Damien
:
We arrived at Meil’s chateau and to my surprise Katrina’s Watcher Alex was standing by the gate.
“What are you doing here?”
“Katrina was my charge. I have to do whatever it takes to find her. Allwain was right, the protections are down. I have been here for hours watching. No one has gone in or out, but there is someone, or something inside.”
“Thank you, I’m going in. Ivan you keep watch out here, Alex you come with me.”
“It’s not your fault Alex. None of the rest of us could do anything either. It seems like I’m always telling someone that, or someone is telling me that. What Katrina goes through is more than anyone person should ever have to bear. This ‘Chosen’ thing is…too much, that’s all.”
“Not for her, Damien,” he said looking straight ahead.
Alex was right; it was the rest of us that dealt with it so poorly. She took everything in stride, without question. She never asked why, never shirked her duty.
We walked up to the door and knocked. The door squeaked open a crack. “Hello, is anyone here? We are looking for Adolph Meil.”
“Meil is dead, but I am sure you already know that,” said the vile creature that peeked out the crack of the opened door.
“I need to ask you some questions,” I said as Alex pushed open the door further and we walked in.
“You have no right.”
“Oh we have every right I assure you. What’s your name any way?”
He tried to stand taller, “My name is Kerr. I was a personal assistant to Meil. I can’t say I will miss him. I doubt anyone will.”
“Then you won’t mind us helping us find out what we need to know. We were the ones that killed him.”
“Is that so, and how pray tell was that done?”
“We’ll be asking the questions here and that is none of your concern now is it, Kerr? We know that your master was not really Adolph Meil, enlighten us on just who he really was.”
Kerr looked us up and down and then shut the door.
“He wasn’t a vampire either. He was a very angry sorcerer of immense power. His real name was Leonard. He was truly an evil thing. Sold his soul to Belial, as had Adolph Meil. He served his purpose I suppose by hosting Leonard.”
“How was he related to the Arnaunt’s, he called Auguste brother?”
“The Noctu, he was using them. A feigned brotherhood and a partnership between enemies who wanted to the same thing, to rule this world. I understand they also have paid with their lives. I myself am free for the first time in centuries. Will I be allowed to go home now?”
“If you tell us everything you know about this Leonard and his plans that may be possible. He sent one of our colleagues somewhere last night; do you have any idea where that might be?”
Kerr sneered, “To the parallel world of Faralea I would imagine. Unreachable to his enemies and a place where he could do what he wished to those he kept captive there. I have never seen any of them return to this world. With him dead now, I don’t think there is any way you could bring them back.”
“Faralea, what is that? Explain further.”
“It parallels this world, a dimension completely separate from this one. I know nothing more. What I have just told you was only something that I overheard him tell another person that he was about to exile.”
“Did he have a laboratory or a place where he did his magic or kept his personal papers?”
“Yes of course, it’s this way. I was never allowed inside,” Kerr said as we walked. “I was never allowed anywhere important.”
“Where is home, Kerr? You are a gremlin, are you not?”
“Yes, you’ve seen other’s like me?” he said seemingly encouraged now.
“Yes, in the underworld and in the sanctuaries of this world.”
“My family is in Althar, but I could only wish someday to be allowed to bring them to Sanctuary. Is that really something that could be possible?”
“If you help our cause, I will do all I can for you, Kerr. I promise.”
“Here we are. I don’t have a key I’m afraid,” he said wringing his hands.
“Don’t be afraid, he really is dead, Kerr.”
I concentrated for a moment and then we heard a distinctive click and the door opened.
It was pitch dark inside and the most ominous, evil feeling came over me that I dare not enter.
“We need Allwain. This isn’t something we can’t do on our own.”
“
Allwain, we are here at the chateau, we need you.”
“I see your location. I will open a portal and be there in a few minutes. I have one thing left to do.”
“He’s coming. Is there any other area of the chateau that you think maybe of importance to us, Kerr?”
He thought for a moment, “Actually I think there is. His office, there may be many things of interest in there, including his personal papers.”
He turned and waddled in a new direction. I looked at Alex and shrugged. “After you, Alex.”
Meil’s office was across the open courtyard. Even the gardens gave me an uneasy feeling. It was as if we were being watched by something.
The very large, opulent office had floor to ceiling book shelves and piles of books next to the dark wood desk which was covered in papers.
“It will take days, if not weeks, to go through everything. There are lists of everyone that was helping him. Positions held by our enemies,” I said as I looked through the scattered papers on top of the desk. “With any luck places that hold the stolen treasures are on a list somewhere in this mess.”
“How long before some of those that are on these lists, come looking, Damien? We need to guard this and get the work done as fast as we can.”
“You are right, Alex. Or move everything here somewhere safe.”
“There you are. What is it, Damien. Have you found something that will help us find Katrina?”
“We know more than we did thanks to Kerr,” I said gesturing to the cowering gremlin behind me. “He has told us that Katrina is most likely in Faralea, a parallel world to ours.”
CHAPTER seventeen
K
atrina:
The Faun King contacted the elves of Faralea, but they refused to help in anyway and the skrying pool was of no use in trying to contact Allwain. The elves told Zax that “what comes here from the other side is now part of Faralea”. We also learned my rescue could only come from someone on the other side. My only hope was that Allwain could find a way to do that. In the mean time I had to make the best of my situation.
My new family and my new village had accepted me with open arms. The days turned into weeks with no sign that anyone was coming for me, neither Meil nor any of my loved ones.
I was now resigned to that fact and set about making a new life for myself and soon my son. I spoke to him every day, telling him about his brave father and his many aunts and uncles. He responded by kicking wildly. My stories of Knights and Wizards also fascinated the young, village Faun. But as contented as I was with this new life, I missed all of my family and friends so much.
Quinn:
Kate contacted me a week after Katrina disappeared and I came straight to Paris from South America. Reynold stayed behind with our new friends, as we were making great headway on the recovery of the lost treasures of Macchu.
“That’s it then, there is nothing we can do?”
“We are all frustrated, Quinn,” Allwain said. “We just returned from Sangustae, where the Elf scholars are working hard on a solution. We have asked everyone including Hun Lee to help us. You have to be patient.”
“What I am doing is going mad!”
“We all are, Quinn,” Cain said as he joined us.
“No, there is no news,” Allwain grumbled.
“Well, I have to
do something
. Damien is helping go through Meil’s papers and others like Arthur are continuing with their missions. I have decided to help Liridon and Yanna look for their families in Althar. With Cathos and Ceron well and back home, we are hoping for some news on where to start.”
“Yes Cathos and Ceron are very upset that nothing they tried has helped Katrina either,” Allwain said shaking his head.
“Quinn, shouldn’t you be going back to South America? There is really nothing more that you can do here,” Cain asked me.
“I might as well. I, like everyone else, need something to do before I do something I regret.”
“I know you are talking about Damien. This is not his fault, it’s not anyone’s fault,” Cain said. “You both love Katrina; you have that in common.”
“He should have sent for me right away. The child that Katrina is carrying is mine, not his.”
“You can’t know that for sure, no one can until we get her back.”
“Cathos told us that he only yelled what he did to stop Meil from killing her when he realized that he, alone, was no match for him. He knew she was with child, but could not know if it was indeed the child they were looking for.”
“Well there is one saving grace,” Allwain said. “Katrina and the child are safe from our enemies if they are indeed looking for her. When are you leaving Cain?”
“Right away, Gruen is going with us too. Please contact me if you hear anything.”
“If you can find someone or something in Althar to help…” I said suddenly overcome by sadness.
“You know I will, Quinn. Good luck, I know Katrina would want you to complete your mission no matter what.”
“Good luck to you too, Cain.”
Cain:
Liridon, Yanna and Gruen were waiting for me in the portal room.
“I guess we are all ready to go. We are going to Elysewin. There is something I need to do.”
Instantly the white light of the portal surrounded us nd after it dimmed we were standing in the orange glow of the underworld.
“I know what you’re going to do and I think it’s crazy. Cain, being trapped in the underworld forever…”
“You don’t have to go with me. In fact, I don’t want you to go with me,” I said as I started to walk.
“Well someone needs to explain to me what you two are talking about,” Yanna said as they followed along behind me.
Liridon sighed, “Cain is going to go to the sacred tree and walk through the roots.”
“If the spirit of the tree thinks you are worthy you will receive peace, eternal life and be granted a wish,” Gruen added.
“I’m sorry, I still don’t understand.”
“Cain thinks he can help Katrina,” Liridon said.