Knights of the Full Moon, page 6
part #4 of Of Knights and Wizards Series
“Too dangerous for me? I’m a dragon, and you’re only this big!” He moved his claws close together to show him how small he was in comparison.
Adorok bent down once more. The baby dragon needs to go with you.
“Of course, he does! That’s all I need! Ryxa will kill me!” Marcus was feeling that the life of a sorcerer was becoming overwhelming. Weren’t there any other good wizards in the world that could handle this stuff? He needed another TarCranian with a lot more experience.
And then more scratching into the soil. And it took time, and some words were difficult to read. There are several islands in between your destination in which to rest, and it is necessary for you to stop on one before you get there to retrieve its original container. It’s not possible to transport without the box that contains the tiny realm.The box itself has the shape of an hourglass. Adorok was tired of all the writing.
“Where the hell do we find that?”
On the circular isle, you can’t miss it from the air. You’ll also be able to see your final destination from there. Here, I’ll draw you a map.”
Ash shook his head. “I don’t know if any of us is going to be coming back from this one and I was so looking forward to a long life.”
I have seen several scenarios and in most one of you does not make it back alive.
Marcus looked defeated. “One of us is not going to make it back alive?”
“I hope I’m not the one that makes it back dead,” said Daganth. “Nor you father.”
Ash eyed Daganth and snorted.
“You wolves, I mean Knights head back to Leeander.” Marcus wished that he could just curl up and sleep for a month. He wondered what would happen if he ran away and let whatever was going to happen just happen?
CHAPTER TWELVE
RAINA AWAKENED IN HER CHAMBER and felt good, no she was great. She sat up and stretched as Jarin peeked into the room and was so happy to see that Marcus’s fiancé was finally conscious.
Jarin, a short bald man with a bushy red beard, screamed down the hall. “Raina has risen! Spread the word.”
What was all the fuss? “Now see here! Are you going to announce to the world every time I awaken from a nap?”
“Raina, you have been dead to the world for three nights! We thought you might never rise. The sorcerer would surely have overcome with grief, who knows what enchantments he would have cast.”
“I’ve just come from the library.”
But after making her way to the courtyard and talking to several people, she realized that Jarin had indeed been speaking the truth. She could not comprehend what had happened, but she was famished. There was no sign of Marcus and that wicked sorcerer remained camped just outside the castle walls though he had not brought down the castle or accomplished anything else for that matter. He appeared to be biding his time, but for what no one could say. Perhaps he was creating an enchantment.
After a big meal of chicken, lamb and a bowl full of grapes, Raina tried hard to remember what had happened in the secret library, but it was patchy at best. It was like an attempt to remember a dream hours later.
Alexa summoned Raina to the throne room. “Raina, thank goodness you’re okay.”
Raina nodded. “Yes, your majesty, it was very strange. It only seemed like a short nap to me.”
“Please don’t call me that. Do you believe that Juliana is responsible?” Alexa stood up and paced, very unlike her. She hoped her father would come to his senses. She would convince her brother to be king if necessary.
“I have no recollection of seeing her, but I suppose that it is possible. I was trying to find a way to get rid of the witch. I found a secret library that Marcus couldn’t locate but don’t tell him. I want to be the one to tell him.”
Silence for a time as the Queen stared down at the enemy. “Marcus has not returned, and father remains in a state of stupid for lack of a better word. Stone has gone out in search of Marcus and hasn’t returned. And the knights that I sent out to kill the wizard never came back either, killed or captured I imagine. And I don’t know what to do next. But sooner or later I will have to attack that damn Bloodfire. So you didn’t find a way to get rid of the witch?”
“Not yet but I should get back to it. Just imagine being attacked by a wizard and a witch at the same time.”
Alexa thought about the peculiar storm in the distance and what Marcus had told her about too much magic destroying the world. She wished she didn’t feel so damn helpless. If they survived, perhaps Marcus as the next King was what Leeander needed, for the sorcerer to keep his butt here and to spend his time defending the castle. Yes, she would insist upon it. Otherwise, what was the point of having a sorcerer that was never around?
Raina returned to her chamber and began to flick through the pages of the tome, but it was no ordinary book. One page had a three-dimensional door in it, and when she slid the tiny bolt across, it opened though she wasn’t able to see anything inside, it was too dark in there. Her hand would be able to fit inside but did she dare do it? That was one thing about enchanted stuff like this; it was nearly impossible to resist. It might have been created to defend the book, or the information that she sought could be inside. She held it up to the interior to see if some light would reveal the interior, but it wouldn’t.
“Always something!” Raina had contradictory impulses about magic, she loved it, but occasionally she hated it. It was tricky and could be as nasty as the sorcerers that conjured the books and other objects. There was a common tree about two leagues from Leeander that used to be a boy, an inquisitive boy that opened a scroll. “Oh, the hell with it! I’m going in!” Her hand went in up to her elbow; she felt a wooden box, the corners of it and then something was crawling on her hand. When she pulled it out there was a black spider on it, shaking it off on the floor she stomped on it. It transformed to blue dust. She braced for something untoward to happen, but nothing. Did she have the courage to go in a second time? The spider could have been a warning.
After a short period of considering what to do next, she placed her hand back inside the book and pulled out a small pouch that held green and black crystals, and then a gold coin and finally another book that grew as she set it on the little stand. On the cover, it read ABOUT YOU. And on the first page an inscription: Only the truth lies beyond. Do NOT proceed if you do not wish to know.
“The truth about what?” She turned the page and saw a mirror image of herself, standing in a field with an unknown black dragon behind her. Raina was fascinated by herself waving back at her as fire exited the dragon’s nose and went over her head. Did she see a future scene? She flicked through several more pages and found the heading. You are a newly transformed WIZARD. A TarProelio sorcerer. Hold your palm away from you and push forward with your palm for verification.
“What is this gibberish?” Raina stared at the palm of her hand, remembering what had happened in the library. She was told that only a wizard could enter that realm, so did entering transform her into a sorcerer? No, that was unlikely. Or was it? She aimed her palm toward the ceiling and nothing happened. She pushed it forward, and a white sphere shot out at an incredible speed, breaking apart as it hit the ceiling, pieces of steel shrapnel deflected all over the room, taking chunks out of the walls and floor, luckily missing her.
“Oh no! This is not happening! I can’t be a wizard!” But the proof was in the damaged walls. She had not imagined it. Raina was frightened, but at least, she didn’t sleepwalk. Would Marcus accept her as a sorcerer? Two wizards in the same family? Maybe now she could get rid of that witch if she returned? Wait; perhaps she could kill that damn wizard from the castle wall? It was worth a try. But what if it only angered Bloodfire? Why were easy answers so elusive?
Raina closed the book and just sat there for quite a while just shaking her head. Oh, how she wished it was all a dream but alas she knew better. Life had been sufficiently thorny before, but this would be an entirely different level to climb. It was dangerous being a wizard and having no idea how to be one, hazardous for her and others around her as well. Marcus was almost run out of his kingdom; actually he was in a way.
I hope I don’t need a stick like Marcus. And just because I’m a sorcerer doesn’t mean that I have to practice being one. Does it? I don’t know what to think.
Raina consulted with Alexa, who gave her permission to launch the attack, at least, that way they would share the blame for whatever happened. She made her way to the wall with Alexa close behind. They were going about their business down there, preparing meals and sharing stories, at least, that’s how it looked. Alexa sent the guards away so they couldn’t see Raina’s attempt at magic, and then she aimed her palm and fired. An orange and red ball of flame hit some shield at ground level and deflected, fragments ricocheting off the ground and rocks, quite a sight but the shrapnel didn’t penetrate. And it was as if no one even noticed the assault. Were they that confident?
Raina headed back to the tome in a state of confusion. She wondered how long she would be able to keep this a secret from Marcus though she thought it might be fun to try. By the way, Marcus, watch this! Bang! Maybe she should have just stayed out of that library. She returned to the enchanted door in the book and again thrust her hand inside, and this time, something pulled her in, feeling a surge in her stomach it was so fast.
Raina found herself in a village of mud houses interspersed with palm trees, and although there was smoke rising from one, no one was visible. The wind was odd as if it was blowing from the ground up. She peeked into a window, and it was full of bags, and vials and other assorted junk. An axe with a broken handle. Someone was using it for storage. She looked into another window and saw shelves full of books, one corner covered with spider webs, and so the books mustn’t have been touched in a long time. Raina attempted to open the door but discovered it locked.
“What a weird place. I can’t believe I’m inside the book and how the hell do I get out?”
She approached the largest hut, stopped and stared at the white smoke rising into the blue sky. The mud dwelling had big stones stuck into it that looked like rubies but were too big to be gemstones. There were three blue sapphires in a row, and a spark of light was jumping from one to another. Raina glanced into the window observing an old man with a long white mustache staring back at her; he quickly and rudely shut the curtains on her. The curtains were made of live butterflies. “How amazing.” She was going to reach for one of the yellow butterflies when it spoke.
“Don’t touch me; you ’ll make me lose my place.”
“Oh, sorry.” Raina went and looked intently at the door. The fellow inside apparently didn’t want to be bothered. However, there was no one else around. Just as Raina was about to knock the door was thrown open.
“Now see here!” said Krydon. “Oh, I beg your pardon. I thought you were someone else. Wait a minute!” Krydon ran back inside where sounds of him digging through stuff made their way to Raina; he dropped something that made a thump. He returned with a dark gray circle and held it in front of her face. “A TarProelio Wizard, I haven’t seen one in almost seventy years. Oh, dear.”
Raina took a step back. “What’s wrong? And what exactly is a TarProelio wizard?
He scrunched his nose at her. “How can you not know what you are? A TarProelio sorcerer is a battle wizard, and new ones only emerge when there is big trouble on the horizon. You are recently fashioned I think. How recent?”
Raina stared at his mustache. “I was transformed today.”
He nodded and then scratched the left side of his face. “So what spell did you come with?”
She noticed a crow that was jumping on the ground nearby. “Well, I ah. I shoot spheres that break apart when they strike.”
“Oh dear. That will vanquish most knights and warriors but ...” Krydon took her hand in his, and a sphere emerged and rested on her palm. He carefully picked it up and examined it, created from thousands of triangles, and when it hit it dispersed all the shards as separate tiny blades. “Just what I thought; a powerful weapon but it has no effect on magical things or wizards and such. What is your weapon of choice?”
She pointed to her back. “My bow.”
“See that small birch tree there. Put an arrow in it.”
Her eyebrows tightened. She let her arrow fly hitting the tree, it froze into solid ice and then crumbled into chunks. “How did that happen?”
Krydon clapped his hands enthusiastically. “Now that’s an enchantment that can deal with magic! At least, it gives you something in your very limited arsenal. Wait here I have a book for you. Spells and Maneuvers for a TarProelio Wizard. He returned to his mud house, and she could hear him digging in there once again, producing grunts of frustration.
“What is this place?” Raina asked.
“It’s a place for white wizards to come when they are in need of assistance.” Krydon exited shaking his head. “I just remembered that I let Hiichi borrow it. I’ll draw you a map to the tower. You just tell him that Krydon told you to give it back and that it is of great importance that he do just that.”
“Oh, dear. Is the tower very far?”
“Yes, several days. But when you return to your world only a brief period will have passed. We are on altered time here.”
“Who altered it?”
He smirked at her and shook his head to indicate that it was a stupid question.
“Are there dangers here?”
Krydon crossed his arms. “Danger is everywhere, even in this realm. Watch out for the orcs; they are a pain in the arse! I have non-transferable enchantments to protect this area, but as soon as you are a league distant they will pick up your scent if they are nearby.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE KINGDOM OF THIELLA WAS MANY LEAGUES north of Leeander, just one of the 101 kingdoms, but had been a valuable ally to Leeander in the past. It was only a month ago that they had internal fighting but finally managed to get beyond it. Thiella forged exceptional swords, and their crossbows all over the known world. Many made the journey from far for the weapons. Producing such magnificent arms saved them several times from destruction as armies treasured them. However, the haphazard magic that was now expanding into the world was as unpredictable as the wind, and the terrible storm with the purple and red clouds was now on the move and approaching their territory. It was an incredible sight to see, looked as though things were moving in the clouds, with the occasional abnormal head protruding from it.
The very first lightning bolt hitting Thiella killed Queen Theasha. She had been standing on the castle wall watching the storm approach, and the strike rendered her into a large lump of black dust as she had been a large woman. The storm went from entertainment to dismay. They had no protection against such potent and mysterious magic. Faces materialized in the clouds and morphed, evil smiles with devilish eyes opened and closed.
“The Queen is dead!”
Purple beasts with maces and other various weapons came out of the sky almost as plentiful as raindrops, falling slower than they should as if gravity had altered around them, rolling as they hit the ground. The dark lavender creatures only took Thiella’s knights up to their stomachs, but they were as wild as anything they’d ever seen, overwhelming the warriors with numbers, sometimes more than a dozen per person. As they killed the knights, they ate through their armor; painful screams filled the air from powerful warriors. Some of the monsters were decapitated, and a few of them ate some of their own kind.
They ate through granite walls as hundreds managed to flee, but many pursued those trying to escape as their attackers sniffed the air tracking them down. Two old ladies were discovered behind a boulder and torn to pieces as they had been unable to run any further. They turned on themselves when there were no humans left to consume. So newly created that they were developing as they ran, transforming in mind and body. Some halted and just stared at one another, trying to determine what exactly was happening. Eyebrows scrunched and tightened as their inquisitive middle-sky-blue eyes darted back and forth.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
STONE, OBED, AND MERRILL CAME TO A SECTION OF LAND that was in the process of transforming itself, changing from forest land to a deep canyon, and they had to wait until it was finished before deciding how to proceed. Luckily, in less time than it took to each eat a handful of nuts and give water to the horses, the canyon was complete. It was a vast chasm that went for leagues.
“Magic is for the birds,” said Merrill. “I’ll take a traditional enemy any day.”
They could see the mountain beyond where Ryxa resided, still quite a distance away, would take even more time to get there with the canyon blocking their way. They could see a path leading down and another path going up on the far side as if many horses had made their way over it. How long it would take them to cross was unknown as dragons and other creatures discovered it they would go in for a closer look. Newly created land often brought treasure but, unfortunately, danger as well.
Inside the red walls of the canyon, it seemed quiet, but appearances were often misleading. Stone could see at least three caves, and God only knew what was in them, and they would need to make their way past as least one. The trail down was moderately steep and narrow, and the horses, of course, had no experience here. A fall from this height would undeniably end in death.
Merrill shook his head at the prospect of going down the treacherous path. “Stone, you really want to go down? I say we go around.”
“Looks like it could take a week to go around,” said Stone. “Can’t see the end of this damn canyon. Leeander might be nothing but a memory in a week.”
“I’m going,” said Obed and he started along the path. It wasn’t too bad until he looked down, an enormous boulder appeared as a pebble from his current vantage point. Abruptly he had a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. The horse reared up, and he was sure they were both going to fall. The steed, back on four legs, scraped the walls the rest of the way down which was a considerable distance.
