“My world,” Marc finished.
The Oracle nodded.
“My time is almost finished and I must speak of some final important
things yet. The Sword of the Phoenix, the weapon that can only be used by the
Wielder of the Flame, landed in your world, where it had been for a long time,
until now. A small furry creature as black as night with green eyes that
sparkle even in the dark, a creature I do not know, led you to the sword. The
sword changes when not used by the Wielder, but it is still the Phoenix Blade
and it still would only be of use to the true Wielder of the Flame. The
creature had led many to the sword, but only you could wield it. Those who
fought against this evil have all but already passed on, even if they were all
still here they would be too old and too frail to stop this force once again. A
new generation has been called, a new Wielder of the Flame has been chosen.
That is you, Marcus.”
“But I—”
“Only the Wielder of the Flame can truly unleash the power
of the Phoenix Blade. The other night, in Kolima, was more than enough proof of
that. You are, without a shadow of a doubt, the true Wielder of the Flame.”
Marc remembered the intense light in Kolima rising up from
the sword, and the flames that surrounded him.
“There will be stories now, people are already beginning to
talk about the light in Kolima and what it means. Many have been waiting for a
sign of the return of the sword and its wielder.”
He didn’t know what to say. He knew the magic he felt was
real, and could not deny it. But he was only a teenager!
She could read Marc and see her words added weight to his
thoughts.
“I know it is a lot to take in, and you are so young, but
you will not be alone. The others, in your dreams, they are real. Drake, the
Ageless One, Puck, the Shifter, and Laura, the Unseen Pathwalker, as well as
others who will come upon your course over time, will help to fight the darkness.
I have sent Cydas, my beloved companion, to assist you. He will help you find
the others.”
The room began to fade and distort.
“One final question Marcus, and I must go.”
Marc thought for a moment, then asked, “What will we do once
we are all together?”
“After many cycles Tremos eventually discovered that the
crystal shards were not just merely lost from the magical force sent out after
the main crystal was struck, he found out that they were specifically hidden by
his enemies, us. He also assumed that we were not foolish enough to hide the
orbs without creating a map to them and did not relent until he discovered that
we indeed had done so. The Keeper was given the charge to protect the map and
keep it a secret. But the map was not the only part of the design. Enchanted
orbs were created as a means of magical transportation, each orb was a direct
line to a corresponding crystal piece, so that when the Sword of the Phoenix
returned with its Wielder, we would be able to recollect the crystal pieces quickly
for the Wielder of the Flame to safeguard with his followers. These orbs were
also with the map under watch by The Keeper. It is with great regret that I
must tell you that during the fight with Tremos, the orbs were destroyed, and
in fact was the reason the Keeper was wounded beyond any ability to heal him,
when he arrived, but he was able to do so with the map. When you have met with
the others I would have you return to me so that I may instruct you further.
That is all for now, I look forward to seeing you and the others, good luck.”
And then she was gone, and the room was gone, and all went
dark.
Zildjin and Sesuadra watched as
Marc’s eyes glowed white with the same light as the glass, and he sort of
slumped in his saddle.
Zildjin thought back to his own experience with a similar
artifact but days ago. Eleanor, Topar, Sesuadra and him had all witnessed a
shared vision. After Cydas introduced himself, he had produced an artifact and
everyone at the table, after repeating the instructions, met with the Oracle.
After Marc would not wake up, they were forced to leave the city with haste.
With the visions The Oracle had given Cydas, he was able to help them avoid
detection as they left the large coastal city behind, Marc still unconscious.
Zildjin remembered Sesuadra and Eleanor stepping off into
one of the other rooms before they left, to discuss something. Topar just stood
by the door.
Later, when they were saying their goodbyes Eleanor pulled
Zildjin aside as well, but not to a different room, only a little ways from the
others. Her tone had been gentle, yet unyielding.
Zildjin, watch over Sesuadra. Bring him back when all
this is over, he is your charge now.
Zildjin had nodded in sort of way that was, ‘of course I
always look after Sesuadra.’
But Eleanor had looked Zildjin hard in the eyes and had put
a hand on his shoulder.
Of course, I will, all will be well.
Only then had she nodded and finally said,
Exalted keep
and guide you.
As the light from the glass in Marc’s hand faded and it
returned to normal, bringing Marc back to them, Zildjin was brought out of his
own thoughts as well.
Cydas was there next to Marc with his arm outstretched.
Marc handed him the object.
“Well,” Marc said, “That explains a lot.”
“Do you have any questions?” Cydas asked.
“I do,” Marc answered, “But first I want to tell you about
what I saw after I collapsed in Kolima.”
Zildjin, Sesuadra, and Cydas
listened intently as Marc described his vision he experienced with Laura, of
the Faeries.
He described appearing at the ruins of Zheund and meeting
Laura. When he got to the part when Laura spoke of her magical ability, Cydas
interrupted.
“She truly is the one who can walk the unseen paths.”
“Teleportation,” Marc said offhandedly.
“What?” Zildjin and Cydas said almost at the same time.
Sesuadra looked confused as well.
“Where I am from,” Marc tried to think of a way to explain
himself, “we call it Teleportation. It is the same idea as ‘to walk a path that
no one can see.’ From what it sounds like, she can transport herself from one
place to the next. I know that as teleportation, but it is just an idea where I
come from, no one can actually do it.”
“You truly come from a different place,” Zildjin commented
aloud without really thinking.
Marc shrugged and continued relating his story.
He tried to convey all the emotions and feelings that went
through him as he watched the Faeries at the height of their existence, only to
be wiped out in a terrible wave of slaughter and destruction. Tremos was
responsible for their deaths, and he was rising again.
“Keeping the crystal shards out of his grasp are the key to
stopping him,” Cydas emphasized.
Marc nodded.
“Zheund was a vast city, one of the greatest to exist,”
Sesuadra said, his interest piqued enough to open his mouth, “Tasard was
rumored to have founded the place, expanding its walls as quickly as his power
was great. There are some relic hunters who have claimed to have visited the
ruins, but none could describe as to its exact location.”
“But Kolima,” Zildjin said, jumping back into the
conversation and mentioning the message Marc had left in the dirt, “We are not
in Kolima anymore,”
“Exactly!” Marc said, “Why do you think I want to go back?”
“We cannot go back,” Cydas said.
“But Laura,” Marc replied.
“All will be well,” Cydas said, “But a measure of patience
must be exhibited until that time.”
Marc let out a sigh.
“Eleanor, then, and Topar,” Marc brought up feebly, as
another reason to return, “I didn’t get to say goodbye.”
“I told them we would send a message as soon you awoke.”
Marc shrugged, yielding his argument. He wanted so badly to
return to Kolima, but understood that he could not. He thought of Laura.
Thinking of Laura led him to remember the moment he had
after leaving Laura, the small bird he saw in the silvery realm. He was about
to share his thoughts but a feeling inside him prompted him not too. For some
reason, it felt too sacred to just casually bring up.
Perhaps another time
to speak of it would be more appropriate,
he thought.
“Well,” He said, “can I see the map?”
Cydas nodded, “You may.”
He moved a shoulder bag around to open it up, from it he
withdrew a metallic rod. Small engravings were etched along it in a seamless
pattern. There seemed to be no way to open it. On one of the sides a figure was
engraved there. Cydas handed the rod to him. Zildjin and Sesuadra arched their
necks for a better look, Marc let them see as he inspected it.
Marc withdrew the Phoenix Blade from at his side and looked
at the base of the blade. The figure engraved on the end of the rod was the
same that was embossed on the sword. A Phoenix. They matched perfectly.
Marc lined the sword base up with the engraving on the rod.
There was a flash of light and the symbols decorating the metal object slowly
lit up. Marc withdrew the sword from the rod and sheathed it. A line appeared
on the metal and a sort of grip formed. Marc pulled gently on the lever and a
map slowly withdrew from the rod. It was an enclosed scroll.
“So this is the map,” Marc said.
It was very large. Large enough that Cydas held one side up
as they trotted along the road.
It appeared to be a map similar to the one Marc had read
upon first arriving in Lyrridia. There were names of places written in neat but
beautiful letters in their proper locations. Marc recognized a few of them.
Alborcium, Terragur, Biarlin, and Itherin were foremost visible in bold
lettering. Marc spotted Kolima near the bottom left of the map on the coast.
Zildjin and Sesuadra did not have to crane their necks as much
to see. They led their aldoms as close as they could behind Cydas and Marc’s
steeds so they could all comfortably move forward and still survey the map.
“We should be about here,” Cydas pointed out.
“I don’t see the road,” Marc said.
“The scale is too far away to reveal such a detail,” Cydas
commented.
“If only it was zoomed in closer,” Marc said.
Suddenly the ink began to shift, moving of its own accord.
The black ink melted and swirled and suddenly they were looking at a different
map. The Road of Amber Elms was the centerpiece of the canvas. Trees and rocks
were scrawled in with very close attention to detail. In the middle of the road
were five figures. One was labeled
balkar-supplies
, while the other four
had the names,
Zildjin
,
Sesuadra
,
Cydas
, and
Marcus
,
next to,
Redmor, Syril,
Tandur,
and
Eldas.
No one spoke for a long moment.
“Cool,” Marc said. Having technology capable of the same
feat in his world suppressed Marc’s excitement several degrees, but he was
still impressed by the magic.
Sesuadra was nodding, his eyebrows rose to show he was
impressed.
“It is indeed magic of the likes I have never seen,” Cydas
added.
“Your aldom is named Eldas?” Sesuadra spoke, “After the
golden hammer?”
Cydas nodded.
“Golden hammer?” Marc asked.
“Eldas was one of Itherin’s closest friends and most
powerful warriors in the rebellion to break free from the corrupted ‘noble’
Kingdom. He wielded a gleaming hammer of the most pure gold that was enchanted
to have a much stronger and harder impact than gold can deliver.”
“Where are the crystals?” Zildjin interrupted.
“The Oracle shared a partial vision with me pertaining to
their location,” Cydas began but Marc interrupted.
“Wait,” Marc was surprised, “You already know about the
crystal shards?”
Did they all speak with the Oracle?
“Cydas gave us one of those—” Zildjin made as if holding a
piece of square glass like Marc had done, “—things too.” He finished.
“Scry glass,” Sesuadra clarified.
“Right,” Zildjin nodded, “Scry glass.”
Sesuadra gave a nod, which to him was enough to say he had
received one as well. His eyes lit up suddenly and he pointed to the map,
redirecting their attention back.
They looked just in time to see the map reforming once more
after having swirled into randomness. The ink began to align back to the larger
scale of Lyrridia as a whole continent. The left was dominated by ocean and
along the right of the map was a long line of mountains with
Black Peaks
scrawled there. After the ink stopped moving, six little points of light
appeared, shining impossibly from the flat surface. Four were located in the
Wildlands. Of the four in the Wildlands two were in the upper northeast, one in
the middle part, and one in the lower southeast. The remaining two lay in
Itherin, in a part labeled Kirden’s Marsh, and the last was in Biarlin.
“The locations to the crystal shards,” Marc said.
“Look at that one!” Zildjin said excitedly, “Whiteholt,” he
read.
“It is not too far from where we are.” Marc noted.
Cydas looked closely at the map.
One of his eyebrows rose and he said,
“Whiteholt,” he said, “One of the visions the Oracle gave me
is to happen near there, we shall proceed there.”
“So we will retrieve a crystal shard when we arrive?”
Sesuadra finally chimed in.
“I believe that to be the case,” Cydas nodded.
Marc was overwhelmed by all he had just learned.
Even so, there was still room enough in his mind for Laura.
The sun was nearing the horizon, the
day was coming to a close.
They had stopped and made camp for the night. Their aldoms
were safe, surrounded by spice to keep them from wandering off.
“May I see the Sword?” Cydas asked after they finished a
meal of fruit and some type of stew.