Children of the Sun and Moon (19 page)

Koral was going
to comment, but held back. Glavlin, knowing what her comment would
have been, decided to make it easier to ask it. “Of course, this
all leads to an unusual question. How is it that you, Princess
Koral, possess earthly based magic?”

Eric’s mouth
dropped but it was Koral who spoke. “Yes, that is an unusual
question. Do you have an answer? I had thought my mother possessed
it?”

“No, to both.
Your mother can manipulate water with the help of the amulet she
wears around her neck or with an actual spell. As to you being able
to do it on your own, Gillock and I had discussed that curiosity,
but neither one of us could come up with a solid answer. All we do
know is, you are a very special human, and no one must ever know
about your abilities.”

Glavlin saw
Eric scowl. He certainly did not like hearing that news. “You are
also different, Prince Eric.”

Glavlin’s
remark caught Eric by surprise. “Why do you say that?”

“Well, you are
a War Wizard. This means you have strong destructive powers that
are naturally within you. Your ability to manipulate fire, without
the help of an amulet, shows that you are very powerful. That is
different because one of your kind has not been born since the
Wizards War ended.”

Eric could tell
the news shocked his sister, but he was quite pleased. Finally, he
was just as good, if not better, than his perfect sister was.

“So when do we
get started training?” asked the prince.

“Soon. Gillock
and I discovered a passage in a book stating if magic needed to be
returned to the land, a magical mist had to be created for it to
again be free. That is why the twins were in the prophecy. With
Koral’s water ability and your fire ability, you will make the
mist.”

“So how do we
do it?” Eric asked.

“I am not
certain. Gillock thinks it will take much practice for the two of
you to be able to do it. It may sound like an easy task, but it
will take the right amount of both water and fire to make the
proper mist and both of you are not used to using your magic.”

“Well, I guess
we should be getting started,” remarked Koral, though her thoughts
were unsure she was capable of doing this task.

Glavlin sighed.
“Well, to start I need you both to read up on your abilities. There
are two books here. You will need to find them and read every word
found within.”

To Eric, this
felt like a simple task. “So where are they?”

Glavlin smiled.
“You need to find them yourselves. I cannot help you until you
understand your abilities better.” The elf king watched them both,
searching for reactions he did not want to see. He was not
surprised to see the upset look on Eric’s face, but was
disappointed.

“How is that
fair?” spat Eric. “There must be thousands of books in here and you
expect us to find two measly books?”

“It is part of
our training,” said Koral, her voice showing a hint of anger. “The
books will call out to us, wanting to be read by those who will
understand its contents.”

Glavlin was
surprised. He did not expect either of them to figure out the first
part of the training so quickly. “Very good, princess. So, you both
better get going if we are to be ready to leave in a month.”

Eric shot out
of his seat and ran into the library. After Koral just showed him
up, he wanted to be the first to find his book and prove he was
just as smart. Koral had expected him to be enthusiastic about
finally learning more about his magic, but she hadn’t expected him
to be so arrogant about everything.

Eric ran to the
centre of the library and stopped. “Concentrate,” he said to
himself. He remembered the meditation Gillock used to make them
practice, and decided this was the best way to find his book. Eric
closed his eyes, and slowed his breathing. Once he was in a perfect
state, he sent his thoughts out to find the book. For minutes, he
felt nothing, not even a twinge that he was getting close. Eric
could feel his anger starting to swell inside him. His thoughts
became that of Glavlin helping Koral so she could be done
first.

Eric was quite
wrong, of course. He could not sense the elf king, who was standing
just a few feet away, watching the young prince. Eric pushed the
negative thoughts from his mind and went back to searching out his
book. This time he sensed something. It was weak, and felt distant,
but it was there. Slowly, and not opening his eyes, he headed in
the direction in which the book appeared to be calling from.

Glavlin was
surprised at how quickly Eric had put himself into the meditative
state needed to find the book. He had expected the prince to just
start running around pulling books off the shelves. Glavlin was
pleasantly surprised that the prince appeared to finally be making
mature decisions instead of rash choices. Maybe he would impress
them all by becoming the prince they knew he could be.

Within minutes,
Eric had his book in his hand. Glavlin faded into the shadows as to
not be seen, and headed back to the little room. Eric arrived in
the room a few minutes after Glavlin.

“I found it!”
exclaimed Eric, his face beaming with an ear-to-ear grin.

Glavlin smiled.
“Then start reading. There is no reason to wait for your
sister.”

Eric quickly
took a seat and began reading his book. Within moments, he was
completely enthralled by the stories of War Wizards of the
past.

Glavlin had
thought Koral would’ve returned not long after Eric, but almost an
hour had gone by and she was still not there. Eric was completely
oblivious of this fact as the book had entranced him, but Glavlin
was starting to worry. The library was vast, but someone getting
lost rarely happened. Something was wrong.

Grund watched
as the twins entered the library with Glavlin. “Seems they be
learnin’ about their magic,” came Drundle’s voice from behind.

“Those two be
needin’ more then o month, I be thinkin’,” replied Grund.

Drundle
laughed. “Don’t ye be shootin’ down those two. There be more t'
them than meets the eye.”

Grund turned to
face her. “What be your thinkin’ on the council’s decision,” he
asked.

Drundle’s smile
faded. “I be thinkin’ they be fools for tellin’ ya ye cannot be
goin’ with them. But, knowin’ ye the way I do, ye be plannin’ on
goin’ anyway.”

Grund wasn’t
shocked at all by her blunt statement. “Ye be right. This be too
important to be standin’ by and waitin’. Will ye be comin’ with
me?”

“Try 'n stop
me,” she responded with a smile.

He was about to
make a comment when the door of the library opened, and Koral came
out. “Now what this be about.”

Drundle turned
to see Koral, eyes closed, walking towards the groups sleeping
quarters. “I not be knowin’ but me thinks we best follow the
lass.”

They followed
and watched with awe as the princess made her way to the elf
sleeping area. With her eyes closed, she was still able to
manoeuvre around obstacles with ease. When she arrived at Glavlin’s
bedroom door, she stopped. Moments passed, then with a simple wave
of her hand, the door opened. The two dwarves did not follow her
in, but were quite stunned when she came out carrying a book.

“Now why she be
stealin’ from the elf king?” asked Drundle.

Grund just
shrugged his shoulders and moved out of the princess’ way as she
came past. They had expected her to go back to the library, but
instead she went to the centre of the clearing where everyone met
each day. Once there, she sat down, opened the book, then did
nothing. For an hour, they watched her, and from what they could
tell, she was still in a deep trance. “Me thinks it be time to get
Glavlin,” remarked Grund.

“Ye stay, I be
gettin’ the elf king.”

Grund just
nodded his response, but Drundle was up and running towards the
library. She was about to open the door, when the elf king pulled
it open and nearly trampled poor Drundle. “You best be comin’ with
me, yer highness. Yer princess be doin’ somethin’ strange.”

Glavlin
followed the quick moving dwarf to where Koral was seated in the
clearing.

“She took the
book from yer room, highness,” said Grund when they arrived.

Glavlin was in
shock. Gillock had told him the twins needed to find two books in
which to learn from. It never occurred to him, he had meant the
books of magic. Why had Koral been drawn to his? Slowly, he started
towards the princess, but she quickly got up. Glavlin stopped as
Koral raised her hands above her head. It sounded like she was
chanting something, then suddenly Glavlin’s hairs stood up on his
arms. He was about to move again, but Koral had begun to glow so
brilliantly, no one could even look in her direction. When the
light had gone and everyone could again look at her, she was gone.
In her place, stood the most unusual looking tree.

“Oh no,”
exclaimed Adora’s voice from behind the dwarves. “She has invoked
the spirit of the earth.”

Glavlin fell to
his knees. “I think we are in a great deal of trouble.”

“Yes, I should
say so,” came a voice. Everyone turned to see Gillock. “I think we
had better find the prince, before something else happens.”

Everyone
quickly made his or her way to the library to find Eric. They
arrived in moments, to the room where Glavlin had left him, and
found him still there. The room, however, was not how the elf king
had left it. The entire room was smouldering, as if a great fire
had started and was extinguished. Glavlin moved to try to get
Eric’s attention, but it was to no avail. The prince was
unconscious, and all attempts to revive him failed.

“We are most
definitely in trouble,” surmised Gillock, and no one argued the
point.

“What do we
do?” asked the elf king.

“We wait,” was
Gillock’s response.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Jeremy awoke to
the sound of trumpets. Slowly opening his eyes, he glanced towards
the window and noticed the sun had not yet come out. Again, the
trumpets blared and the king realized they were announcing the
arrival of General Traug. It had been four days since he and Korben
had their midnight chat, and both had been feeling a lot better
about their situation because of it. Now with Traug arriving,
Jeremy did not know how to feel.

Olrond and he
had been friends since childhood. It had been Jeremy’s great honour
of pronouncing him the new General of the Order. His father had
thought he should learn how to do these things properly since he
was to be the next king. So many things had occurred that day, and
the days to follow. The same day, Elizanne had told him she
possessed magical abilities, Gillock revealed he had once been part
of the Wizards Order almost five hundred years ago and within a few
days, Korben told him his secret. The strange thing about it all
was he was more shocked to hear Korben’s news than he was to hear
those close to him possessed magic. So many truths given to him,
and yet he was unable to talk to anyone about any of them. Keeping
all of these secrets had been tearing him up inside and now he had
been forced to expose almost all of them.

Robyn awoke to
the trumpets as well. Knowing he would be needed he headed to the
stables. He was stunned to see General Traug back again. The last
time he had spoken to Queen Malena, she had stated the general was
going to be sent after the twins. It was apparent to Robyn that his
queen’s fears regarding Lakin were very well placed. The general
told his men to wait in the courtyard for he was going to see the
king, alone. To Robyn, the general’s tone said everything. He was
going to help the king. Robyn had heard rumours, which said the
king had reinstated his royal soldiers, and that Korben had been
training them again. What Robyn did not know was why it was all
happening. The stable boy knew if the king was worried about war,
than Malena would probably be concerned as well. Robyn excused
himself and headed into the darkness. When he was certain he was
far enough away, he pulled out his mirror. “My queen. I have news,”
he said softly into it, but all that greeted him was darkness.
Again, he called to her, but received no response. Panic overtook
the stable boy. Had he done something to warrant this treatment?
Unsure and very confused, Robyn went back to the stables to await
orders from the castle.

Jeremy dressed
and headed to the throne room. When he neared, he saw Korben,
waiting for him.

“The general
wants to speak with you alone,” stated Korben. Then quietly he
added, “Do you think he knows?”

Jeremy answered
by shrugging his shoulders. Aloud he said, “I will let you know
when you are needed.”

Korben nodded
his understanding and moved off into the shadows to await the
king’s call.

Slowly Jeremy
opened the doors and entered the throne room. Olrond was already
inside, seated in a chair off to the side of the throne.

“If you lived
here, that would be your seat,” said Jeremy, trying to break the
silence. The general remained silent until Jeremy sat down near
him. The king had decided to sit on the steps leading to his
throne, instead of in it. Olrond stared at Jeremy, then carefully
choosing words, began to speak.

“The Order is a
lie,” he stated calmly.

“You have
learned something?” asked the king.

“Lakin has
rooms which are surrounded by magic. In them he holds beings
thought to be long dead. I wondered why he would risk showing it
all to me, and as I was riding here I, understood. He is the true
power of the Order, and he was basically letting me know.” He
paused as if thinking of how to proceed. “I believe his intent is
to take over the Central Lands, and from there all of
Melarandra.”

Jeremy sat
stunned. He had not expected this type of an attack from the Order.
“This news is grave,” he whispered.