The Amulets (An 'Amulets of Andarrin' tale) (21 page)

“
Yeh once he’s ready but he’s not and he’s hunting him now.”

Delaius put a hand on Jacks shoulder. “You have to trust me Jack; I will send someone as soon as I can. They will have the medicine and facilities to help James.”

“Let me go” William said standing up.

“For revenge?”

“I want to help him, and he may listen to me. We aren’t so different. Maybe I can talk him out of it.”

“We both know that’s not going to happen.”

“And we both know that whoever you send won’t be able to stop him, without endangering their lives. He’s unstable and full of rage; he’s not going to see your allies as his allies. He almost killed his own brother Delaius. I’m the best chance you have.”

Delaius looked resigned; he knew William had a point.

“Very well but it’s on your own head. Once you leave, I won’t be able to protect you, you’ll be on your own and if you can’t talk him out of it then the chances of us seeing either of you again are slim at best.”

“I know but I want to do this.” William told him.

“Then take this” Delaius said handing him the glass vial containing the clear liquid, “it is the same potion that helped you, it won’t last too long but it may last long enough for you to get him back safely.”

“And if I can’t turn him from his cause?”

“Then he will find Balzac and I cannot guarantee he will best him or that Balzac would even fight him but whatever happens the only chance he has is if he can control the change and ultimately his anger. Remind him of his loved ones, any happy memories, anything that will remind him of who he is. It’s a long shot but it may just save him.”

Jack interjected. “Then I should go with him. I can help him” he said.

“No.” Delaius said harshly before calming his voice “No, it is too dangerous, the only way for you to help is to learn how to use the amulets. I can show you but you have to have a clear mind. Trust in William.”

“I will find your brother, I promise”

“Okay. And thanks again Will. I just wish I could help.”

“You will, but you have to let Delaius help you and let me worry about James. I’ll die before I let anything happen to him, that I promise you. Make sure Helena is safe.”

“I will do everything I can.” Delaius said.

Before William headed off, Delaius told him about Larcus’ betrayal of the council and warned him not to trust Larcus if he ran into him.

With anger burning within him at mention of Larcus, William nodded to Jack and Delaius and headed towards the woods. Jack watched as the darkness engulfed him.

“How can you be sure he’ll find him?”

“James is a new-born, he will be unable to control the change and it will be frequent, he won’t be able to cover great distances whilst he is unable to control it. William is a good tracker; he’ll find him and let us hope he will be able to help him. But now we have our own task to perform.”

Jack wasn’t convinced but there wasn’t much he could do. He too was in pain from the torture he’d just been through and he knew that he wouldn’t get far on his own.

“Do you know where the others went?” Jack asked hopefully.

“Helena will have taken them to a place in the lake district I used to use. They will be safe there for now. It too is our destination but first we must retrieve something.” Delaius told him before turning to the statue in the garden. He stood in front of it gazing at the water which covered the bottom of the stone bowl. Delaius slowly raised a hand, as he did so the water from the bowl began rising up in front of the statue. Although Jack was still hurt he looked on in awe at what he was witnessing. The water rose up into the shell as if a waterfall was flowing upwards, until it filled it. The stone shell slowly clasped shut, at which point the whole statue began turning clockwise, revealing a set of steps leading downwards. Jack moved closer, all the while clutching his sides, his face still bloodied and bruised.

“Wait here” Delaius said lowering his hand and walking back over the rubble and into the destroyed kitchen. He was gone for a matter of minutes before returning to Jacks side, a small blue book in his hand. “Come, we must hurry” he said stepping down the dark steps.

“What’s down there?” Jack said unsure whether or not to go down.

“A door” Delaius said without turning back. The steps lit up and Jack decided he had no choice but to follow. “A door to what?” he muttered quietly to himself.

A few steps later he caught up with Delaius. “The writing on James’ body…what did it say?” he asked.

Delaius continued walking downwards “The bloodline is ending…He is the first and last. The darkness is inevitable” he told Jack with a concerned and distasteful tone.

Everyone’s hearts were racing as Fayne raced through clouds with the wind hammering at their faces. Clive was still looking behind him but there was no sign of Sabula.

“Is it dead?” Aaron shouted to Helena who still had a wary look on her face.

Sabula was hard to kill and Helena had had previous encounters with him, only barely coming out with her life thanks to Delaius’ intervention.

“It’s not over yet.” She told them, eyeing the darkness behind them for signs of Sabula.

Fayne yelped and jerked upwards in agony. Sabula had flown beneath her and ripped a gash in the skin of her stomach. Fayne slowed down in pain, breathing ice towards the twisting Sabula. He dodged and spun around the oncoming hail, bringing his claws up and once more raking them across her stomach. Fayne yelped again. Helena grabbed a bow and arrow out of a bag hanging on the saddle next to her. Sabula flew above Fayne until he was next to Lily. The slits in his featureless face flapping as if sniffing her for the amulet. He reached his arm out to clasp it. Helena fired an arrow at Sabula knocking him back and out of sight. She quickly notched another arrow as she turned back to Fayne who had slowed down dramatically. Her wounds were bad and Helena knew she couldn’t take much more.

Clive turned behind him to see Sabula racing back towards them. “BEHIND US!!” he screamed. Everyone turned around as Sabula shot past them until he was level with Helena.

“He was torn apart like an animal. Join him in death” Helena heard Sabula say in her head.

“NO!” she cried, firing another arrow into Sabula from point blank range.

The Fraeir crashed into Fayne’s mighty wing and spun upwards. As Helena drew back her bow for another shot, a slow smile spread across her lips as she saw a bright white light streaking towards them from the north. Moments later, it became clear that it was an eagle.  “Wurslo!” Helena said excitingly.

Sabula was getting closer but so was the eagle. Suddenly Sabula seemed hesitant and began sniffing the air. A loud cry echoed from the Eagle and Sabula stopped in the air. Fayne gained distance on him as Wurslo dived towards Sabula. Sabula shot downwards towards the ground but there was nowhere to hide, they were over a loch. Wurslo stayed on his tail, following every evasive movement with ease until it shot underneath him, its claws gliding through the loch as it passed below him. As Wurslo flew upwards in front of Sabula, the water followed, rising up beneath its claws like an upwards rising waterfall. Wurslo flew into a loop, bringing a wall of water down on Sabula. The wave thundered down sending him smashing into the loch. Wave after wave smashed down where he’d hit the surface before the waves slowly died down and the sea was still. Wurslo hovered twenty feet above it, as if it was making sure Sabula was finished. Seconds passed and there was still no sign of him. Wurslo turned to head off. The loch exploded as Sabula shot out of the water, upwards with his claw outstretched to grab Wurslo. Fayne came swooping across the surface of the water skewering Sabula with her fearsome teeth.

“No Fayne!!!” Helena screamed. It was too late. A loud crunch followed by a gulp and Sabula was gone. Helena sighed before patting Fayne on the neck in thanks. Sabula would have killed them all if Fayne and Wurslo had not been there so, despite Helena’s reluctance to kill Sabula, she knew Fayne had no choice but to do what she had.

Wurslo glided next to Fayne who let out a loud roar, shaking all on her back. “What was that creature?” Frankie asked, still shaken up.

“Whatever it is it’s dead.” Aaron said gratefully as Wurslo glided towards Helena.

She signalled Wurslo closer by stretching her arm out, the eagle chirruped and flew towards her, landing on her arm. It sat there for no more than a minute staring at Helena as if reading
her mind. Helena smiled as if she knew what the eagle was thinking “Thank you Wurslo” Helena said gratefully.

Wurslo released its clutch of Helena’s arm and gliding back past Frankie to rest on Lily’s shoulder. At first Lily felt scared but her nerves slowly calmed when Wurslo began pecking the amulet.

“Give him the amulet Lily. He’ll take it to Delaius, it’ll be safer with him and it’ll be safer for us.”

Lily obliged, after all that had happened because of the amulet, she was glad to be rid of it. She took it from around her neck and Wurslo clutched it in its beak. “Thank you” she said gratefully as the bird rose from her shoulders and dropped the amulet to catch it with its clawed feet.

“Yeh thanks, erm, eagle…Wurslo…I don’t know, but cheers.” Aaron babbled.

Wurslo looked as if it gave Aaron a little nod but he couldn’t be sure as the eagle shot into the sky. They watched it fly into the distance before a white light lit it up and it vanished.

“That thing was badass” Aaron shouted in awe.

“Why did it want the amulet?” Frankie asked Helena.

“A lot of bad people want it, we’ll be safer without it…once they realise we don’t have it.”

“What’s so great about it, it’s just a necklace isn’t it?” Lily added.

“It’s much more than that, but the less you know the safer you’ll be” Helena said ending any conversation they might have had “anyway we’re not far off now” she added.

“Far from where?”

“We’re headed for a place in Cumbria. It should be safe there until we can find some help.”

Fayne was in pain from her wounds but she soared high into the sky and out of range of prying eyes far below.

Frankie had a small smile on her face.  “Bet you never thought there’d be a day when you’d thank an eagle” she laughed towards Aaron.

“
Yeh, but when an eagle pulls off something like that?” Aaron said rhetorically “think I feel it deserves more than just a thanks. I mean did you see that…what it did with the water” he said, trying to mimic the birds display with his hand.

Lily, Frankie and Ben both laughed but Clive still maintained his nervous grip on Ben who exasperatedly turned to him saying “will
you relax, we’re safe for now.”

The light shone up the steps from a set of double doors a couple of metres from the bottom step. The doors were plain with a large brass knob in the centre of each, the glow illuminating the stairs was coming from the surface of the doors. “Seems like an odd place for a set of doors” Jack said.

“Where else would they be” Delaius said grasping both knobs.

“I don’t know, in a house?” he said sarcastically.

Delaius pulled the doors open. As he did so, Jack was stunned by a bright blue light, before Delaius nudged him forward. “Go on, keep walking” he said, following behind.

Jack heard the double doors close behind him as he continued to walk, protecting his eyes with his arm. With each step he took the bright blue light slowly began to fade until he could see another set of steps identical to the ones they had just come down. When they reached the top of the steps Jack realised he was in a large cave. Puddles spread across the dimly lit uneven floor and stalactites hung down from the rocky dome with what appeared to be a passage leading off to the left. Apart from the light from the doors spilling up from the stairwell, the cavern was illuminated by a fiery red glow emanating from a fissure in the far wall.

Jack moved away from the steps. “What is this place?” he asked Delaius who was walking towards the red light.

A rumble from behind him drew Jacks attention. He watched as the entrance to the cave slowly became part of the cave wall causing Jack to step back. Jack moved over to the wall, you couldn’t tell that a gap had ever been there. He ran his blood stained fingers over it, in awe at what had just happened.

How was all this real, he’d never had time to dwell on it all before now, everything had happened so fast. He felt lost. His friends weren’t with him; his brother had turned into a werewolf and run off into the forest. He felt exhausted and alone and he wanted the truth.

Another rumbling began and Jack turned to see Delaius kneeling with his palm placed flat down in a puddle in the middle of the cave. A small lever began rising out of the floor under his hand, slowly it rose two feet until the rumbling stopped and it came to a halt. Delaius cut his hand with his wand; using a spell of some sort as the wand never actually touched his skin. After doing so he dripped his blood into the crevices on top of the lever, which the lever then seemed to absorb. Delaius was about to push the lever back down when Jack cried “WAIT!!!”

Delaius paused and turned to face him. Jack’s anger got the better of him, he’d been led around, attacked and nearly killed by creatures he had never believed existed and he had no idea why. He wanted answers.

“You need to tell me what’s going on. What is so important about the amulet? Why does this Kalerum think I’m someone else? And where the hell are we?” he pleaded “I just want this to end” he sighed as all the anger and fight drained out of him.

Delaius pushed the lever back down beneath the small puddle and into the ground. A tremor went through the floor and moments later the wall covering the glowing red light crumbled. Bits of rock fell revealing a red flame.

Delaius turned to Jack “This is why we’re here” he said gently.

They both walked towards the burning flame. Reaching it Jack watched as the flame swirled like water when it goes down a sink. The flame was covering something.

“Alacantri di lana…histigo!” Delaius said.

As soon as the words left Delaius’ mouth the red flame rose up in front of them. Delaius gathered the flame into his cupped hands, as he did so the flame subsided revealing an amulet
identical to the one Jack had given Lily, well almost identical, this one had a waving line through it that glowed a bright violet whilst the one Jack had found glowed sky blue.

“The pendant…but how?”
Jack asked believing it to be the one he had given Lily.

“This isn’t the one you had, Jack.” Delaius said knowing what he meant “This and yours are pieces of the whole. Notice this is open to the left,” he said pointing to the amulet, “yours is open to the right” he explained.

Jack realised Delaius was speaking the truth and couldn’t help but notice that they were like friendship pendants in a way. It was as if they had been sliced down the middle to form two semi-circles which were only eight centimetres in diameter.

“They fit together?” Jack said, though it was a rhetorical question.

Delaius gave a confirmative grunt as the amulet glided into his hands.

“So what do they do? Why does Kalerum want them so much?”

Delaius moved over to a small boulder and sat on it.

“I need to know what to expect. I can’t do this in the dark. Why is everyone so mad about these pendants?” Jack asked, hoping for an answer.

Delaius signaled Jack to a similar sized boulder opposite. “Not pendants Jack, Amulets. Sit” he said gently. Jack complied, hoping that he would finally find out the truth.

When Jack was seated, Delaius began “The Amulet you gave to your friend, Lily, was one of three. As you’ve already noticed, the amulets seem to fit together; the two you have seen fit together and another locks into the centre. It’s told that when they were first created they were one and that it was a key, created as a lock to keep a great evil imprisoned. The Amulet held great power. As with all legends there have been numerous stories of the origins and meaning of the key, spread over the ages.”

“Yeh I’ve heard.”

“You have!” Delaius said surprised.

“Yeh some kids at the festival were talking about it, something about a chamber and an evil that’s trapped in there, one of them said a wizard did it and that it’s a plague and then another was saying about a god who was trapped in there.”

“Well yes, there are many stories but in truth no one really knows what the amulet actually locked and in time there will be more stories told. However, there is one truth to all the stories. Whatever the amulets unlock must not be released.”

“There are three known worlds and an amulet was placed in the care of a guardian from each, passed down from generation to generation; One in Nanantharim, one here and one on Winos.

For as long as we can remember the amulets had been protected without fail until one of the guardians became obsessed with power. He wanted all three amulets for himself so he could unlock the chamber and gain ultimate power, or so he believed. His name was
Grakil Redmond. Driven by the desire for power he hunted down the other two guardians. Tricking the first into believing they were allies, he killed him. The second, he went to war with.”

“The rebellions?”
Jack asked recalling the book he’d picked up in Delaius’ hall.

Delaius nodded and continued “In short, after word got out about the first’s death, the guardian of the second knew it was Redmond’s doing. She formed an army and rode to war, a war which lasted over a decade. Winos
was lost in that war, billions died.” Delaius said recalling it.

“After Redmond fell the amulets disappeared; Elysia, the bearer of the second, hid the amulet she carried on earth, this was the one you found, though I fear that was always going to happen. I took this one and kept it hidden, and the last one was kept under close guard at the council in Greymir on Nanantharim, however a year ago it was stolen by Kalerum.”

“At first it was believed that Kalerum was nothing more than a common thief but he grew in strength during his time with the amulet, burning villages and torturing his way through Nanantharim.

There were rumours that Kalerum was the son of Redmond and that he was out to avenge his father. Though the council refused to believe it, I always had my suspicions.

At first I believed Kalerum was after the amulets but it’s clear now that he knew there was another who carried the blood and that they might have an amulet or both”

“I’m guessing that’s me then” Jack said looking at his battered and bloodied body.

“Yes” Delaius lied after a pause. “But to use them Kalerum would have to carry the blood of the guardians which means that before Redmond fell, Kalerum was born” his forehead creased as he tried to think. “But I cannot say when. No matter, the fact is Kalerum carries the blood otherwise he wouldn’t be able to gain power from the amulet, nor would he have any reason to go after you. You and Kalerum are the last two who carry the blood” he said seriously.

And now it’s clear that you weren’t his only target, he carries an amulet and he wants the other two to finish what his father started. He has the blood and he can unite the amulets and he wants more than just the power of the one he carries and he believes unlocking the chamber is the answer. Well that’s my theory anyway, I have been wrong before but everything that is happening points to that. But know that Kalerum will never stop hunting you, you are the greatest threat to him.”

“You keep saying that I’m special but I think you have the wrong person. I’m nobody.” Jack reasoned trying to get Delaius to understand. “Even you said I couldn’t do magic.”

“Nobody?”
Delaius said loudly “Oh but Jack you are. You just don’t know it yet. All will become clear in time, trust me, and when I told you that you couldn’t do magic I lied, you will make magic look like child’s play.”

“Look your wrong I’m…” A loud bird cry sounded through the side passage, cutting Jack off in mid-sentence.

Wurslo flew in through the tunnel clutching something in its claws. Landing on Delaius’ forearm it dropped the object into his hand. It was the amulet Jack had given Lily. Jack presumed the worst. “Lily?” Jack said.

“Your friends are safe for now. Sabula has been dealt with but Kalerum will still be pursuing them. They are heading to the same place we are so you will see them soon enough but they were in too much danger had we left the amulet with them. That is why they must stay hidden until we have the remaining piece which is with Kalerum. The good news is we have the advantage, we hold two.” Delaius explained.

Jack felt bad. He’d been aggressive towards Delaius and yet all Delaius had done was help him, heck he’d even saved him, Jack realised. “Thank you Delaius. If it wasn’t for you we’d have all been goners a long time ago.” Jack said sincerely.

“You are more resilient than you know. Back at that house with that demon, most humans wouldn’t have survived that torment for more than a few minutes and yet you were still resisting when I arrived.” Delaius said ignoring Jacks unsure shrug “you must believe in yourself Jack. You told me you did not hold the blood and that I was mistaken. Here is your proof.” Delaius took Jack’s hand and quickly cut Jacks palm with a flick of his wand and pushed the amulet onto the blood as it welled up.

“Argh” Jack wailed. But moments later his damaged body began healing. Within a minute the dried blood had become liquid again and had slowly flowed back into the wounds which disappeared without a trace.

“Whoa” Jack said stunned, not knowing what to make of it.

“Only a guardian can use the power of the amulets. You Jack, are a guardian and that is why they will not stop until you are dead.” Delaius said.

The eagle let out a cry, staring at Delaius for at least a minute before Delaius spoke to it.

“Thank you Wurslo. You’ve done well.”

Seconds later the eagle cried out again and, as the sound echoed off the cave walls, the eagle disappeared down the tunnel and out of sight.

Delaius turned back to Jack “I know this is all surprising and a little frustrating and I know you never asked for this Jack, but it is yours, you can run and hide, or you could fulfill your destiny and help stop this evil from spreading. Everything depends on it. But I need you focused Jack. No pressure!” he smiled.

“I’m sorry for the way I’ve been but with all
that’s happened; my brother, my friends, everything, but if you say my brother is in good hands then I believe you, and if my friends are in danger I need to help them. I am focused Delaius. It’s just a lot to take in.” Jack said.

“I understand Jack and you will help them. But first you need to unlock the power I know you possess. Kalerum or Larcus must not get these amulets.” Delaius said grimly.

“So, how do we do this unlocking?” Jack said, feeling much better now his body had healed.

“Well, when the guardians first did it they unlocked it fairly quickly but it took years to develop the technique and I sense that it will be even quicker for you. There are reported to be a number of ways but only one that I know. Come, we can do this at the house. I can’t stand caves.”

“Hold on” he said standing up next to Jack. He held out the amulet he’d pulled from the fire “take it” he said with a smile. “It’s yours now and you will need it if you are to prepare yourself.”

“Is it not dangerous to carry around? I mean if Kalerum or Larcus do find us then they will take them and kill us.”

“It will make you stronger Jack. And you won’t be able to unlock your potential without them. Had we more time we may have decided a safer plan but the fates move against us and if we do encounter our enemies we will just have to hope we can hide them.”

This was not exactly the boost Jack was looking for and it showed in his face.

“But not to worry they wouldn’t risk killing us until they found out where the amulets were…probably torture…” Delaius went on.