Chapter 3
The dark figure standing in the road screamed as the air curls with lightning about him, rocking the very foundation. He waved his black bone staff walks into Morgan's chambers nearly stumbling as his borrowed body fell to the ground, not able to contain his spirit form any longer. He cursed not having that first Key of destiny that could allow him to gain a new body of his own, instead of using magic, or useless mortals with black souls he can control.
He hated the way he looks know, in his spirit form. He was 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 a large man even though he was nothing more then 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.
Knowing the first thing he plans to do is make his body regenerate back to his younger and youthful self when he was 300, with large frame body, bluish green eyes, instead of these dull white silver ones. A full head of dark brown hair, combed neatly, his skin soft with ageless complexion instead of waxy and old and discolored with liver-spots.
Most importantly a good set of teeth, instead of what he had always fallen out, unable to chew solid food. All this he could the second he had the first key of destiny in his hand the glass stone heart bestowed with a mothers tears. He would be immortal and look like a God. He could taste it and it angered him that these pathetic fools were in his way.
He reached for the Dark Prince using the rest of his spiritual strength; pushing the Dark Prince to his knees and Morgan, fiery steam burning as his knuckles turn white with anger. “YOU LIED! To me Morgan,” his eyes drifted towards the Prince. “Jaydan lives and the Master of the light is not out of the way.” Hess was more than jealous of Dark Prince who used to be in the body of a boy known as EJ Stewart. Now more so, that he is young man forcibly aged so he could lead his armies into battle, and ride by their side, not as worthless whelp of boy child with no power, and brain of a 13-year boy.
He was a man to be feared. His long brown hair cut short just enough, to see those light blue eyes cold as ice. Broad shoulders tree trunk powerful arms. A large muscular chest, and long legs that could snap a bone in half, now he was no longer the average size of ordinary man he was powerful hulk of a man reaching a full height of 7 feet, and every inch of him pure muscle.
He had to admit he did good work when they created his body that would shake terror into the hearts of men. He was and is his Dark Prince. He was a blueprint of what they wanted to look like once he had that blasted first Key and the Glass stone heart. He intends to drain every inch of its power, or whatever it took to have a body of a god, that people trembled and feared, but also couldn’t help admire it, compared to his worn out 900 sickly one.
The Dark Prince stunned as he heard Jaydan still lived. “You… Prince, you said you killed him yourself knocked his head clean off, you said and Morgan witnessed it. How dare you lie to me? What's worse, I found those people that I told you to kill and your brothers were with them with that witch,” the Shadow King growled.
Morgan and the Prince stupefied as they grovel at the Shadow Kings feet. Morgan slowly looks up, “was the White Solan with them my master?” Morgan asked.
Shadow King slapped Morgan hard against the face. “You insult me, I would have known if he was,” he replied angrily.
Morgan swallowed hard not looking up, he’s eyes bowed.” Yes my master, forgive me, I did not mean.....” Morgan squeaked as he was cut off. Morgan was nothing like the Dark Prince or his younger self back in the day before the old master of light placed Hess in the Cross Bone Gate Prison where the worst of the worst wizards go, and the criminals so bad, that not even Hell itself would want them.
Morgan was now close to 800 years old in wizard years, in mortal years, would be approximate 70 or 80. the dark power of the shadow does strange things to a man, Aging him, and transforming his very features, it is the cost of using great power, and long hours of learning and training to use the knowledge he has gained.
His eyes had changed from light blue eyes too red hot crystals, which can sear a person’s soul just by looking at him. He used to be large than life with big broad shoulders and arms as big as the largest metal smith; long legs, now match sticks. His hair is not as black as it was, in his youth or long, yet net with more silver gray, which like his fathers, before Hess killed him. he had his fathers height and has mothers face, all except that left ragged scare on his left cheek, he had gotten from a boy on Trillion, many centuries back, he tried healing it, but it was a wound that refused to heal, no matter what he tried, finally he decided it suited him.
Like Hess, his skin was stretched tight over his bones, with no muscle, to the point he was a skeleton of a man inside to much skin. His long fingers used to have the power and the grace of a skilled warrior. But he was a Leader or General doesn’t need to fight, unless he has too, and he could still handle sword and staff, as he did in his youth… for now anyway. Time is fickle when it comes to an age when you are either a mortal man or wizard.
No matter how much power you have you can not stop the aging cycle. Delay yes, but change it completely you need the help of immortal being like a god. Another reason why the first Key is important, but when you have a body, of flesh and blood; Not even the first Key can grant you your youth, not completely anyway. But it can heal your body, and make it grow what was lost over the years, giving you an ageless quality.
Shadow King picked Morgan up by the throat by a simple wave of the hand nearly crushing him as the color drains from his face then tossed him down the stairs. “Get out of my sight!” Morgan bows choking dissipates back to his chambers. Shadow King paces up and down of the Prince very cautiously. “I imagine you don't like being tricked like that My Prince, finding out that Morgan failed and your old life still exists unharmed.”
Prince snarled, “NO!” Looked down at the ground.
“Morgan is worth nothing to me, whereas you still have a chance to prove your worth.” Shadow King said as he paced turned toward his Dark Prince. “You have raised a mighty army worthy of such glory and victory. I think it is time that you show me how bad you want this power that I am offering. I want you to kill Morgan... when the time is right.”
The prince eyes and face glowed when he said it with a smile. “Why must I wait?” He asked.
“Because you need his help to find the 5 Keys of Destiny and the items needed to that will lead them to them, one to the entrance of the gate of the power we seek, my boy that is why you can’t kill him.”
Prince stumbled hard watching the Shadow King leaning against the window of Morgan’s chambers. The King nods as he waved his hand over a blackened pool in the middle of the room. “We need to retrieve the 5 keys and the items to open the door, shown on the third page of the manuscript of The Book of Deedrea; the glass stone of a heart that must contain the mother’s tears, the Goldenrod of truth, the bow of wisdom, the sword of power and the last… the breastplate of peace. Each Key can be found by using these items, without them we can not, become gods and rule over all.
Prince nods, “but Morgan can't hold any of these items, only the White Solan can.”
“I realize that, but he also connected to the White Solan through a fathers bond. He himself placed another with Jeff's father in blood and his mother through her own tears before his life ended.” Prince tried to understand. Jeff now in shock thinking of his mother and father. Shadow King slapped him; “pay attention boy prince,” waving his hand over the pool once more.
Jeff saw his own father many years ago and Morgan together and watched him sign a contract with his own blood to save his own life for money and property. Shadow King waved it again seeing his mother crying reading the contract his father signed, ripping it up throwing into the fire unburned. Prince tried to smile, “she didn't sign it.”
“Fool boy, she did with her own tears,” laughing. “Morgan tricked her as her tears of sorrow fell on the page. It signed her own name to the contract.
“That wasn't fair?” Jeff replied angrily as his fists begin to tighten...
Shadow King laughed, “Doesn’t matter now anyway.” Waving his hand over the pool, Jeff watched his own death as EJ walked into the room. “Jeff's dead and I have you as the Dark Prince forever. Jeff's will never be at peace since you cannot save him. For your destiny changed because I and Morgan set the path. Time is out of flux because of it and now it is in my hands to control.”
“Then who is this White Solan? Morgan thought it was Jeff and he's dead and you say it was me, but I am the Dark Prince.” Jeff asked.
Shadow King laughed, “you already tried to kill him, my boy.”
“Jaydan?” Jeff replied startled.
“Who else? If I have you and Jeff can't be, it doesn’t mean the mantle didn’t transfer to some else, we had hoped we had stopped that from happening by not allowing Jeff to move on and trap his spirit so no one can place him into another body, nor could he move on allowing the mantle to choose someone else. You can not be the White Solan because I would know, Morgan would have known long ago.
“The light cannot live in the shadow and you are the Dark Prince. I gave you the power myself. Your heart is black as they come or you would not be able to be here or raise the army of old. Morgan couldn't, he still had a spark of good in him. He took pity long ago on the suffering of souls.
“Where it brings us back to what I am asking you to do to prove your worth……. I want you to kill Morgan, in the end, but first I don't care how you do it. If you have to take a whole army with you. I want those people dead once and for all,”
Shadow King waving his hand over the pool over Zueqinten's and New Downing, “and to wet your appetite "KILL!" Pointed too three wagons going down the road, “that meddling family and those brats. OR I WILL KILL YOU INSTEAD!” Pushing the Dark Prince face down into the toxic pool; “do I make my self clear? Or I can just as easily end you and take the mantle I have placed on you and give it to someone else,” Shadow king yelled.
“Yes, my master,” Prince coughing the taste out of his mouth of the black liquid. Prince returned to his chambers passing Morgan then slammed the door shut. Jeff sat on the bed breathing deeply coughing the thick slime out of his lungs. "Lies and more lies,” Jeff mumbled under his breath not hearing Derrick behind him.
Jeff jumps towards the door, “are you crazy?” Derrick paused placing a white light around them as it dims. Jeff feels comfortable once again as himself looking at his old self. “Derrick?” Jeff turned with tears streaming down his cheeks. “I can't do this anymore,” he replied.
Derrick put his arm around him pulled him close as they sat together around a small pound looking over a green valley and the crested Blue Mountains. “Jeff we told you whatever you do, we will forgive you as long that it's not your choice and as long you remain pure in heart. The darkness will never touch you.”
“I know, but you don't know what they are asking me to do,” he said.
“Well, I have a pretty good idea by the look of things. You raised an army I heard of your very own, am I right?” Jeff nods not happy about it where it came from. “You killed a friend because you were told too?”
Jeff nods. “But he not dead he told me so.”
“Who did Jeff?” Derrick asked.
“Morgan's master the Shadow King of the underworld,” he replied.
Derrick’s voice shook for just a moment, “its true Jeff, Jaydan is very much alive.”
“Yes, now I have to kill him again for real; he wants proof that's he dead. That everyone's dead that Morgan tried to kill…. Now it's my job to kill them and him,” as the tears start to flow.
Derrick squeezed his shoulder. “Then I guess it is our job to make sure that you don't succeed. Jeff who is Morgan master, he had so many over the centuries?” Derrick asks almost afraid to ask. Jeff waved his hand over a small pool of water showing a reflection.
Derrick swallowed hard as his eyes stare back into the past. “Jeff there are more things, more terrible out there then you just raised my boy. I want you to understand that and things are going to get very bad for you and more dangerous.”
Jeff nods. “Derrick he is looking for those items EJ's collecting, he wants them very bad, he says those items can lead him to the 5 Keys of Destiny. I remember Bowden mentioning something about that, but we didn’t know where to find these items to help us.”
Derrick nods remembering of a past note. “I understand Jeff. Do you know what he wants them for?” Jeff nods. “Do you know where the first chamber is? Or the first item is found to help locate the first key?
“Derrick if I knew that I would never go near there, I don't care how bad he wants it. No, the first item is a myth. According to what I have read, in Bowden’s library, a glass made of stone, filled with a mother’s love and tears. Even the strongest magic cannot hold that, for love is only a feeling, and glass and stone cannot hold water. And if it could, it doesn’t say where the mother is, or who she is, or how one transfer loves to an object.”
“Well then, it’s a riddle we need to solve before Morgan and his master Hess figures it out. But far as the chamber or the first chamber you need to find out, because Jeff you both have to go through that gate, with EJ’s older self who I sent, too you, knowing without him being present, the chamber will never open and the Keys nor the items needed to find them cannot be found. Without that, we can not restore what Morgan and his Masters have done, and the worlds and realms will remain trapped in a never-ending cycle. Until life, as we know it ceases to exist, ripping the fabric of time forever.”
“Derrick… he said Jaydan was the White Solan, is that true?”
“Jeff I can't tell you that my friend as much as grieves me.”
“I thought I would ask. I just can't figure out how he managed to live if he's not….. Before I go back can you least pass a couple of messages for me. I am heading towards New Downing and Zueqinten's. He's watching me making sure I destroy every last one of them. Plus the fact-finding and killing all of EJ’s family and friends, if I can find them at all, or live that long to do it.” Jeff replied.
“Thanks, Jeff, but you need not too worry… You can't take either place. Even the shadow has to take no for answer. That's why I said you are in for some rougher waters, Morgan not pulling all the strings anymore. And besides he can’t kill you, he needs you to find those items and those keys. Since neither he nor Morgan can hold the items, without you or the White Solan alive, they will be nothing more than useless little trinkets and without them the 5 keys are useless.”
“Then who is pulling the Strings and the Shadow King?” Jeff asked.
“Your Master Hess it seems, how he got out of the Cross Bone Gate Prison is beyond me, but I will find out, and then we make sure once and for all that this time neither Hess nor Morgan can rewrite Destiny again.” Derrick placed Jeff back into his chambers where he was then dissipated out of the room...
Derrick now paced the floor of his tent as Bowden comes in. “Well, how is our old friend Jeff doing?” Bowden asked.
“Not great.” Derrick frowned as he sat on the cot. “But Glen is in trouble and we need to find him and the other Masters of Light Council, providing if they still exist or not after all these centuries,” Derrick replied. “Or what’s left of them.”
“How so?” Bowden asked.
Derrick stands paced, pauses to look outside the tent for a minute. “We are also going have to move as well and hide New Downing somehow.”
“Your not talking senses my friend. Morgan's powerful yes but not that powerful,” Bowden replied with puzzled look and sighs.
“It's not Morgan I'm concerned about at the moment... Its Jeff and the army he raised,” Derrick implied.
“Dead people, live people… what's the difference, my friend? We have seen pretty much everything Morgan can raise out there and what we haven't seen we have enough history on and in enough wizard libraries for centuries.”
“I realize that and Jeff knows that as well, but there's a new problem or should I say a very old problem that neither us nor Jeff was counting on.” Derrick stood in front of Bowden. “Our old friend Hess has managed to find his way back through the gate we closed and sealed shut. He calls himself the Shadow King of the underworld.”
Bowden nearly swallowed his tongue whole. “How?” He asks his voice quivered for a moment.
Derrick shook his head. “I don't know my friend. Jeff just told me he didn't know who he was until I told him after he showed me his face. The good thing is still in spirit form and hasn't been able to secure a permanent body since he hasn’t found the first of the 5 Keys of Destiny or the items to help him find them.
“Like us, he still working thru the riddles, and searching for clues, so far he hasn’t yet figured out about who the White Solan is, nor has he figured out about what I have done, to the other EJ from the other time period and realm. We closed off Jeff’s bond and the boy's mind just in time, but even still it won’t matter much, if he beats us to find the keys or the items, or figuring out each of the riddles that lead us to the items and the keys.”
Bowden stares out of the tent pauses ...Trying to taking it all in. “How much time do we have?” He asked.
“I didn't ask... Jeff said he was head this direction fast and New Downing like there's no tomorrow. Hess is looking for proof that we’ are all dead this time all of us; including boy’s parents, friends, and most of all the Whitmore’s.”
“Then I guess its time to leave... Jaydan and them will just have to find us because we can't wait here for them...” Bowden yelled outside the tent for Captain Tomas and Captain Rigs while Derrick takes care of his men. Bowden quickly puts up a ward without delay “Tomas, Rigs we have to leave. I was hoping, heck we were all hoping we could stay here for least 3 months or longer to plant the seed and grow a crop or two before leaving, but we can’t. The Dark Prince is coming back to finish the job.”
Rigs, Tomas smirked a little as Bowden stares them down. “Normally I would agree with you. Considering we have a sizable army of our own and think we could put them down, or at least giving them a good beating, but this not the time,” as Bowden paces the tent continues on.
“We have folks that need protection with nothing but tents and ground to sleep on with very little food. Yet that's not our only problem fella's. I wish it was....” Bowden sighs “we have a new bunch of problems to deal with and safety is first.” Bowden pauses. “Morgan's master has come back,” Bowden tries to smirk at a distance. “When I mean he's come back I mean it literary. You see long ago before you even existed the High Council at the time banished Hess in spirit, body, and soul. Locked and chained him in the deep undergrounds of hell themselves Known as the Cross Bone Gate Prison.” He pauses to let sink in.
“They, we thought he was gone forever and could never be released upon the worlds again. Guess we were wrong apparently, because he is well and alive among us once more and is more powerful than before even in his spirit form and weakened state without a body he can live in, but that can change if he finds the first Key, of Destiny, where he can use it to gain a new body that contains his spirit persistently.
“If that happens things could get even worst then they already are, but he can’t get that key without finding the first item on the list, and solving the riddle, and finding the one person that controls enough power to transform it. He must have the exact stone of glass to do it, as you all know only Jaydan and Glen the guardian of that realm can give it.
“I say good luck with that, but if he can get to the White Solan and have him freely give it to him. Then the First Key will be his, but right now no one including me, know who the White Solan is, other than Glen and Jaydan as far as I know. Not even Morgan or Hess has found out, which is only a matter of time. And Time as you know it is not on our side, and the balance of fabric of time is failing, at a very rapped rate.
“Derrick tells me that Morgan was not the one that gave Jeff all his power and knowledge. Some of it yes, but and Glen who is still protects Jeff for the moment so he can not be turned or be seen by the underworld as a spy as long as Jeff plays his role well; which means Tomas, Rigs we are in a heap of trouble Glens realm is falling as we speak and Morgan and Hess or trying to get that first item, knowing that is where the first item can be found... With Glen in a weakened state, he will be at their mercy, we can not let Morgan find Glen if that realm fails, so you have your orders, we leave the moment we have our new destination.” Bowden says in conclusion.
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