Chapter 1-1

Chapter 1-1

Glen waved his hand as they watched the images of Morgan and Hess fade into the council chambers of the High Council. They could see Morgan's brothers dressed all in white with gold trim pacing the floor with their father...

Morgan's father looked like a lot like Glen, but younger, Brown hair that was starting to turn silvery white, brown eyes and hard complexion around the jaw and his cheeks had more of puff to them compared to now his hair was more of silvery white and he looked about 60 compared to his 50-year-old self, he was tall about 7 foot 5 and not a big man in way, but average build.

He was dressed all in white with a gold sash around his waist and silver gold fading stars along with his clothes wearing blue and gold body cape, he looked up as a young runner handed him a note. “I was afraid of that boy’s. Your brother and Hess are gathering strength.” Passing the note to them and around the rest of the High Council; Taking note of the small villages on the world maps.

“It looks like we won't have any choice,” Bowden said as he paced a bit looking at clusters of stars burning bright. “I might have an idea, but I need time to look into it a bit further,” he implied.

“What do you have in mind, my old friend?” Morgan’s father asked with caution as their eyes locked for a moment in time, for their eyes have seen much together.

Bowden paced in front of the old bookcase in front of him, he was looking for a certain book he has read just days ago Tagwood Kinsley Epknock 3rd Dynasty. Bowden pulled out the book of odd writing passing his fingers over the pages. The pages themselves are yellowed old and fragile as he carefully looks for that passage he has been puzzling over. “I was thinking about a passage the other day that I came across,” Bowden begins to read.

 “Friends of old that met yet never meet. Are companions of time, one separate yet they are the same. One divided by spirit yet has a heart for two. One twinkle by morning other by night. For they are two companions and two friends. Both are a guide yet both stand alone.

“Be not troubled as they walk the path. For each share knowledge of the light and of the shadow. Their stars are bright among the darkness yet be a comfort when they are apart. Together they stand in truth and in the light for all to see, yet hidden from the worlds and in mystery.

“Both a prince. One of the Morning one in Twilight. Neither can be found In the night or the early dawn. One arises then the other. One in Battle and one in Peace, both in sorrow, both in pain, both in battle for the soul, For their companion and for their friends of old.”

A man walked into the chambers bowing as Bowden puts the book into his pocket. Bowden with his cool blue eyes and raven black hair hung loosely over his broad shoulders.  He was not a big man, an average height of 6 foot even, high cheekbones and smooth lips that smiled from time to time. He was known as a prankster in his younger years, but now a simple librarian of ancient languages and runes. Still looked like a man not a day over 200 hundred in wizard years, about 20 in human years.

The man hands him a sealed envelop. He’s a lot younger compared to now maybe in his late forties but has not really aged in years as they look upon the man face. For he was tall and had broad shoulders with long jet black hair tied into a ponytail. His clothing non-descriptive yet modern dressed in jeans and a tan buckskin shirt with a long black cape hung loosely tied around his shoulders. EJ and everyone gasps seeing Nathaniel, Glen smiles watching their eyes and expression. Morgan father places his arm around him as a son and gives him a brotherly hug. “How have been my friend?” Morgan farther asked.

“Well sir, you want the good news or the bad news?” Watching his expression change. The four of them and Bowden sat at the table called for wine and more food.  Nathaniel leaned back on his chair a bit placing his hands behind his head. “I'll start by saying things were going good in Springfield. The barracks are up and running and we now have several new outposts along the boarding towns.” Nathaniel replied his eyes caught a glimpse of everyone in the room.

Bowden stirs as he shifted forward in his chair not taking his eyes off Nathaniel. “You said was going good?” Nathaniel nods not paying any more attention except with a simple nod as he placed food on his plate in front of him.

“As I was saying going good until your brother Morgan and this man Hess arrived. Then things started to get a little hairy you might say. Not that my men could not handle it and we were ready for a battle if need be… but.” 

Nathaniel... paused taking in some wine with a piece of meat; wiping his fingers on his napkin which in his case was his shirt and pants. “Hess was a whole different matter and I think we need to keep a closer eye on him. He’s planning something and I mean big,” He replied. Morgan father's grumbles then stand to paces for a minute. In front of the large grandfather clock as it strikes a quarter past ten.

“Go on,” Bowden said as he breaks off a leg of chicken and adding more grapes and dates to his plate.

“Anyway this Hess fellow did things that were not meant to be done by magic. I have several wittiness if you need them,” Nathaniel said looked towards Morgan's father.  Who just merely turned unsurprised and sighed, “In do time,” continues pacing. Bowden nodded for him to continue...

Nathaniel stuffed another piece of meat in his mouth chewed for a minute before swallowing enough so he could talk with food in his mouth chewing like a cow. “For instance, he called for the dead of broken hearts and lingering pain of the suffering. Raising his dark bone staff pointing towards the black hills, the valley floor was covered in deep thick fog. The likes we have never seen before. You could hear loud cries screaming as if the dead themselves were walking among you.

“The skies darkened as sleets of hard rain pelted the ground and roots of the trees screamed as they were being torn from their roots. Our wizards were no match as they tried to cast everything they had against him and Morgan. It was a bloody mess by the time they left and moved on down towards the other villages. We lost 4,000 people alone mind ya most of them believe it or not worshiped this man called Hess. But that’s not the worst part, not by a long shot. Hess was setting Morgan up to be a king and introduced them to him as their new master,” Nathaniel replied with some hesitation.

Morgan’s father Glen stumbled then turned sharply as Bowden and his eyes locked. Morgan father voice shook. “What's the good news?” Trying to keep his voice calm and from cracking.

“Morgan has secretly sent out spies to kill Hess,” He replied.

“Why Nathaniel? So far Hess is giving him everything he ever wanted by the sound of things,” Orayon replied as his eyes gazed about the room. Orayon was far different from his two older brothers Morgan and his brother Daygan, he looked more like his mother Melee, with blond hair and light green eyes, and was more on the short side, and had more softer complexion than his other two brothers Daygan and Morgan. His bother Daygan had light blue eyes, unlike his fathers brown.

He was also taller of the three by several inches. If EJ and they were to guess the brothers looked no older then 20, but in truth were closer to 35 and 40 in human years. Both wearing white like their father, with a red sash and green capes with fading color moons and stars in blues, and silver. With circlet of gold lining around the edges, meaning they weren’t on the Council of Light but were being groomed, by their father.

“No, not quite,” Nathaniel said. “Morgan found something in Hess’s library according to my sources. She real good about these things and comes in handy now and again. She is still very young and headstrong according to too her father on Trillen.

It was her that found it before Morgan did and she almost got caught, silly foolish girl.”  Nathaniel taking a sip of his wine realizing he drained the cup already. “Anyway,” he reached for more on the table as he pours and filled his cup. “She’d stumbled on part of Hess’s plan for Morgan.  We think it is a Time Line and on that paper, it had a prediction of who and where this person was going to be at this moment in time.

Hess name was on the top of the line and inked in was three people. Morgan, the Dark Prince and the White Solan... On the back was a picture of a large cave and the words.

“What was lost among the worlds of time is found, and is bound. For it is he the one it waits, in strength, the courage he will find. For the other will surrender it upon him. The stars bright on bended knee as golden rays shine brightly upon him.

He will be a king of men of the heart and the soul. Riches and Power he will hold, knowledge and wisdom they shall share in equal parts, but can not be compared.

Worlds will know them well as they feast at his table. A warrior, a hero, lord, and king. They will be among the stars. For two companions must enter and search along its path and find the treasure or be lost.

If not found as friends lost in time… both will be lost without its guide......and the worlds will never be."

Jaydan, Wayne, and Grandma recognized the cave as their eyes locked. Glen smiled knowing things were coming clear to them...

Bowden stands and stares at the stars in the chamber. “You do realize that you are questioning and what you are implying, that Hess was planning taking the prize for himself. Is this what you are implying?” Watching Morgan father return to the table taking in everybody’s faces and pouring more wine into his cup. Listened too it slush around before swallowing.

“Yes, I am? Not that would do him any good according to the descriptive words. He needed to find the two companions this is referring to, two people. Hess knew that Morgan and he might be able to retrieve the 5 Keys of Destiny and the items needed to open the door, shown on the third page of the manuscript of the book. With the keys, they will also need. The glass stone of the heart, filled with the power of a mothers love and tears, Goldenrod of truth, the bow of wisdom, the sword of power and the breastplate of peace.” Nathaniel replied as he sipped his wine breaking off another piece of chicken.

“Yet the problem was neither one could hold them or wear them. It was only made for the two represented in the description. This why Morgan was so angry because, without them, they could not open the gate even if they find the lost 5 keys of  Destiny and without all the key and the items they can not step through it.

"For the Dark Price and the White Solan are the only ones that can use the keys and the items needed, why I am not exactly sure, considering the Keys themselves have been lost and nobody has ever seen them or even remembers them other than old legends so old they could be nothing more than fairy-tales.

"However, if that is not our concern at the moment or a worry, henceforth is the timeline of when the two companions would be brought into time that when this door can be open and the persons can be found.

"Hess knew this, but Hess did not tell Morgan this at all. In fact, all he told him was of the Dark Prince was all he needed because all they saw in the future was one person. The boy prince, but it showed two separate destinies as the same person... but two separate people entirely, there is a third, but the possibility of that idea seemed so far fetch we considered it as part of myth… Derrick is checking into it, never the less, when I personally think its bunk or a lost cause, but I have been wrong before,” Nathaniel replied.

Orayon and Daygan press themselves hard against the table. Daygan lifting his leg on the corner end of the table crossing with the other. Turning towards his brother Orayon, “you can probably guess which destiny Hess chose,” Daygan said nearly busting a gut. Morgan father giving him a hard stare to both his boys...

“What Father?” Orayon said nearly grinning.” It’s only true,” he said. “The fact of the matter he does not want what he cannot control. If the boy chose and chooses the light side of the path of that destiny, Morgan can not control him and will fight tooth and nail and loose.

“That's why I know he would make sure he chose the dark path so he can be in control and take the prize from himself. Who wouldn’t want to be able to choose their own destiny and the power and riches it could give them?”

“Yes, that may be his intention son, but you're forgetting one thing, the other part of the prophecy”

“For they are two companions and two friends. Both are a guide yet both stand alone. Be not troubled as they walk the path for each share knowledge of the light and of the shadow. Their stars are bright among the darkness yet be a comfort when they are apart. Together they stand in truth and in the light for all to see yet hidden from the worlds and in mystery.”

 
Nathaniel stares at Morgan's father. “Did I miss something?” Looking around the room “what prophesy?” He asked.

Reviews

[Miles W.]

Okay, as I continue to read this, I think I'm starting to realize what exactly is the main problem I have with the story. The ideas are there, and there was clearly a lot of thought put into these characters and the world they inhabit, but right now, nothing is happening outside of just explaining. In my film and writing classes, we always said when it comes to our stories, "show don't tell". Right now, you are telling us about these characters and their personalities rather than having them act and showcase to us, the readers their personalities. You are telling us that Bowden was a prankster, you are telling us what is going on the world, and you are telling us about the conflicts. Nothing is happening outside of conflict. This is early in the story, so perhaps this will change as we progress. I'll continue to read and see how the story plays out.

[Shep]

Thanks for the review. I think as you go along everything will make sense even though you are late to the party for the characters are well developed in this book considering they already been put through their paces so please stick with it. your feed back is very important to me.