you to find Traelyn and bring her here, but first I want you to travel to the catacombs and assure that the Quarterstar Shard is still in place and that she does not have that as well. While you are there, I want you to inform the Guardian what has been discovered tonight, and ask him what he knows of the prophecies and most of all, instruct him to keep the shard where it is until I can figure this out. It is also very important that I know it is still there and will not be removed until I can get there. I cannot rest until I know that it has not been joined with the talisman.

  “Should she have both, Traelyn may already have them joined. It is crucial that we know whether we are off our prophetic course. I will begin studying the texts we have here and I will talk to the Sorae. If you find that the Shard is no longer at the catacombs, then we must assume that Traelyn has the shard and the talisman…” Jaerick paused to consider the possibility. “No, she must not have both. If she does, we, the whole elven race, may be in grave danger of extinction. The human clans will surely have the power to overrun and destroy us.”

  “Shouldn’t I just bring the shard back here so that we can make sure it never falls into human hands?” Naemyn asked.

  “No. If it is there, then it will be safest there. The joining of the two is not for you, anyone, or me yet. And…” Jaerick paused, deliberating if he should mention his thoughts any further. “I want to see her again. I suspect she has the talisman, and for some reason I believe that she is going to show herself, and when she does, we will find the talisman. If you have the shard and the talisman so close to each other, I believe the temptation will be too great.” King Jaerick paused in thought. Then his brow wrinkled, and he added. “Naemyn, as much as I trust you, I cannot afford to send you on this trip, it is too dangerous for you to go. You will have to cross through the heart of our enemy’s territory to get to the catacombs. We need to appoint another.”

  “No, my king,” Naemyn objected. “I’m going. Who else could you trust with our most precious artifacts if not me?”

  “I suppose, once again, that you are right. I trust no one else, and you are the only one I would trust to not be tempted to put them together. Then, if you must, take fifty of my personal Elven Pathfinders with you.”

  “But my lord, this mission will require that we move with stealth, not force.”

  “Then take twenty-five.”

  “I will take twenty regular cavalry, with five of them being scouts.”

  King Jaerick shook his head and knew he was not going to win against his stubborn, thickheaded friend. “Fine, take twenty, but leave before dawn, and hurry back.

  “If you find Traeylnn before I do, bring her back, I want the talisman back and I want her here. I need her here. She belongs with me. She should never hav
e left in the first place.”

  “Very well, my king, but promise me one thing while I am gone.”

  King Jaerick smiled at his friend. “What is it?”

  “Just inform the Sorae for me. I will not have time to brief them on our task.”

  King Jaerick frowned slightly, but immediately recovered, hoping that Naemyn did not notice. “I will inform them of everything as I will also seek knowledge to the meaning of my missing memories.”

  “Thank you Jaerick. Now I will take my leave and prepare for my journey. Have your elven cavalry ready for me at predawn. And I mean regulars, do not try to sneak any of your Elven Pathfinders in with them. They need to be here to protect our kingdom.”

  King Jaerick smiled. “Yes Naemyn. Do you always have to be right?”

  “Always,” Naemyn said with a wink as he left the room.

  Chapter 5

  “Great Mother?” Traegon whispered as he entered the garden sunroom where Traelyn tended to her flowers and spices. Quietly, she prepared to harvest certain fruits and vegetables.

  “Yes Traegon, come in my love,” she responded, straightening up, feeling the pain in her back stab and crawl up her spine as she did so. Her whole body ached, and it frustrated her that she could not move like she used to.

  Traegon entered the greenhouse, he was a young man just recently maturing into manhood, and was eager to prove he was mature to his peers and elders. He wore the simple clothes of a servant. His loose, baggy, tunic hung on his body more like robes than the well-fitted clothes most of the villagers wore. His shoulder length brown hair matched the color of his clothes. He grew a soft, scruffy beard only because he could, not because it looked good, as it did nothing to mature his soft features. It was not thick, little more than stiff peach fuzz, but he liked it just as well.

  “Do you know what this plant is Traegon?” she asked as he walked toward her.

  “No.”

  “It is a Drodennum plant, it is an elven plant that grows wild around lakes,” she picked up a flower and pinched it off the stem. “See this flower,” she said as she straightened out a small flute-like white flower that had a single, long yellow pistil shooting out of the middle. “They bloom once a year in the fall, but the blooms only last two weeks.”

  “It’s a pretty flower,” Traegon said feigning interest as politely as possible.

  Traelyn noticed and released the flower and straightened herself again, but groaned as she did so. Her age was showing, though she was in perfect health, and no one in the village was healthier. By first appearances, people would see a tall, but very frail looking old woman. Her wrinkles were pronounced, but her eyes sparkled with life. However, today her eyes did not sparkle and her body ached from her shoulders to her many joints, and her pain had been increasing over the past few days. Grabbing the flower, she twisted the center and plucked out the pistil.

  Traelyn looked at the pistil and ran it in between her fingers before she slowly placed it in her mouth, and chewed the reproductive part of the flower for a long while before swallowing. Traegon watched patiently as she did this, not interrupting, nor speaking before being spoken to, as was the custom when speaking with the Great Mother.

  “It is not because of its beauty as to why I grow the Drodennum plant,” she said as she closed her eyes and waited for the effects of the flower to begin. “It is for its life-sustaining qualities.” She continued after she swallowed. “One bloom is intended to extend your life for up to twenty years, and my body has been aching so badly the last month waiting for this bloom.” She paused again, and Traegon noticed that her skin began to change color from the pale unhealthy, almost corpse-like color, to a rejuvenated healthy pink skin tone. Though her skin was still aged and wrinkly, it began to give the appearance of healthy life.

  “Let’s sit, my son. I am weak from the shock to my system.”

  Traegon took Traelyn’s hand, and guided her out of the greenhouse to an open courtyard. They walked under a large maple tree that left a huge shadow over a lush grassy yard. Small buildings surrounded the open area that looked upon the perfectly landscaped shrubs, flowers, and small trees. Small birds happily flitted from one tree to another.

  Traelyn had spent her life caring for and grooming this area underneath the shadow of the Dragon Cross Mountains. Traegon guided his frail grandmother to a bench made out of the wood from a massive fir tree, and helped her to sit comfortably - and with a slight bow, he took a seat beside her.

  “Thank you, my child,” she said, feeling the flower’s curing power in full effect.

  “Great Mother, your eyes, they have brightened, like life has just passed anew in you.”

  “That is exactly what has happened,” she said with a faint, satisfying smile.

  “Has the flower always done that for you?”

  “No,” she paused, closing her eyes, thinking back. “No, when I was young I didn’t feel anything; in fact sometimes I did not eat the bloom every year. I would just forget and skip a year. When I was given the seeds to the flower, I was told I could skip even twenty years, but the less I used, the faster I would age. It was recommended that I continue to eat one bloom a year, but just as eating less had consequences, eating it more often also had its drawbacks. Eating it too often would be toxic, and be too much for my body to handle, and would, in essence, poison me. As it was, my body still aged, though it was progressively slower, but I have nonetheless aged. The older I got, the more intense the curing feeling. Now I crave for the fall so that I may eat the single bloom.”

  “How long does it last, this feeling?”

  “Only a few hours,” she smiled and touched the top of Traegon’s hand. “A few hours of feeling twenty-five again, but alas, the aches and pains of being three hundred years old slowly return. Time is indiscriminate in the end. It takes us all eventually. Elves who live hundreds of years can extend their lives into a thousand by a steady diet of this flower, but it is not so kind to us humans. I have slowly continued to age no matter how often I take the pistil, and by mid-summer, I am feeling my true age, and each year the intensity of the pain increases. That is partly why I’m telling you this,” she paused to take a deep breath to smell the fragrant air of her garden while looking to the sky, and then looked back at Traegon. “This is the last time I will take the bloom.”

  “But Great Mother, won’t you die a very painful death from being so old?”

  “Most likely,” she said laughing at his sweet innocence, “and that is why I want you to take me to the elves.”

  Traegon stood up and looked at her with his brown eyes wide open in shock. “But Great Mother, they are our enemy! We are at war with them!”

  Traelyn looked up at him. “I have finally determined that this war is wrong; the elves have done nothing to us. We are the ones who started the fight so many years ago.”

  “Because they hate us. They have done nothing to help us! They watch us die as the dragons shrink our population, they laugh at our misery. I wish they all would die, just as they wish us all to die!”

  She paused so that she could repeat her command to have the proper effect of urgency. “Take me to not just the elves, but to the king of the elves.”

  Traegon’s mouth opened, and his eyes widened, then reddened with fury.

  “No! I will not!” he blurted out disrespectfully.

  Traelyn remained calm, and responded in her most soothing, yet firm voice as a mother reprimanding her young child. “Are you disobeying my command?”

  Traegon dropped to one knee and bowed his head. “Please forgive me Great Mother; I will not do this task.” She placed her hand on his head. “I will find my father. He will know what to do,” he said, not looking up.

 
“That will be acceptable. If you cannot take me to the elves, then you must take me directly to your father.”

  Traegon took a deep breath almost choking on it. He did not understand why she was being so persistent.

  “You cannot travel in your condition,” he finally spoke, finding the courage out of his fear not to sound disobedient. “Besides, I am sure he has already left north with his force to fight the elves. It will be too dangerous.”

  “It does not matter. You will take me to him and he will take me to the elves.”

  Traegon smiled as he felt that he had won the debate as he stood up. “I don’t think that will ever happen. He fights the elves almost daily; he sees all of their evil. I know he will not take you to the elves, and definitely will not take you to see their king.”

  “He must,” she said sharply.

  “Then you stay here while I go to look for him and bring him back.”

  “No, do not take him from his duties. I will go to him, but you must find him first because, you are right, I am too weak to travel the many days it will take you to find him. But once you find him, tell him that I’m coming and that I command him to stay where he is so that you can come back to me, and bring me to him. That will be the quickest route to deliver me to him.”

  “This I will do,” he said lowering his head in submission.

  “Then leave now. Gather your things and seek him out.”

  “Yes, I know. I know his mission, and where he was going. I tried to go with him, but he would not allow me. He told me he was going to gather a force large enough that no elven army could withstand,” he said excitedly. “But then he then told me that my place is with you,” he finished, downtrodden.