The Blood Witch (The Blood Reign Chronicles Book 1) (28 page)

“I have never seen anything this ancient before, at least not out in the open like this. People tend to take old things, to hoard them or put them on display. Most items this old have long since been snatched up by someone thinking to get rich. It is somewhat odd that this particular artifact remains here.”

Jak couldn’t understand what the big deal was; it was just an old rock with some carving on it that looked like a child’s scribbling to him. Why would anyone want to carry it off? For that matter who in their right mind would think they could get rich from such a thing. The large stone looked like it would be very heavy and that it would be hard to move. Not to mention, getting it back down the path they had just traveled would be extremely difficult. Jak figured, that was probably the reason why no one had taken it before now.

“Why do you think that it’s a war monument or a gravestone?” The big man’s voice came from over Jak’s shoulder, startling Jak, since he had not even noticed Nicoldani coming up behind. Apparently, the big man had grown tired of waiting for them, and had dismounted to see what all the fuss was about.

“I can make out a few letters….W..A ….R …..and there is something else I cannot see clearly. Then further down, where it was protected more from the weather, it says, “always be vigilant, and abide in the light”, it is just too worn to know for sure what exactly it did say,” Benjim answered in a disappointed tone.

After a few more moments, when it was clear that they would learn nothing more from the strange stone, they mounted their horses, and continued their trek up the mountain.

Finally, just before evening they topped a ridge, and the trees parted to unveil a beautiful little valley that was nestled between two tall peaks. Everyone was weary from the climb, and agreed it would be the best spot to stop for the night. It seemed at first sight, like a particularly peaceful, serene little valley. There were several tiny creeks trickling down from the peaks and converging in the valley to form a small river that ran off to the east. It wasn’t really big enough to be called a river, since you could easily step across it. It was more like a creek, but it was bigger than the small tributaries that merged to form it. Some of them being little more than small trickles.

In the center of the valley was a lush green meadow encircled by tall trees. There were wildflowers growing in patches throughout the green carpet of grass that covered the valley floor. Jak did notice there was still a small about of snow in many of the shaded crevices and gorges on the tall peaks. In a strange way, it was almost like being home again being among the familiar surroundings.

There was still more than an hour of daylight left after they unsaddled the horses, brushed them down, and setup camp. Nicoldani was agitated, and seemed to be on edge about something. The big man had been acting differently towards Jak since last nights events in the village. Nicoldani had been wary of Jak, and been casting suspicious glances towards him, but Jak couldn’t really blame the man. After all, if the circumstances were reversed, he wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the other man. Jak supposed the big man’s edginess was because of him, or rather what had happened the night before.

Just wanting to be alone, at least for a little while, Jak decided to go for a walk. He even told Frog to stay with Gin. Jak walked aimlessly for a time, slowly making his way up the northern slope of one of the peaks. After a while, he found a small overhang of rocks where the view was not blocked by the tall trees. One of the larger rocks jutting from the side of the mountain made for a fairly comfortable chair. Jak stretched out on the seat to relax, and soon he was lost in his own thoughts.

After a time, Jak noticed from his elevated vantage point that he could see a long ways in both directions. The Sanchi River, where they had just traveled from, lay far below to the west. To Jak’s amazement, he could see a tremendous body of water off to the east.
Was that the East Sea?
It had to be
, he supposed. He had never seen such a large body of water in his life. It stretched all the way to the horizon with no end in sight. He hadn’t realized they were so close to it. From what he could see, the eastern foothills of the Achii Mountains bordered the gigantic body of water.

He was enjoying the beautifully serene view, which thankfully took his mind of his troubles, when he began to have a nagging feeling of being watched. He scanned the surroundings but couldn’t see anyone or anything close by. Nevertheless, he still couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes upon him….watching him.

Perhaps it was the souls of the people he had killed in Gloryvane, come back to haunt him, Jak thought morbidly to himself. He didn’t really believe it was, but it still troubled him greatly that he had killed anyone. It was true, that they would have killed him and his friends if he had not killed them instead. Well, at least they would have killed his friends and Gin, but the villagers had seemed to want him alive to give to Allysix, whoever that was.

After a several moments, with the feeling of being watched not abating, Jak decided it was time to head back to camp. The sun was already down and it would be full dark soon. Even though he could find his way in the dark almost as well as the light, he didn’t want the others to worry about him. So he set off back to where the others were camped.

When Jak got back to the campsite, he could tell, that not only was Nicoldani on edge, even more so than before, but Benjim seemed to be equally troubled as well. Both of the men kept glancing around, eying the tree line as if they expected someone to pop out at any moment. Knowing it wasn’t just his own imagination made Jak even more uncomfortable than before, he approached Benjim and asked, “What is it?”

The old man stared off into the distance for a moment before answering, “Perhaps nothing, I am not really certain.”

“I keep having the feeling of being watched. I thought it was just my imagination,” Jak said, peering around the little valley. “But you can feel it too, can’t you?”

Benjim cast a glance in Nicoldani’s direction, and the big man just nodded once in ascension. Benjim motioned for the two of them to come closer, so they could speak together softly as to not alarm Gin. Benjim leaned close and spoke softly, “It would be a good idea for us to keep a watch tonight. As we all know, the witch is loose and evil stirs in the world once again. The awakening and stirring of which I speak, is not just the witch alone, evil is drawn to evil, and evil begets evil. With the Blood Witch free, there is a darkness that is oozing over the land, and things that have lain dormant are once again awakening. We must remain watchful.”

They kept the fire burning brightly that night. After a time, Gin was fast asleep, exhausted from the long day but seemingly unaware of the unseen watchers. Everyone else was still awake, restless, and unable to sleep.

“I think it is time we have that talk,” Benjim said casually, after a time of silence.

The old man’s words made Jak forget all about the watching eyes. He dreaded having to tell the other two men about what happened to him in the cave that night with the witch.

As the three gathered close around the fire, Jak glanced to make sure Gin was asleep before he started the conversation. His stomach was tied in knots, but he just wanted to be out with everything, once and for all, and get it over with.

It was difficult for him to tell the story of the night he and Brigette had spent in the cave, but once he started he didn’t dare stop. This time, Jak didn’t leave out any of the details, as he had when he told Nicoldani the story the first time in Elsdon. Jak told of the ridge cat, and the shaking of the earth, and how they had taken shelter in the cave that had been uncovered by the rock-slide. Jak even divulged the part about the woman calling to him from deep within the cave, and how he was unable to resist. He even confessed of the witch chained to the wall, and most especially the part where she bit him on the neck, before she turned into a hideous beast and disappeared into dust.

The part Jak was most reluctant to speak about to anyone, finally came to light, and he revealed the terrible thirst he had been feeling since that night. Jak was relieved at the end that everything was finally out in the open. He felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted from his shoulders, but he wasn’t sure how the other men would react to his story.

When Nicoldani heard the tale, his face hardened to stone, his eyes narrowed, and he seemed on the verge of drawing his sword to strike Jak down right then and there. Jak doubted he would even try and stop the big man at this point. It might actually be for the best to end it now, considering what Jak was afraid he was becoming. It might be best for everyone if the big man just killed him now to get it over with.

“You are the key lad.” Benjim said, easing the tension of the situation. “You are the one the prophecies have foretold would come. You share at least part of the witch’s power. She told you that she gave you a gift, but it is that gift inside you that can bring and end to her. Only you have the power to destroy the Blood Witch.

According to the prophecy, you can be either the savior, or destroyer of the world. I did not see it before, but from what you have just told, the pieces of the puzzle come together, and I am certain of it now.”

The revelation was a kick in the stomach to Jak, and did nothing to ease his mind.
How was he supposed to be the savior of the world? Why him?
Jak didn’t want all of this. Brigette was all he really cared about, and it was only her that he was searching for. Jak didn’t want to confront the witch again, not really, since once in his lifetime was more than enough. Besides, how was he, just a sixteen year old boy, supposed to do anything, let alone destroy the Blood Witch? She had survived for centuries and wreaked havoc on the world, from what Nicoldani had said.

No, the thought of facing the witch again didn’t appeal to Jak at all. He just wanted to find Brigette and get as far away from the witch as he could.

“I suspected there was something unique about you when I first met you.” Benjim continued. “I have known the Blood Witch for a rather long time. I thought I could sense part of her in you, however, it was peculiar and strange, and I could not figure it out.

On the other hand, I also know you are a good lad and will do the right thing. You can resist the evil, and overcome it. You have the power within you to overcome the evil that she has brought upon you, and with the power she has given … you can destroy her.”

There was silence for several moments before realization dawned on Nicoldani, and he spoke up. “What do you mean you have known the witch for a very long time? How is that possible? She has been imprisoned for many centuries…..or even longer.”

“Well I guess it is now my turn then?” Benjim said wearily. “I was there at the beginning of all of this. I was only a young man at the time, perhaps forty years of age. It was then when I saw the witch taken and imprisoned. I was one of the mordji present, during her trial before King Erlandas.

Arch-Mordji Bellfornas was my mentor and teacher, as well as my friend. He was a good man and an excellent teacher of the arts. The task fell to him to take the witch to the cave to imprison her. I was not supposed to know it was he who took her to the cave; no one was supposed to know. For that matter, no one but Bellfornas was supposed to know where the witch’s final prison was to be. Most believed she was being taken far to the west to be imprisoned at a monastery.

Because Bellfornas was my teacher and friend, my curiosity overcame me, and I covertly followed him. I was too young at the time, being only mordji, and had not yet risen to be Arch-Mordji so I was not chosen as one to fill the Watch. They chose older more experience Arch-Mordji for this task. Nevertheless, I have been a Watcher all this time, and I took it upon myself, when there was no one else to do the job that needed to be done.”

“How is that possible?” Nicoldani exclaimed in shock. “You cannot have lived for that long. Do you mean to tell me that you knew King Erlandas, and actually saw him, and the witch? No one lives that long” the big man said in utter disbelief.

“I do not know anymore,” Benjim said truthfully. “Every year that passes, I think is my last. But the years just keep coming and going. Perhaps it is fate that has chosen me for a greater purpose. Perhaps I needed to be here, when the witch once again was freed from her prison. Yes, I saw King Erlandas, and his fall from grace, and I saw the witch at her trial before she was imprisoned.”

“What do you mean, King Erlandas fell from grace? I thought he was supposed to be the best king ever? Wasn’t he?” Jak asked in confusion.

“Oh, he was lad. But he was also human, and given to weakness, and ultimately greed. By chance, during the trial of the witch, the king touched the Staff of Power. Even in that brief encounter the staff
infected
him. The king ultimately succumbed to the greed for even more power than he already possessed. It was the power he thought he could gain from the staff. His heart was in the right place, but it was that greed for what he could not attain that was his downfall. In the end, the staff destroyed him. It has been said, that only the Blood Witch can wield the staff.”

Nicoldani shook his head in confusion, “What do you mean he was destroyed by the staff? I thought you told me that the staff was taken by one of the mordji to be hidden away in a secret location. If that is so, then how did King Erlandas get it?” Nicoldani asked.