The Crimson Storm (Ch. 5)

The story continues with the arrival at The Økfen Order

Chapter Five: The Økfen Order and the Orb of Khendaar

Cease this perilous fight or else we’ll all be stricken down!!   

 Grand Superior Horus      Fashielbal

ǁ<>The Økfen Order<>ǁ
In a poof of snow, the five were transported to the Økfen order. The place was large and oversized, great for Celtìca and her gigantic size. The order was inside a large dome building. It looked very ancient and old. All the colors in the room were insignificant compared to the royal blue that hung on the walls, draped as curtains, and that the people themselves wore.
A man, who did not wear any robes of the sort, came with a broom to sweep up the snow. He did so with an attitude. He rarely got a decent wage for sweeping up the snow but he was thankful that he had a warm place to stay and grub to eat. Still…he had an attitude.
The five wandered into a large circular room with bookcases and tables with ink quills. In the center of the room stood a larger man, in blue robes, talking to a man Celtìca knew as a child.
“But Horus, you don’t seem to understand that if we do not fight then all will be lost.” Spoke Glomégarian the Second in mid-conversation.
“My friend…you must cease this perilous fight or else we’ll all, not only us mages but you druids, will be stricken down” Grand Superior Horus Fashielbal spoke. The five party members looked at Horus with curiosity and concern. Why not fight for freedom…why not fight for justice?
“We cannot afford to fight fire with fire.” Horus went on. “We are the water to their fire. It is the only way we can put them out.” Horus spoke defending his stance on the issue. The six, Glomégarian the Second included, respected Horus’s decision to act cautiously and wisely. Perhaps fire with water is a good tactic.

“Steam will rise as the water falls!” Cautioned an older member of the Økfen order, as he was reading from a large oversized book. He looked to be ten times older than Grand Almen. His name was Frelipus the GrindHearted.

Frelipus wore older looking robes as if he had them since joining the order…which is only half true. He had them less than that long…but still they were tattered and old, not to mention smelled a bit like burnt rubber and old grape juice.

“What are you saying Frelipus? Are you saying that either way we will all fall?” Grand Almen asked afraid. Never before had Grand Almen been afraid to fight for justice. If he had a fighting chance then sure, he would proudly go to battle.

“Hmm? What did you say? What did I say…?” Frelipus came out of his trance. Maybe it was a delusion but perhaps it was a sign that indeed, they all would fall in the end. Frelipus, after closing his book, carried the book off and exited the room to his quarters.

Horus looked at the five of them as Glomégarian the Second said hello to Celtìca. Horus then went over to talk to Grand Almen who was still a bit shaken up by what Frelipus had just said. Senile the old man may be…he still had years of wisdom surpassing Grand Almen.

“ShieloSheilo Shum Almen.” Horus spoke and bowed as he did so. Soon after, he hugged Grand Almen. Celtìca could tell that this greeting was important. Looking on the wall she could see it all over. She then knew it meant Peace and Prosperity. Except that the first word was longer so she assumed it was Prosperity and Peace. She did love that way of life and did appreciate the bow...even Horus bowed...a man who everyone took orders from. She thought highly of the man, not even knowing him.

“Who are all of these outsiders you brought with you? They look new.” Horus whispered to Almen. Grand Almen was a bit surprised by Horus’s reaction to his party members.

“This is my party. I am the leader and we have fought many foes. We just destroyed a house full of stolen cargo that the Crimson League had. It was better to destroy it then let it remain in their hands. We just came from their camp after resting a bit.” Grand Almen shouted it proud and loud for all to hear. Horus, meanwhile, was looking at Celtìca and her robe. Distracted, Horus missed most of what Grand Almen had said.

“Hmm?” Horus asked.

“Senile too, eh Horus?” Grand Almen said chuckling. It would seem as though Grand Almen felt safe in this place. It was his original home after all.

Horus still stared at Celtìca’s robe for it glowed blue inside. Grand Almen turned to look and saw that the Økfen orb was glowing yet again. Perhaps Khendaar felt happy finally being home…if it was the Økfen orb that is.

Grand Almen tried to grab Celtìca’s attention as she was talking to Glomégarian the Second. In success, Grand Almen pointed down to the orb that was glowing by nodding his head and pointing subtly towards her pocket. Celtìca soon reached inside her pocket trying to calm down the orb. It was a success, as though she and the orb were one and yet separate as well. It was very odd and somewhat hard to explain.

Grand Superior Horus Fashielbal stared at the girl and her robe. He couldn’t stop for some reason. It was as though he was hypnotized by something. Celtìca saw the look in his eyes and knew that the orb had done it again. Luckily though, Grand Almen slapped it out of him with a simple nudge and a simple sentence.

“Don’t stare.” He spoke. Horus’s trance finally broke and he shook his head and blinked and had no clue what had happened...but he knew he had felt that way once before.

“That felt like the time I saw this blue orb when I was a child.” Spoke Horus. He continued his story as everyone in the room turned to listen.

I was only a boy…maybe nine [Horus began telling]. I was a part of the Økfen order, though I did not know why. I thought it strange that I was the only boy there and I felt quite out of place. But anyway… It was around lunchtime when I was wandering around these very halls just trying to waste away the time before I actually got to eat. I was in this very room and leaned against the stone wall over there. The wall suddenly moved back and opened. It was a secret door and I found that to be very cool. I entered slowly as the stone wall door gradually slid open. It was a hard shove, but I gave it my best. As I entered I saw all of these old relics and ancient objects. My interest peeked as I saw this display covered up. I slowly opened the display case and saw this beautiful hovering orb that glowed blue. It was magnificent and I loved it immensely. I wanted to touch it and before I did I heard a voice speak to me, but nobody was there. “Child” the voice said. “Be strong in your days to come.” Yet before I could ask who it was or what they meant, an older member of the order dragged me away. Apparently the Crimson League was attacking. The older member picked me up and dragged me away, being sure to close the secret door. Sadly, he left it ajar and the Crimson league had access to all the objects, destroying most of them.

“And so I thought” Horus continued, “that the orb was destroyed with the rest of the objects. But then I see you, young Druid, with a glowing orb hidden away in your pocket and I can’t help but wondering...”

“Is it the Økfen orb?” Grand Almen said with Horus. Horus, amazed and stunned, knew that Almen too thought it was the Økfen orb.

“It isn’t called the Økfen orb!” Celtìca shouted as she shielded her pocket (which held the orb) from anyone advancing. Tears grew in the corners of her eyes and she just started blubbering as she fell to the ground. Degriţito kneeled down beside her trying to help her up. Celtìca nudged him away. She got up on her own and begged the two mages for their forgiveness.

“I apologize but this orb has a great hold on me. He doesn’t want anyone else. I don’t understand what it is or what it wants but all I know is that it wants me to protect it. It dazes and confuses other people because it knows that once out of the trance, most will flee from it. It doesn’t want to be hoarded by evil or good. It just wants to be left alone.” Celtìca finished her long speech and left the large oval room. She went to find some quarters for herself. The orb told her where to go.

“Wow…” Ven spoke.

“Indeed.” Spoke Grand Almen. “What an extraordinary bond those two have. I have never seen such a thing. It is like mother and child almost.”

“Mmm…almost but to an extent. I think that the orb is just using her to his own advantage. I think that this orb will eventually destroy her. I think it already is.” Degriţito said as he walked off to find Celtìca.

Horus went off to one of the many bookcases to further study this wonder that bedazzled him so. Shaman Teiliman went off to find her own quarters as well. Ven, meanwhile, sat down and took out an apple to eat. He cut it with his pocket knife and ate it from the knife. Grand Almen went to his quarters and tried to get some rest. He had trouble sleeping the other night so he thought perhaps his old quarters were still awaiting him…which they were. Glomégarian the Second left the building with snow magic back to his order. He had specific instructions to tell his order, and the rest.   

After everyone was where they wanted or needed to be, noises from the outside world came in through the walls. Noises of wind and snow blowing. Noises of animals chattering amongst themselves.

When morning came, the halls were full of mages scrambling about searching for things they may have misplaced, packing them in several large suitcases. They all were packing to leave, but nobody would tell the five adventurers why.

Celtìca wasn’t concerned because she was asleep and had no idea. It was good that she rested and Degriţito knew it, as he was by her side the whole night, sleeping next to her. Degriţito, however, heard the rustle-and-a-bustle and he slowly slid out of the room as to not awake the sleeping Giant Druid.

He saw all of the commotion as everyone headed to the portal to snow-port away from the building. Nobody would tell Degriţito a thing that was happening as he stopped several mages to ask what was going on. Luckily, Degriţito spotted Grand Almen coming out from a larger hall into the smaller one everyone was pushing out of and where Degriţito was. The two stopped and decided to enter a vacant room in which to talk.

Grand Almen closed the door behind him as the noise was muffled by the door. Grand Almen held Degriţito firmly by the shoulders as he tried to catch his breath and tried to hold in the tears.

“What is it?” Degriţito asked the Wise Mage.

“It’s Horus…” Grand Almen said still catching his breath. “He’s dead.”