Ancient Prophecy (4 page)

Aurora roared with laughter and quickly caught herself, lowering her voice and checking who was within earshot. “Dalgar, don’t be a fool. Sarac is not a god. He is a Master Magician and very powerful and commanding, but he is no more a god than I am.”

“What do you mean?” asked Dalgar. “How do you know what makes a god?”

“Dalgar,” she replied, “didn’t you see the way he was looking at my body with desire? I could probably manipulate him as easily as I did Duke Nelson. Mordac told us that Sarac chose to leave Targa and would return when he was ready, didn’t he?”

“Yes,” answered Dalgar. “Do you think that was a lie?”

“Of course,” declared Aurora. “Why is Sarac so excited about us bringing the spell of Path Finder to him? Have you ever thought about it?”

“You mean Sarac didn’t know how to return?” quizzed Dalgar.

“Exactly,” stated Aurora. “And I don’t think he came here voluntarily, either. He has some score to settle with Jenneva and Egam and I believe that score is the fact that he has been exiled here. Don’t forget that he thought Egam was dead. I bet that there was a great battle between Sarac and the others and Sarac lost. Now he wants to get revenge.”

Dalgar was depressed. “So, everything that we are planning to do is a farce and we are wasting our time following Sarac?”

“Certainly not,” countered Aurora. “You were in search of a god, but I was along just for the fun. The fun is about to get more exciting. Think about it. I am going to rule Sordoa and you will control the people of Cordonia. Sarac may not be a god, but he is powerful and following him will be a great adventure.”

“It would appear, however, that Egam and Jenneva must be more powerful,” Dalgar said.

“Not necessarily,” replied Aurora. “They may have caught Sarac by surprise. They certainly didn’t kill him like they did Mordac, so we have to assume that they could not. The best they could do was exile him and we have removed those chains. Sarac is free and he is returning to Targa. This is actually better than him being a god. If he dies in the coming battle, that will just mean there is room for another leader.”

Dalgar brightened as he listened to Aurora’s logic. “Yes, I see what you mean. Still, I am going to miss you while you are in Sordoa.”

“After you get Mitchel elected, why don’t you come and visit the Empress?” giggled Aurora. “Maybe she will let you stay overnight.”

Dalgar grabbed Aurora’s hand and led her out of the castle. “We can worry about that later. Right now we need to figure out where we are going to stash some of that gold. We also have to learn everything we can from Sarac and his Inner Circle.”

Aurora leaned over and kissed Dalgar. “Now you are starting to think properly. Together we can rule the entire Universe!”

Egam grabbed his head and sank to the ground, moaning and twitching. The others gathered around him while Jenneva tried to comfort him.

“Egam,” prodded Jenneva, “what is wrong?”

Egam did not respond and continued to roll on the ground and moan. Jenneva decided to perform a Mind Probe and indicated to the men to hold Egam still so that he did not roll off the narrow path. Jenneva stooped over Egam and began her probe. Egam was fighting, but he was not fighting Jenneva. He was fighting someone or something else. Jenneva strove to capture Egam’s mental vision, but his mind was bouncing from place to place and time to time. Egam’s mind was confused and frightened. Jenneva began to break out into a sweat as she felt Egam’s fear heighten.

The visions swirled rapidly in Egam’s head as he sought the source of his discomfort and fear. Jenneva was getting dizzy watching the quickly moving panorama. Suddenly, Egam’s body stiffened and Jenneva stared into the face of the most grotesque being she had ever imagined. Hatred and death emanated from the distorted evil face and Jenneva screamed and then fainted.

Egam had also passed out and was no longer shaking or moving. Alex caught Jenneva and laid her down next to Egam. Prince Rigal reached into his pack and removed a blanket that he spread over the two magicians.

“What do you make of this?” asked the elf Prince.

Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. I have never seen fear in either one of them before, but I think that is what we just saw. They were both terribly afraid of something.”

“Do you think we should turn back?” asked Prince Tergota.

“No,” responded Alex. “We will wait for them to recover and find out what happened.”

Jenneva was the first to recover. She sat up, her face drained of color, and looked at Egam. “Is he all right?”

“I am not sure,” replied Alex. “He passed out the same time you did. He’s still breathing and he is no longer shaking. What happened?”

Jenneva did not reply. She leaned over and felt Egam’s head. Egam awoke at Jenneva’s touch and struggled to sit up. Alex had never thought of Egam as being old, but his attempt at movements now gave the appearance of someone who is ancient and incapable of caring for himself.

Jenneva helped Egam sit up and leaned him against the rock cliff. “Egam, what was that creature and where did it come from?”

Egam appeared to exert a great effort in turning his head towards Jenneva. His face was a ghastly white and his eyes were wide and round. “I don’t know, Jenneva. He was trying to reach for me. Alutar. Yes, his name is Alutar. He knew me. He wants me...to suffer.”

Egam began sweating again and Jenneva mopped his brow. “We will not talk about this now,” Jenneva stated. “Rest for a while and then we will resume our journey.”

Jenneva extended her hand to Alex and he helped her to her feet. She indicated to the two Princes that they should make themselves busy and leave Egam to rest.

Jenneva led Alex down the path away from Egam. “I saw it, Alex. It was the most hideous thing I have ever seen. I have trouble believing something so evil can really exist. I think Egam may have been hallucinating. We need to monitor him closely for he may be ill.”

“This is not a very good start for the journey,” he commented. “Are we really in another Universe? It doesn’t look any different.”

“I’m not sure, Alex,” she answered. “We will know better when we encounter inhabitants.”

“You return and keep an eye on Egam,” Alex commanded. “I am going to go farther along the path and see what I can see.”

Jenneva nodded and headed back up the trail. Alex took the path away from the others and rounded a bend where the path ended in a drop. Here was a vast panoramic view of the valley. Alex enjoyed the mountains and paused to enjoy the view. His eyes detected movement far below and he tried to focus on the movement, but he could not tell what was going on. He grabbed his scope and focused on the commotion.

The figures snapped into view and Alex panned the battlefield, for that is what it was. Elf was fighting elf. It appeared to be a great battle with hundreds of elves on each side. One side was mounted on great horses and the other side looked like they were trying to defend their area. Alex no longer doubted that he was in another Universe.

Prince Rigal and Prince Tergota came down the path and saw Alex looking through his scope.

“Jenneva wanted us out of the way,” Prince Rigal explained. “What are you looking at?”

Alex stood and handed the elf Prince his scope. Alex watched the elf’s features harden as he peered through the scope. After a few moments, Prince Rigal turned and handed the scope to Prince Tergota.

“It would appear that all is not well in Elderal,” Prince Rigal stated.

“How do you know this is Elderal?” asked Prince Tergota. “It just looks like elves killing elves. They probably couldn’t find any dwarves to attack.”

Alex quickly grabbed Prince Rigal’s arm before he could strike the dwarf. “Look at the horses,” the Ranger ordered. “Have you ever seen such great horses with horns upon their heads?”

Prince Tergota lowered the scope and turned to face his fellow travelers. The sight of Alex’s hand restraining the elf registered and the dwarf cast his eyes downward as he handed the scope back.

“Why is brother fighting brother?” wondered Prince Rigal.

“I don’t know,” Alex admitted, “but we are not going to walk into the middle of the war. We will have to cross the mountains to the north and then head east. Come, let us return to the magicians.”

When they arrived back, Egam and Jenneva were talking quietly. Their color had returned and everything appeared normal. Alex described the fighting in the valley.

“The horses that you described,” suggested Jenneva, “sound like the mythical unicorns. They were believed to be wise and fierce fighters.”

“Prince Rigal,” asked Egam, “have you ever heard of battles between different elf factions?”

“No,” answered the elf Prince. “Our people were farmers and hunters until the coming of the dwarves. Never have I heard of an elf striking down another elf. What I have seen in the valley greatly disturbs me. If this is what Elderal has come to, I would just as soon not discover it.”

“Bah,” grumbled Prince Tergota, “your people have been murderers for many generations as far back as The Suffering when your farmers destroyed Lanto.”

“I would enjoy dragging your body down into the valley so my brothers would have something to spend their arrows on instead of each other,” retorted Prince Rigal.

Alex knew it was time to get the group moving and take their minds off the hatred they had for each other. He extended his hand to Egam and helped the old Magician to his feet. “Let’s get started,” he said.

Egam led the way back up the path, carefully detouring around the Junction. Alex then took the lead as he knew of a fairly easy path down to the northern plains, assuming the mountains were the same as the Boulders.

It took the party three days to leave the mountains and there were no further signs of fighting or elves along the way, still they continued to take turns at sentry duty during the nights.

The next morning they headed east towards the next pass. Alex was amazed at how he could navigate through a different Universe, just as if he were back with the Rangers on a training mission. He began to think they had passed back into their own Universe until they came across the wounded unicorn.

The large, black beast lay on the ground with three arrows protruding out of its side. Prince Rigal approached it, thinking it was dead, and almost got gored by its razor-sharp horn.

“It’s not too friendly,” the dwarf Prince declared. “It’s almost dead and, still, it wants to kill. Let’s move on before its decaying body fouls the air.”

Alex shook his head. “No, I cannot let it suffer like that. Even the lowliest warrior deserves to die with dignity. Besides, he is a mighty beast. Perhaps if the arrows were removed he could rejoin his brethren.”

“Alex,” warned Egam, “be careful. While it is a noble cause you undertake, the wounds he can inflict upon you can kill you just as well as an enemy’s spear.”

Alex walked slowly towards the unicorn. When he got close, the unicorn raised its head and attempted to slash Alex with its horn. Alex sensed that the unicorn considered him a threat. He reasoned that this was probably a reasonable attitude judging from the three arrows in the animal’s flank. Slowly, Alex removed his weapons and laid them on the ground.

Alex got down on his hands and knees and started crawling towards the large unicorn. “Easy, boy,” he whispered. “I just want to remove the arrows from you.”

When Alex was close enough to touch the unicorn, he reached out his hand towards the beast’s head. The animal viciously attempted to slash Alex’s hand, but Alex was quick enough to avoid any contact. Alex could tell that the animal was quite weak and didn’t possess the strength to get up, so he approached the unicorn from behind its head. The unicorn thrashed its head and feet when Alex reached out and touched its flank, but Alex was in a position where the animal could not reach him.

The unicorn’s hide was very tough and the arrows had not penetrated too deeply. Alex figured the animal had stopped because of the pain of walking more than from any harm to a vital organ. Hopefully, he would not have to cut the arrows out. Alex continued to whisper soothingly to the wounded unicorn as he examined the arrows. Alex smoothed his hand over the unicorn’s hide as he talked and the beast stopped trying to attack him.

Alex grabbed hold of one of the arrows and quickly yanked it out. He heard the unicorn scream within his mind. Alex continued to make a soothing murmuring sound with his voice as he mentally talked to the unicorn.
It’s okay, boy. I’m not here to hurt you. I want to remove your pain.

Alex grabbed another arrow and yanked. The second arrow came out cleanly, as had the first. Again he heard the unicorn scream within his mind and Alex continued to soothe the animal.

Alex removed the third arrow easily. He continued to rub his hand softly over the unicorn and talk quietly to him as he dabbed up the blood from the animal’s wounds.
There you go, boy. That should make you feel a little more comfortable. I wish you would allow me to sear the wounds, but I know you will not.

Why do you do this for me?

Alex stiffened and looked at his traveling companions. None of them had spoken. He looked at the unicorn’s head and his eyes met the large gray eyes of the unicorn.
To ease your suffering, friend.

You call me friend, but your kind has inflicted my pain. Why do you care?

Alex could see confusion in the unicorn’s eyes.
Has no one ever cared for you before? You are beautiful and powerful and have never caused me harm. Why does my aid cause you confusion?

Your kind has never been a friend. You hunt us and kill us and enslave us. Do you care for my wounds so that you may enslave me? If so, you may as well kill me now, for I will never be a slave.

Alex patted the unicorn and called for a campfire to be built.
You shall be a slave to no one. I am having a fire made to heat my knife. When the blade glows with heat, I will press it to each of your wounds. This process will close the wounds and allow you to heal. It will bring you some pain, but it will help you to survive. Can I do this for you?