Chapter 1

Chapter 1

From the hillside of the farmhouse the wind sang and the rustling of leaves announcing throughout the little valley of EJ’s farm that the White Solan has risen. Martha stops then gazes out the window of the kitchen as a soft wave of white light radiates through the valley of the farm. Mrs. Tremens puts her arm around Martha as tears flowed down her loving cheeks. “Come, dear, we have much too do;” wiping the back of her hand. “For your son will need you more than ever now.” 

Martha still gazing out the window without turning around; “it is us that need him Melee.” Leaving her standing there as she ran towards open field... With grandma his two sisters and his aunts right behind her. EJ looked up with a big smile on his face as he ran to Ma and his sisters waiting arms...

Pa placed his hand on her shoulder with tears in his eyes. “It’s true dear,” he replied. 

Martha held her boy EJ in her arms asks. “But why here Wayne? And why now?” 

Jaydan laughed rubbing EJ's head. “Martha, we have a lot to talk about, but first these boys need to get their chores done.”

Martha stood putting her hands on her hips. “No Jaydan… I want answers this time. I have waited long enough I think and I believe its time for explanation.” 

Glen laughed looking at Jaydan and the family gathered around EJ. “All right,” Glen said as his face gets real serious and finds a nice spot on the ground, Glen pauses for a moment.

“First of all, you must understand this proceed long before EJ himself was even conceived or about to. In fact, at one time it would be safe to say,” Glen eyes glancing over at Jaydan. “I was in the same boat you were in and wearing the same pair of shoes. Surprised? Yes, I thought you might be. Now then at this particular time, Morgan was a young boy himself. Yet he was nothing like you were EJ and you boys due to the fact he was from our world and born with magic instilled in him, then raised, brought up in a wizards world.

“His father a powerful wizard at the time was a good man and did many great things. He also had three sons Morgan, Orayon, Daygan. That being said Morgan always resented his father because he felt that his father was holding him back. Which was true, but for a very good reason, “You should never learn or use magic that you are not ready for.”

Glen giving EJ and all a hard glance as if to burn it into their brains. “It’s not that he didn't want him to learn mind you. Oh no. It was the other way around entirely. We want you to learn, we encourage it. For knowledge is the greatest gift you can have. But if you are not ready for it, then it will become a burden and you have to wait until you are. Because you also must learn to accept it for what is and treat it with the respect that it deserves. Without respect, it, in turn, can and will turn on you and will not respect you because you have not earned it.”

Quote, ‘A man may use a saw as a tool from a shed, yet a carpenter uses the same saw not as a tool but as part of his hand.’

 

“You think about that for a minute Wayne, boys you girls as well when doing chores here. Now back to the lesson…  Morgan could not stand it, knowing his father held more power than him. No matter how hard his father tried to reason with him. Morgan would not hear of it. In so much that he distanced himself from his father to the point they would never speak. 

Unlike you EJ you know for certain that your Pa here loves you and your whole family here without question. Morgan was not that lucky in this respect and his father would not or could not be there for him, which might have changed things for Morgan if he would have listened to him when he said. ‘Don't be such a hurry to learn everything.’ “Yet the same time Morgan's father was caught up in things around him with the high council of Council of Light at the time.” He pauses for a moment taking out his pipe and puffs a couple of circles.

“What we didn't know at the time. There was a man named Hess Loti another wizard who set on the council seat many, many centuries ago whom said or had said rumored of disappeared. Which back then was quite common among higher-ranking wizards too be gone for long periods of time. That being said we paid it no mind after all rumors are rumors. I didn't know the man myself until much later like I do now, but I am getting ahead of myself. The cart before the horse,” Glen chuckled as he blew a couple more smoke rings watching as it changed color from bright green to a light lavender blue.

“To make the long story short, Hess learned of Morgan and had been keeping tabs on Morgan’s development. For what purposes we did not know at the time before it was too late. It seemed Hess took Morgan under his wing and made him his apprentice, not that he need one mind you. In any case, Hess’s idea was to get back at Morgan's father.  For you see he felt that he was the one that should have taken his seat when he moved up in the Council of Light.  

“So you see this battle started with revenge and greed for more power. The hate started to infect him more and more as he watched Morgan’s father take control of the council. Morgan did his duty's well and so did his magic and knowledge of the arts increased. Except Morgan was learning the skills too quickly to the point it could hurt him beyond hope. Which caused his body to change from the effects, it started slowly at first, but as the over time, he became to the point where he is today.” Glen takes a couple of puffs more as he pauses and gathering his thoughts before he continues on.

“His brothers did not like what was happening to Morgan and tried to stop him, and get him to end his relationship with Hess. Hoping it wasn't too late to intervene, they pleaded to him and his father pleaded as well. Calling Hess on the carpet trying to end it. In hopes of, finding some peace and a better solution for all. One night Hess killed Morgan's father while he slept. Even though it wasn't proven until much later that he did it. It was a blow to us all. Considering we needed proof to take him before the council, Hess knew it and went into hiding. It was Morgan himself that found the proof among the papers hidden in a way in one of Hess libraries. Morgan was angry when he found out so angry he confronted Hess showing the proof he found. Madder still when Hess laughed at him. For this is where the story of Morgan truly begins,” Glen waved his hand they find them all standing in the past of Morgan unseen.....

* * * 

Outside a small village, Hess estate stood on a hill of Franwinkle Culver looking over the town of Galvan. The air was filled with salt that was thick from the sea coast. Very few trees decorated the place or the outskirts of town. Yet there was some vegetation mostly coral and rock with drifts of old black wood. Hess’s home was made of old sandstone brick and timber. It wasn't posh or elaborate in like most homes on or near the shore. It was a bachelor pad nothing more.

Morgan a young man, in his early twenties, about 150 years in wizard years; long blond hair kept fairly neat just barely touching his shirt collar, light blue eyes compared to his red ones, a handsome lad standing at 7 feet tall, and well defined with broad shoulders and long arms and large hands, that the youth of a young man, not of aging corps like has now, wearing nice white turtle neck sweater and pair of run of the mill jeans, and hard leather shoes that  had seen better days. 

He raced into the study with hands gripping documents he found that would and could expose Hess for what he has done. Hess merely looked up from his book as the door of the little study opened in a rush. Morgan slams the book down with the papers and notes he had found in such a furry. The papers scattered in front of him yelling with a hard growl. "TELL ME NOW!" Hess, did you kill my father?”  Morgan asked.

Hess gets up and starts to pace along the floorboards of his chamber watching with interests of Morgan little discovery... “Yes I killed him; I did it for you,” smirking. “How many times have said to me that ‘your father was always holding you back?’

“Well he was Morgan, for himself; he knew what you were destined to be. He could not allow it. For I am your teacher, your Master and have foreseen the greatest power in which you can hold; your father was weak compared to you. 

“He was rock, a millstone around your neck. Now you can fulfill your destiny with me by your side. We will rule all the worlds together; they will kneel at our feet. I have seen it. All you have to do is believe in me and I will show you things that you thought were never possible. For it is the light that hides the truth and holds back its truths because it fears us, for we hold the greatest power,” Hess replied.

Morgan paced along the old floorboards of Hess’s chambers near the bell-shaped window, looking at his Master and out the window then turned and screamed, “he was my father Hess! How could you?” Morgan asked.

Hess slowly made his way over to Morgan, placed his hand on his shoulder. “How much do you really know about your father Morgan? Do you know him as the man everyone says he is or the man you thought he was?” He asked.

Morgan paused crumpling the papers in his hand. “Go on I am listening.” Hess smiles showing Morgan a false glimpse of his father past; raging wars, killing people by the thousands, seeking gold, jewels, and power hungry; a man worried of finding out his secrets of his past as he sits on the high council, a man of fear, a man of self-loathing and greed for more.

“This is your father Morgan, not the man you have seen before you all these years. He was a fake, a nonbeliever,” Hess smiled. “This is why I had to kill him; he could not stand by and watch you take his place and was planning on killing you. Your bothers we're seeking your very life and mine and planning to...” Hess merely paused but a moment... Hess showed Morgan another false image of the future. That was about to take place in the years to come. Tears started to form from Morgan's eyes as he watched his bothers plan behind his back in secret to kill him. Morgan's hands tightening white with rage watching a black sword go right through his heart. Hess slowly lets the images fade as he walked back to the bookcase locating a book on the shelf. Waits for Morgan knowing he has now won, his heart and mind are now fully his to control.

Morgan rested his hand on the window ledge. “How long have you known?” Morgan asked not facing Hess.

“Does it matter Morgan?” He answered.

“No. I guess in a way. I have always known somehow,” Morgan replied.

“Yes, but know this… you're not alone. We to have friends in greater numbers and they are increasing as they also see it.” Hess opens the book and begins reading an old prophecy.

“For it is written in the heavens the lords gather their children together. For the season is upon them as the new king and ruler take his place. His Dark Prince at his side as they reign with such unstoppable force.” 

Hess, an older man in comparison, his hair sickly white or what is left of it, hidden by a soft brown cap, with white tuffs of hair sticking out, his skin old and almost translucent, to the point you could see aging spots and his bones brittle underneath, he was large man even though he was nothing more than rough skin and bones. Wearing a faded black housecoat, and black pants and a pair of soft house slipper, his eyes were silvery white, with barely pupils, more of a tinny little dot. He looked about 90 in human years, but in truth, he was more closer to 900 or more. Yet something told you he could kill you without breaking a sweat. His eyes glowed with such power as he reads the black book of Stanberry Time Notations eleventh century dox. Then looks up then smiled at Morgan. “Morgan you are that new king.

Morgan turned around facing him with a smirk on his face as his lips curl. “Are you my Dark Prince Hess?” Morgan asked, almost joking seeing this old man, before him. 

Hess turned the page...“No Morgan. I am your Master for the Dark Prince has a bond between two worlds and many, unlike the stars. For he is flesh and bone yet of the spirit of a boy and of a man, a fallen hero of old and new... You must find him and I am your compass.” He replied. Hess slamming the book closed and stands to put the book back on the shelf, “unless you intend to kill me for what I have done on your behalf? Then do so and your life will not see this reality, instead, you’ll see nothing but misery and death.” Hess said with questioning eyes.

Morgan’s eyes once more faced the window, feeling the papers in his hand, “You know… I would like to know what it feels like for once to have someone kneel to me for a change.” 

“Oh, but they will... I can promise you that my boy. Oh yes, they'll do more than just kneel...” Hess laughing pulling another book from the shelf… Picked up his quill and continue to write. Watching Morgan stare out the window once more.

Reviews

[Miles W.]

An interesting start. A part of me feels like we are going a bit too fast. There are elements to this story that the writer knows about that the reader does not. Maybe I missed something during my initial reading, but it felt like we went from talking about some ancient past, then we magically transported to that past, and we know more about the characters in this past rather than the characters who we started with. Maybe that's the intention, but at the same time, it almost feels like a lot of talking is happening and I'm trying to keep up with it all. Perhaps reading it once over then going back again will do me some good, but it does feel like there is a lot happening in this chapter and I am not fully caught up with it all. Perhaps moving forward the story will reveal more of what I'm missing.

[Shep]

thanks for the review... in way your starting little late in the story considering this the forth book in the series, but will be come clearer as you go along.