The Destiny of Amalah (86 page)

‘How? On this earth, how is that possible?’

‘Magic,’ Maddox said, in a now deep and powerful voice that rumbled with power. Maddox took the cloak hood down and grinned at Rakan.

‘How long does the magic of the cloak last?’ Rakan asked.

‘For all eternity. You see magic does not die but those who wield it do; their powers drain, they grow older and they die, that is why it does not last forever in humans – physical form cannot sustain it – but certain objects do. They never tire – enchant the object and it remains magical until it is destroyed.’

‘But how?’

‘When used, magic draws power from the universe; when the wearer wears the cloak, they draw power, but through the cloak. The cloak is already enchanted, it knows what it can and cannot do.’

‘Draw your sword,’ Maddox told Rakan.

Rakan looked at Maddox and he stared at the old man bemused and puzzled.

‘Draw your sword,’ Maddox said once again.

Rakan was still puzzled but he drew his sword anyway. Maddox looked him in the eye and held his gaze.

‘Now thrust it through my body.’

‘What – are you mad?’ I will do no such thing.’

‘Trust me Rakan. I am not going to leave the earth yet. Now, thrust your sword through my body.’

Rakan looked hesitatingly at Maddox but Maddox simply stared back waiting for Rakan to do as he was told.

‘Thrust it,’ he commanded.

Rakan did as Maddox ordered and he grimaced as he thrust his sword through the centre of where Maddox’s body was. Rakan had done so with his eyes closed and when he had extended his arm fully and felt his sword push through, he opened his eyes and they widened at the sight before him.

Maddox was still alive, alive and well and staring at him with a strange look in his eyes that was a mix between a glint and a twinkle. Rakan looked at his sword and saw that it had disappeared into the cloak and only the hilt remained exposed.

‘Incredible,’ Rakan exclaimed.

‘The sword never entered my body and as long as I wear the cloak – it never will.’

‘Where is the sword then?’ Rakan asked, as he moved the sword around gently, just in case it did enter Maddox’s body.

‘Within the cloak,’ Maddox said simply. ‘Here,’ Maddox said, taking the cloak off and giving it to Rakan. ‘You try.’

Rakan took the cloak from Maddox and hurriedly put it on. He felt immensely powerful when it was fastened around him and he smiled a broad smile at Maddox.

‘It’s incredible,’ he said in awe of the fine cloak that he was wearing.

‘Put the hood on,’ Maddox told him.

Rakan did as he was told and as the hood went over his head, his face disappeared into a black void and Maddox could no longer see his face.

‘Now don’t walk, just will yourself towards me,’ Maddox told Rakan.

Rakan did as Maddox had told him and as soon as he began to think of walking towards Maddox, he was lifted a few inches off the ground and felt the cloak glide towards him.

‘Amazing! Incredible! The most amazing thing ever!’ Rakan exclaimed.

‘Will yourself to stop,’ Maddox ordered him.

‘Stop,’ Rakan said.

‘No!
Will
yourself,’ Maddox said, with an edge in his voice. ‘Will yourself now.’

Rakan willed himself to stop and looked at Maddox strangely.

‘Why did you stop me?’

‘Look,’ Maddox said, nodding his head in a downward direction. Rakan looked where Maddox was looking and saw that he was precariously close to the edge of the cliff.

‘Oh,’ Rakan said, slightly surprised that he had moved so far and stepping backwards.

‘What can you see with the hood on?’ Maddox asked.

‘I can see for leagues around. I can see as though it were broad daylight,’ Rakan said, looking at Maddox.

Rakan was slightly unnerved because when Maddox had worn the cloak, Rakan could only see pitch-black darkness instead of Maddox’s face. He knew that Maddox could not see him and only he could see Maddox but despite that fact, Maddox was looking him straight in the eye.

‘That’s right young Rakan, you can see all around, but always remember you need to
look,
’ Maddox said, eyeing the edge of the cliff.

‘A lesson learned,’ Rakan replied gratefully.

‘I surely hope so,’ replied Maddox.

Rakan took down the hood and his head and face reappeared once again. He looked at Maddox and Maddox led him back to the cave.

‘Where did this magic come from?’ Rakan asked.

‘That I cannot tell, I can tell you that it is powerful and that it is light magic and dark magic combined.’

‘You combined light and dark magic?’ Rakan asked, clearly intrigued.

‘Yes.’

‘How?’

‘I did say I cannot tell,’ Maddox said, slightly scolding Rakan.

‘I am curious.’

‘I know you are, but Rakan I can never tell you. You have to know what magic
is
– not just light and dark, good and bad; but magic as a whole and if you ever learn that; you will be the most powerful person on earth’s plane. Anyone who learns that will be the most powerful person on earth’s plane.

‘You know don’t you Maddox.’

‘I’m an old man who lives in a cave in the middle of nowhere,’ Maddox said, blatantly avoiding the question.

‘There is more to you than you let on Maddox my friend.’

‘Perhaps, but that can be said of many.’

‘But it is absolutely more so in your case.’

‘I’m a
very
old man Rakan, time alone made more of me,’ he said and laughed softly.

‘It surely did’ Rakan agreed.

‘The cloak is yours if you want it.’

‘It truly is a magnificent gift Maddox and I am not sure if you will be doing right to give this cloak to me.’

Maddox laughed loudly and rolled his eyes and head back and when he looked at Rakan, he smiled and he had that twinkle in his eye that sparkled in the night.

‘Rakan, one day you will return the favour to me I swear it and the thing is – you won’t know you are doing it, but don’t feel bad,’ Maddox said mysteriously.

‘What do you mean?’ Rakan asked, even more confused.

‘I see much in people, I see the good, I also see the bad and I see outcomes. As much as I can I see, is as much as I cannot tell and so it leaves most in a dilemma – the trick is not to worry.’

‘Maddox you’re baffling me with every passing moment.’

‘Good, imagine a world, where nothing baffles you anymore; where there are no surprises?’

‘Not really no.’

‘Good, that’s the way it should be.’

‘Maddox.’

‘Yes.’

‘Thank you for the cloak. It truly is magnificent.’

‘My pleasure, but that is not the only cloak.’

‘No?’

‘No – there are five more. One for each of your friends.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, I made six in total, that was to be my leaving present.’

‘I cannot thank you enough.’

‘I know,’ Maddox said softly. ‘I shall retire for the evening now Rakan, but please, come and collect the other five cloaks and I will bid you good night.’

‘As you wish,’ Rakan said, as he followed Maddox into his cave.

The cave was always warm and welcoming and in stark contrast to the outside. Rakan stepped inside the cave and walked a few yards and then Maddox turned around and pointed to a trunk on the floor.

‘In there,’ he said to Rakan.

Rakan made his way to the trunk and knelt down beside it, he hovered tentatively over it for a few seconds before he opened the box and saw the cloaks neatly folded inside. He picked them up in two piles and felt them. They were each identical to the one he had been wearing and he shook his head slightly. Part of him thought the gift was far too much and part of him marvelled at Maddox’s creation. He looked at the cloaks for a while and then he picked them all up, stood up and turned to face Maddox.

‘They truly are a miracle,’ Rakan said. ‘Thank you.’

‘I hope they serve you well young Rakan,’ Maddox said.

‘Oh they will,’ Rakan said vehemently.

‘I am glad, well now I will bid you goodnight as I must retire.’

‘Good night Maddox,’ Rakan said fondly.

‘Good night Rakan,’ Maddox said, as he showed Rakan to the edge of his cave and when Rakan stepped out he turned and waved at Maddox and when Maddox waved back the cave disappeared from Rakan’s sight.

Rakan stared at where the cave was for a few moments and then he looked down at the cloaks that Maddox had given him. He wondered how Maddox had made them and what magic’s he had channelled to enchant the cloaks with as much power as they possessed. He wondered about Maddox and the cloaks and his magic and then he wondered what Maddox had meant about there being more than light and dark magic and how he – Rakan – would one day repay the favour.

Rakan pondered about the old man for a while; the more he got to know him the more of an enigma he was but Rakan really liked the old man, even though he could be extremely odd at times.

Rakan looked back at Maddox’s cave and then made his way to where the other five were. He entered Waldon’s and Kenaz’s cave and greeted them happily; the five men greeted him back and they stared at the bundle of cloaks that he was carrying.

‘What is that?’ Rufus asked.

‘A present from Maddox,’ Rakan replied.

‘Cloaks?’ Kenaz said questioningly.

‘Yes.’

‘Does the old man not see that we are already prepared for winter?’ Kenaz said, laughing slightly.

‘The old man sees more than we will ever know,’ Rakan said. ‘These cloaks are not for the winter.’

‘Then what?’ Luxor asked.

‘Watch,’ Rakan said smiling.

Rakan put all of the cloaks on the floor and picked up the one he had previously worn and began to put it on. He fastened the strings around his neck and at his waist and then he paused – partly for dramatic effect and partly because he wanted to see their faces before and after he put the cloak on. He stared at each and everyone of them in turn and smiled before he raised his hands up and reached behind his head to take hold of the hood of the cloak and then, he slowly brought the hood up over his head and watched his friends as they watched him and his face disappear into the black void that the cloak created.

Rakan knew that his face had disappeared from their sights because he saw their faces change so suddenly and so dramatically. Not wanting to wait a second longer for the shock to wear off, Rakan willed himself towards his friends and some of them jerked back slightly as they saw him glide towards them. Rakan stopped inches from them and paused for a few seconds before he removed the hood and his face and head re-appeared once again.

‘How?’ Bryce asked.

‘Maddox would not say where his magic came from,’ Rakan said.

‘Nor should we care,’ Luxor said excitedly. ‘Cloaks like that can only make us stronger.’

‘We should care,’ Rufus said cautiously. ‘Maddox uses magic we have never known or seen before.’

‘But he has never used it against us,’ said Waldon.

‘True,’ said Rufus with the same cautious voice.

‘I don’t think he will either,’ Rakan said. ‘He made the cloaks for all six of us – six and no more. He did not ask a price but he did say that one day I would do him a favour and not know I had done it.’

‘I do not like it,’ Rufus said suspiciously.

‘You wouldn’t,’ Luxor said.

‘Meaning?’ Rufus said pointedly.

‘
Meaning
,’ Luxor said, in a tiresome tone. ‘The amount of caution you exercise is beyond comprehension and as for taking a risk – well, I’m surprised you even managed to leave Amalah. ‘I do not like this,’ Luxor mocked, in a voice that sounded uncannily like Rufus’ voice. ‘Can we trust him?’ Luxor said again, in the same Rufus tone.

‘Why you insolent little….’Rufus seethed.

‘Ooh – hit a sore point,’ Luxor teased, as a broad grin came over him.

‘Rufus do not rise to the child’s bait,’ Waldon said, grasping his shoulder.

‘Are we fighting dear Rufus’ battles for him?’ Luxor teased, slightly put out by Waldon’s child remark.

‘I would never fight a battle I know he could easily win,’ Waldon said quite patronisingly.

Luxor was about to make a witty comeback because he always had to have the last word and the last put down, but Rakan interrupted the three way spat.

‘You are right to be cautious Rufus, for we do not know where Maddox’s magic comes from, or what favour I may have to carry out to repay him, but I think we should take the risk in this case. The power of the cloaks is great and it will significantly improve our advantage. Draw your sword and drive it through my body,’ Rakan said to Rufus.