Quarterstars Awakening

by David L. McDaniel

  Traelyn nodded her head quickly, unsure of the situation.

  “This may be a good thing. It now brings it all out in the open. I will fix it, just like we talked about,” Jaerick concluded.

  “Ok, but be careful.”

  “I will.”

  Jaerick went to the horses, untied Traelyn’s horse, and brought it to her. He then took her by the waist and held her while looking into her eyes. “Everything will be alright,” he said then pulled her close and held her head to his chest.

  They held each other for a few moments as a light breeze shook the trees and the ocean crashed upon the beach.

  “My Prince, -” Naemyn pressed.

  Jaerick released Traelyn, kissed her, and then helped her up on her horse. He walked her horse over to Naemyn.

  “We will take care of her.”

  “Where will you take her?”

  “For her safety we cannot tell you. King Keiyann knows and he will tell you when you get there.”

  “Then go,” he said to Naemyn and then reached for Traelyn’s hand. Traelyn took Jaerick’s hand and tried to force a smile.

  “I’ll come back for you,” Jaerick said. “I promise.”

  “Ok,” Traelyn said.

  “Let’s go!” Naemyn shouted to his soldiers as he yanked his horse around and ran back up the hill with Traelyn surrounded by the four soldiers. Jaerick watched the woman he loved and his best friend ride away. He wondered how he was going to fix this so that he would see her again. At this point, he no longer cared about being an heir to the throne. He just wanted to be with Traelyn. When they were out of sight, he climbed onto his horse and headed back to the castle, nudging the horse to run as fast as it could.

  “I see the camp,” Traegon announced to Traelyn, bringing her out of her misery.

  “Fine, let’s hurry up then. I need some rest.”

  “We will be with father in less than an hour.”

  Traelyn nodded, but could hardly care. The end was near and she only wished it could be sooner than later.

  Chapter 15

  The caretaker led Naemyn and the elves deeper into the cavernous portion of the catacombs. The air once again became stale, musty, and thick, making it hard to breath. He charged ahead while Naemyn and the elves labored in their breathing and struggled to keep up. As they walked farther down the tunnel they saw holes dug into the outer walls of the hallways about two feet high, three feet deep, and five feet long. There were three columns forming aisles. In these holes were the bones of elven warriors, valiant heroes, and even some lesser nobles.

  The tombs within this area of the catacombs were not important enough to have their resting place marked, but still were fortunate enough to have been laid to rest within the sacred burial grounds with the kings, princes, princesses, and prophets, due to their heroic deeds or sacrifices. Most of the elves placed in these catacombs were from a time before they migrated north from this area near the Wayerman Crags. They had been dealt deadly attacks at the hands of the goblin tribes, forcing them to construct these catacombs, hiding their dead from any desecration from the goblin hordes.

  Naemyn felt humbled as he walked past the remains of these ancient heroes. Among these great warriors were the ones who had sacrificed themselves in the defense of the land near the catacombs before their northern migration. These elves fell in those terrible battles that nearly broke the spirit of the elven people. Even though they were chased out by the goblin hordes, they still held their head high enough to find a few heroes from the fallen and buried them here. Naemyn and his elves lowered their heads and humbly walked passed their fallen ancestors.

  After walking past countless tombs, they began to smell the fresh air moving through the cavernous home of the dead once again. A cool breeze flowed up the tunnel towards them. Their breathing, like earlier, had become easier, but this time there was moisture in the air. The breeze coming towards them was cool and wet. The caretaker put his hood over his head and pressed on. The sound of a rushing river became louder and more prominent with each step they took.

  A few moments later, they came to a clearing where a wide rushing river raged before them. The noise was so loud, that if they were to talk, they would have had to yell in order to be heard. The five elves stopped at the edge of the river, where Naemyn and the three soldiers looked around them and noticed that they were underneath the stars of the night sky as before.

  On the other side of the river, floating above the water was a small island where a gray haired, wrinkled elf stood in the center. He stood wearing a white cloak, almost statuesque, standing before a tall stone table reading a large book. Directly above him and high in the sky was a bright star shining light upon the elf and the contents of the island. The only items on the island were a table, single chair in the far corner, and bookshelves with volumes upon volumes of books. The caretaker pointed to the elf.

  “There is the Guardian. Now you see why he cannot be visited. Even I cannot reach him,” he said, nearly yelling into Naemyn’s ear to be heard over the rushing river.

  Naemyn looked at the caretaker. “How does he survive?”

  “The Quarterstar of course.”

  “He has the Quarterstar? We have found it?”

  “Oh yes, you have found it, that is what he is the guardian of.”

  “How can we retrieve it?”

  “You will not be leaving here with the Quarterstar Shard.”

  “Watch us. We will not leave without it,” Naemyn said feeling overwhelmed with having the shard so near. The power consumed his reason, and passion now ruled his whole being. The only thing that mattered to him now, was to steal the shard for himself.

  He pushed passed the caretaker and stopped at the bank of the river and pulled out a pouch, withdrew a few small items and began an incantation. Within a few moments, the river slowed to almost a crawl, much like the water had turned into thick mud rolling down a gentle slope. Naemyn stood still in a concentrated trance, ordered Terson to enter the river until he was close enough to the floating island to throw a rope, hook upon it, and pull himself up.

  As commanded, Terson walked toward the edge of the river, and put one foot in the river. When he felt that the water was indeed calm, he took a few cautious steps and began to run and hop in and out of the thigh deep water. He did this for a few moments, nearing the island, but then the water stiffened and turned to stone, locking Terson’s legs within the now solid river. He squirmed to free himself. “Naemyn!” he yelled. What did you do?”

  Naemyn came out of his trance as Elsron jumped onto the solid river and ran toward his trapped comrade.

  “What are you doing?” Naemyn yelled at the caretaker, realizing the change in his spell.

  The caretaker looked at Naemyn almost in as much shock as he. “I didn’t do it. I told you the Guardian couldn’t be reached.”

  “Free him!”

  Elsron reached Terson and tried pulling him out of his entrapment, but could do nothing but hurt him by stretching his arms hopelessly.

  Naemyn reached into a pouch underneath his cloak, withdrew a couple small items, and rubbed them in his hands. When the items were nothing but dust, he threw it on top of the solid river. The solid stone river began to form hundreds of small cracks where the dust touched it, and spread outwards finding its way to the trapped elf. The cracks moved as if they were alive and moving towards Terson with a purpose, but as the cracks reached the elf, they suddenly changed. They had changed from hundreds of small cracks designed to free the elf, to hundreds of poisonous vipers.

  Naemyn saw the manifestation of his spell and looked in horror as the vipers attacked the two elves. First, they surrounded the trapped e
lf and covered his exposed body striking his face and torso. The other elf tried to run, but the vipers, with unnatural speed, slithered up his legs striking him until he fell, where the remaining snakes attacked his whole body, striking him countless times. He screamed as they covered his body from head to toe making it impossible to see anything but slithering snakes.

  Once the two elves were dead, the vipers left their bodies and coiled upon the ground motionless, satisfied with their work. As the dead elves bled from their small bite wounds, the blood dripped onto the solid river. Naemyn grabbed the caretaker and spun him around, facing him.

  “How can you do this?”

  “I told you. I did not do this.”

  “Look!” Paerglae yelled.

  Naemyn looked at Paerglae and saw him pointing toward the fallen elves where the blood was dripping onto the stone river, and where it did so, the river began to break and crumble and return to water. First, the snakes fell in, and then the bodies of the elves sank into the water and floated downstream with the remaining untransformed chunks of solid river floating downriver like logs of wood.

  The river now flowed naturally, and a light breeze returned as the water once again moved the stale air. Naemyn had never seen anything like this. Naemyn shook his head, dejected at the futility of his own magic.

  “Naemyn,” a voice from above the returning sound of the river called out.

  Naemyn looked up and saw that it was the Guardian speaking. He was standing on the edge of the floating island.

  “Did you do this?” Naemyn yelled to him.

  “No. I did not. You did,” the Guardian answered, and as he spoke, the sound of the river died away. The river still raged on, but all sound was removed, making his voice crystal clear, enhanced now by the empty cavern.

  “How? I didn’t cause these elves to die.”

  “This sacred burial ground is ruled by the Kronn. Even you must know of the Kronn.”

  “Of course I do, but I have never witnessed any of its existence like I have seen today.”

  The Guardian paced over to an ancient textbook and picked it up. “That does not surprise me. Many do not understand its true power and meaning. What is known about the Kronn was first written in this book, and then placed in these catacombs. After that, its knowledge was only passed down through the generations through word of mouth, and I’m sure it has been mistranslated many times for many years.”

  “Then it is more than a magical presence of this world?”

  “Oh yes, it is so much more, my very young seer prophet. The Kronn is what secures this realm to this existence. Without the Kronn, the world would die out and fade away from existence. The Kronn is the balance of life. It knows your heart, your past, present, and future. It takes your inner conflicts and desires and intensifies them. It uses the magic from the realm, the soil and inner core, if you will, and combines it with your heart and inner prophecy. I did not kill your soldiers, rather it was your Kronn that killed your soldiers.”

  “No,” Naemyn said quietly. “I could not have. I’m not here to hurt anyone. I just want the Quarterstar Shard.”

  “Precisely, greed is in your heart, you may not realize it, but your heart will reveal your true intentions to the Kronn, and Kronn will intensify and expose those intentions. The Kronn, protecting the Quarterstar, used the Kronn deep inside your very being to defend itself, and in this environment, which is the home of Kronn, that power is emphasized tenfold, so what is in your heart becomes apparent.

  “It is not greed that I seek the Quarterstar.”

  “Is that so? Let me ask you this Naemyn. Have you ever used your Kronn to heal?”

  “Never, but I don’t think I have ever had the chance.”

  “Have you ever been able to foretell the near future?”

  “Yes, but only unfortunate events.”

  “Have you ever been able to use that knowledge and turn events around to a good or positive outcome?”

  “Never, they always pass as I see them, no matter what action I take. And I have tried to change the events almost every time.”

  “You see Naemyn, it is evident that the dark Kronn that resides in your heart has a hold of you and is stronger than your good Kronn. Your good Kronn is there, as in all of us, but sometimes the dark Kronn, once released, becomes more powerful, and once it takes hold, it is impossible to relinquish. You will always fight your dark Kronn, and your dark Kronn will always win.”

  “I do not believe you. I did not come here with intentions less than honorable to my king.”

  “Naemyn, do not try to misguide us. We know that King Jaerick did not send you here to retrieve the Quarterstar. You and I both know that King Jaerick only sent you here to assure that the Quarterstar Shard is here and safe. In addition, I can assure you that it is here, because I am its guardian. If it was not here, well, neither would I be. I also know that your intentions to yourself are not fully clear.

  “Earlier you said that you do not seek the Quarterstar out of greed. I sense that is true, or at least true, as you believe it. The question to ask yourself is ‘why’ do you seek to remove the Quarterstar Shard, when your king has given you explicit instructions not to do so? You know the prophecies. You know that King Jaerick cannot join the shard with the talisman. Quite simply, Naemyn, your motives are not pure.”

  The Guardian walked to the center of the island and lifted a transparent dome and pulled out a small, flat, jagged stone, rectangular in shape, and no larger than a finger, and held it up. “It is safe Naemyn. It is here and has been here since it fell to this earth at this most sacred spot. It must and will stay here for now. Go and tell your king what you were originally mandated. Tell him that you know that it is here, and tell him not to worry about the Shard, as it is not his concern. Tell him, no matter how disturbing his dreams, that there is nothing he can do to change his future. Naemyn, your mission is complete. Go back to your king and report your findings.”

  Naemyn stood dumbfounded, unsure of the meaning of the guardian’s words. It all seemed so prophetic, so mysterious, and revealing at the same time. His words struck a nerve deep inside. He knew the Guardian’s words were true, even if he denied it to himself. He did have motives outside of his friend and king’s mandate. He spoke true about his deep confusion of his growing Kronn, which he had been struggling with all of his life. Naemyn stared at the Guardian in bewilderment and defiance. Then spoke again. “I cannot leave yet, I think the Shard will better serve the elven kingdom if I take it with us. I mean no harm to you or anyone.”

  “No, Naemyn this cannot be. The Shard cannot leave here without the Talisman. Don’t you know the prophecies, spiritual advisor to the king?” the Guardian said condescendingly, growing tired of Naemyn’s defiance.

  “I know them all. At least as they were passed down to me”

  “Tell me what you know of the prophecy of the first human king.”

  Naemyn fidgeted some, knowing his true intentions were being tested. “A period of peace will be ushered in by the sons of the first human king.”

  The Guardian thought about the answer Naemyn gave before answering himself. “Close enough. Interesting how these prophecies do change after time. Do you know that the true prophecy states that the Shard cannot leave this sacred place without being attached to the Talisman?”

  “No.”

  Then, do you know that according to the true prophecy that only a descendant of the first human king may put the Shard and the Talisman together?”

  “No. I mean yes…but I choose not to follow that path.”

  “A path as commanded by you has no bearing here. Regardless, do you have the Talisman?”

  “No.”

&nb
sp; “Are you a descendant of the first human king?”

  “No!” Naemyn answered in frustration. His face turned red and both hands were clenched so tight that his arms went numb. “Then what do I do?”

  “I have told you already. Do as I commanded of you. Return and report to your king that the Shard is safe with me, which will be sufficient knowledge for your king.”

  Naemyn could not leave so soon. He was finally willing to admit that he could not retrieve the Shard. He had learned a hard lesson about that, so he planned not to press the issue. Now he wanted knowledge. He wanted knowledge that he could use to further his cause to elevate the elven kingdom to power by destroying the humans.

  “Tell me. Will I find the Talisman?”

  The Guardian smiled from the corner of his mouth. “Interesting question. That is a forked path. One path you will, and the other you will not. The one where you find, it will lead to the loss of many elven lives at your hand. The other will not, but the future of that path is uncertain.”

  “How will the Talisman and Shard be joined?”

  “By a double sacrifice which will take the elven king on a westward journey. Open your eyes,” the Guardian said as he pointed to the brightest star in the sky, and as he did so, they saw the veil of illusion broken down. The sky and stars disappeared to reveal the cavernous ceiling. Where the star had been was now replaced with a hole where the natural light shone through.

  “A descendant of the human king will fall through this hole. He will have the Talisman and he will join it, but first the sacrifice must be made.”

  “What sacrifice?”

  “The sacrifice of love. The love of a father protecting his son.”

  “Just as the Kronn forbade you to cross this river, so too will the Kronn allow the true descendant of the first human king to join the Talisman and Shard.”

  “I am not sure I understand, what do you mean about sending the king on a westward journey?”

  “Go home Naemyn.” The Guardian said in a hushed whisper, “and let destiny and the Kronn decide this fate, for you have no control of any of it, even though you will play a tremendous part in this prophecy. As far as your king goes, know that in order for you to change the prophecy to the way you wish, both events must happen, maybe not simultaneously, but they must transpire upon your hand.”