Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The Eastern skies darkened over the mountains of Tobin as the lightning strikes with deliverance of white spider webbing with each crashing sound of its lumbering thunder as each of its white web fingers stretches out of the brooding sky.

Men are drawn in uniforms of their king's symbol of black ravens holding a golden sword across their chest, chain mail gleams and chime as they prepare for war against the townsfolk of Simmyrale, Banner Men holding battle drums as they beat in time with the rolling thunder as they headed east.  The ground shook and trembled as large Osconion Elephants lead in the packs. Metal frails and spikes lay dressed against their large bodies and long their long ivory tusks.

Two-hundred and twenty-five these men of war from the Far West of the township Decry’al made of harden Trygalen steel inlaid against their arms and chest. Lain across Osconion Elephants with blacken Arcading bows with their taught bows strings notched with raven black feather arrows lain against their shafts and tipped with harden Trygalen steal.

Each harden weapon made and woven with dark shadow magic by their King and Master known as the Shadow King, his wizard name Hess, the very one that has been held in the Cross Bone Gate Prison for over 300 centuries at the end of the last wizard war…

Rumor has it that his prodigy King known as the very powerful wizard named Morgan has found a way of breaking all the seals and freeing him from his prison. However, without a body he could live in, he can only dwell in spirit form, and possess a body for a limited time, while his spiritual core is still bound to the prison itself. Rumor has also said that they are on a quest in search of the 5 Keys of Destiny and the items needed to obtain them, and locate each of the five chambers.

That the first item the glass stone heart, which contains the mothers, tears. Will not only help locate the first key, giving them access to the chamber but restore his masters Hess body. So he and Morgan may become Gods through his Dark Prince; the only one besides the White Solan that can hold the items and must enter the chamber first, so Morgan can bestow the glass stone heart and the key upon Hess.

For the legend states the Five Keys of Destiny can rewrite the fabric of time itself and the ones that do it can become Gods to rule over all they create, for all time and eternity. Morgan and Hess have promised them that those that help them, obtain these keys, will live forever in there new kingdom, over the lands, of their forefathers.

Their eyes burn wild with hate with each step taken down the briary slop against the mountain of Galena; their dark wizards in the lead float upon dark whispery air. Dressed in their master’s robes of dark black… laden with red and yellows, with harden wooden staffs and silvery green ceremonial knives, which are laid against their robes used for close contact.

Wild wilder beast known as Acklrin caged and giant land worms from the Slake Valley waiting upon their release as they reached the town of Zueqinten too wipe out the remainder of Jayden's people and the masters of light army in hopes to shed their blood upon its hills.

Unaware upon the high mountain top Challo part dragon part eagle sits looking down watching them with her beloved Gartooth the last of his kind of the Darzzee people his skin unchanged undiluted untransfigured waits and watches with great interest as the armies gather below them.

Not far away sits a lonely rider known as Ferlin another shadow rider, born of a now change land, and the sole remaining survivor of the Darzzee people of another race eoens old after being placed in the Cross Bone Gate prison for his numerous crimes, now free to "Kill" once more.

Both these enemies from afar follow unseen by soldiers towards the Eastern land of Zueqinten’s remaining population, in hopes of revenge, and the location of those they seek.

Thanks to Gartooth new companion who can travel swiftly through time and space, and being a magical creature can travel across the stars, reaching any realm her heart desires. He no longer needs a wizards staff, now that he is now part of her, in mind, and in body as he shares a piece of her heart.

Already he has seen changes when in his body, as he is more then what his people had been. And he was fine with that, he was more than fine, being the only survivor left unchanged. In truth, he has found his true destiny, to become a creature so powerful that in-time he could kill Morgan, he could even perhaps kill the Dark Prince, but most importantly his true master the Shadow King, who has cursed him to live out his days bound to this beast.  

Captions and their leaders snap the whip as slaves pulled hard on the cages of the wilder beast. Higher and deeper they go into the briary woods below and around the high stone mountains.

Challo climbs high in the air and swoops down as their scent rises. She licks her lips knowing soon she will feed tonight with her lover Gartooth upon her back. Pervading he will behave himself in her presence now that she and he have had time to think, as each of their hearts beat as one.

It has been many days and many nights spent alone as her heartaches to be with him. Yet his temper is wild and uncaring as hers was a long time ago. “Grandfather, grandmother,” she cries. “Are you sure he is the one for me?” She asked searching the skies and the stars for the answers. “The bones do not lie.” She says as she watched them fall strewn upon the base of the flat rocks. She sighs wearily seeing the answer as the last bone rattles among the rest, her heartaches for companionship.

“Oh Grandfather, Grandmother are you certain, for the bones do not lie upon the night sky?” Their magic is strong with each rattle.   Challo sighs as she gathers up the bones placing them back in her small pouch that hangs around her neck. Looked down once more upon the army down below as they rise up in song into battle, her black eyes following their every movement as they enter the forest of Kanta, its many gnarled twisted branches rustled in the soft cool wind from the north.

Gartooth sitting alone in the cavern, his eyes now use to the darkness, but it was not the walls of the cavern that he sees. It is a clear blue sky and green trees below as if he were in some sort of a trance. His heart beats with Challo with a new excitement as she sores through the air, he could almost feel the wind against him and the warm soloist sun upon his own skin.  Gartooth licks his lips seeing Hess’s wizards amongst the throng of soldiers. He could smell and taste the magic and the longing vengeful darkness within their souls.

This will be a feast like none other, he could almost feel the warm succulent blood quenching his thirst, it warms his beating heart knowing he and his beloved will dine well tonight. He only but waits for her return so they may fly upon the winds together seeking their hearts desire as she hunts, and kills, he will wreak havoc, and follow the scent of those he has sought to destroy.

Starting with Jaydan and saving for last the old woman, and her family. He will enjoy killing them slowly in front of her, and the boys he will enslave, and use them for bait for Morgan, and his master the Shadow King.

Ferlin the shadow rider test his blacken steel, feeling the sharpness along its black silver blade as he sits upon his Miramar shadow horse. His eyes drawn upon the scouts as he waits for the news, as he reads the lion skinned map of the area in which the battle or should he dare say his victory will begin.

He could taste the reward from his master as he says with a vile boast. “Yes, Master my Lord and King. They have been destroyed.” His Master will lay forth some his power and devotion upon him for the deeds done unlike Morgan and his many failures as of late. “Yes my Master will be most pleased,” Ferlin says to himself as he tries to contain the awaited victory.

* * *

 

Scouts from Jayden's encampment report back nearly out of breath. “Sir, Syneral Rigs sir they have reached the boarding lands of Simmyrale.”

Syneral Rigs doesn’t look up from the map lain across the table. “How many soldiers boy and where?” He asked.

The scout takes several deep breaths as Syneral Rigs waits impatiently for the answers, but the answer really is not that important as too how many, but where the location they are at.

He sighs thinking of the loss of life; his theirs, it makes no difference. The cost is always too great as he looks at the young scout who just yesterday celebrated his 30th year of becoming a man. A nice fellow just starting a beard he reckons not his first and hoping not his last.

He sighs tapping his fingers on the table as he waits for an answer to where this war is going to start. Knowing sometimes it is a victory or even sometimes a defeat. Timing is the answer, at least that’s what he has been taught.

“They have just entered the forest of Kanta about 3 miles from the township of Simmyrale Sir.” The scout said laboring in breath. “And I would say an army of 10,000 strong at best guest sir,” as he watched and waits for his next orders. His thoughts drift to his new loving wife and his new daughter Maywin not more than years birthed.

He touches the locket of his wife’s Lillian golden honeysuckle hair which hangs around his neck; the image of her face and her blue cool eyes with deep loving lips at their last embraces before parting for a short time. Which seems ever long now, she has been gone from him a week now. Oh how he misses her companionship and loving arms, but they would all starve if they didn’t harvest this crop.

Very few remained behind just to accomplish this mountainous task. He whispers silently as he looked towards the northern plains. “I Love you, my sweet Lillian, I love you my dear little Maywin.” He slowly wipes an escaped tear as if he was saying goodbye as he stands at the ready looking over the pieces of wooden figures lain upon the map on the table; watching the strong fingers of Syneral Rigs place the last cornerstone as if he was drawing a line in the sand.

Syneral Rigs taking his staff and nods to his marksman that is time to begin the attack as he touches the glass hearth stone around his neck waiting and sending orders to his Captains on the battlefield to begin the attack, while the last of the harvest was just being pulled in. While they are waiting for orders to go through the gate, providing things go well and in time with very few casualties. The doctor's canvass is set as it waits for the news and the wounded, praying there will be few.

The healers folding bandages, trying not too let their hands shake as each strike of thunder looms over the distant fields around the cold stone mountain he watches as Syneral Rigs pointed his staff as a blue light shoots into the air that we have now begun to fight.

Pulling ropes upon their many looms taught and strung waiting for it victims as death quickly awaits them. In their case, a quick death… followed a return, considering that some of their soldiers are no longer human, but live in shadow form, until their master can take his true form once more, once he has found the glass stone heart and the first key of Destiny. Before they find a way to close the cross bone gate and restore the seals.

However, only the White Solan can defeat him, so the legend says, rumors say he still just a boy, and hasn’t yet come into his full power. No one seems to know who the boy is, or what he looks like, but rumor says he shares the very likeness of the Dark Prince. Yet rumors are nothing more than falsehoods.

For how can there be two of the same person, but yet not the same person, living, breathing with flesh and blood. Morgan spies state that boy, prince. Is the only son his parents had, which means, that there can not be more than that look like the Dark Prince. If that was the case, the question is who is this boy that has claimed to be the White Solan, the prophecy of spoken of? Not even their Syneral and his captions seem to know.  Other then the fact White Solan has been born and has been risen; for the lands, the mountains and the stars speak his name in the wind.

The lands are before they are becoming stronger, as if being awakened for the first time, after a long awaited sleep. Morgan and Hess may kill, wipe the lands they take leaving nothing but barren soil, but only so the White Solan and his healers can reawaken the lands deep in slumber, and give life to those, that they had thought had died in the light and in the shadow. Giving them a rebirth, so those that wish a second chance may seek it. Those that don’t they rest in peace, with mother earth, and father sky watching over them.

Reviews

[Miles W.]

Okay, that's a good turnaround. This chapter felt like it's building towards what I've been waiting for these past several chapters. There wasn't much talking, and while there were a lot of descriptions that may not have been fully necessary, I applaud your ability to write it all in a way that is very visually charged, and doing so with very minimal dialogue. Everything looks like it's finally coming to a head, and it shows that I just needed to be a bit more patient waiting for the gut punch for this book. A lot of action is being built up here, and there are a lot of good elements I believe. I'll see how you do with the landing, but this is a promising building block right here.

[Shep]

thanks for your review and your help perhaps you would like to read my bio my life. lots of fun in that one,