Taylon (9 page)

“What the...?”

He quickly had his men retreat, retracing their path
through the forest. Halfway, a wall of flaming trees halted their
progress. The captain stared in disbelief at the inferno, but he
knew Euphoria was to blame.

He and his men found a circuitous route around the
fire and made it through the wall. Fire rose from the east side of
the forest and slowly spread. Soldiers lined up watching the blaze,
some cheering, and some staring in awe.

Taylon found the nearest soldier and asked him for a
report. “Someone took a starburst and set it off in the
forest.”

“On whose orders?” He demanded, grabbing the front of
the man’s tunic.

“On mine, captain.”

His hands quickly released their hold as Taylon
turned to see Queen Euphoria approaching. Her two pets trailed her,
looking hungry.

“I thought it best to let the citizens of the
Territories know we were here.” Her eyes looked out toward the
billowing smoke, a smile upon her face.

“But what about our scouting parties currently out
there?” He tried, unsuccessfully, to keep the fear and the anger
out of his voice.

In answer, Euphoria looked up to the sky. “The rain
should quickly douse the fire. Your men are safe.” And with that,
the clouds broke overhead, pelting them with tiny droplets of
water.

One of the tigers roared into the rain. The soldiers
began to run for cover while Taylon and Euphoria stood looking at
each other. She offered a cold, unrelenting smile. He stared back
filling his eyes with as much hate as he could muster.

“Anger becomes you, captain. You should use it more
often.” The queen turned with a flourish of her black and red
dress. Taylon watched her go, rain coursing down his face.

He slowly turned toward the forest, watching the
flames grow smaller and smaller until the black smoke swallowed
them. Taylon knew his time was running thin. If he couldn’t find
Kara or the wizard, he would have to do something else to stop the
queen, even if it meant losing Rose.

***

The trek through the forest had been going smoothly
until the rain began to fall. Kara felt and heard the explosion,
even though it was in the distance. Her main focus was to confront
Euphoria, hoping it would end the assault on her friends. But when
the water began to fall her little plan became mucked up.

Kara could barely see through the downpour. Small
streams and puddles began to form. The trail became mud in places
that tried to claim her boots. Behind every tree was another that
looked just the same, until she was sure that she had been this way
before.

Eventually, Kara came upon what looked like a simple
cave. It appeared out of nowhere, but she didn’t hesitate or
question it. Her clothes were soaked through, and her boots caked
with mud. Maybe a little rest would help.

The cavern was deeper than it originally looked. She
peered into the darkness, wondered what the farthest reaches held.
Without a light, Kara knew to stay just inside the mouth of the
rep. She sat down upon a rock to drip-dry.

Rain continued to pour down. Kara watched the water,
wondering too many things. How were her friends going to take her
absence? What was she going to do when she encountered Euphoria?
That was a big question haunting her. Kara ran off on this crusade
with the intent of ending the whole conflict. Here, sitting in this
cave, the idea sounded silly.

A noise came from deeper in the cavern. Kara turned
to look. She saw nothing but blackness. The storm continued to
unleash, drowning out whatever it had been. Her life had been
simple a year ago. A mother and a father who deeply loved her. But
all that changed when the shard came into their lives.

And now, it was ruining her new life. Would Jesset
die this time? Or one of her other friends? Kara felt the first
hint of tears and quickly wiped them away.

Another noise came, and before she turned around
something hard hit her on the head. Instantly she slid off her rock
and crumpled to the ground. Before her senses left her, Kara had
the impression there was a green lady next to her.

***

Da’Lynn paced back and forth in her chambers, clearly
agitated. After sending Kerlick off on his mission, she came to
find out Katrena had left the city. Messenger boys found Katrena
nowhere. Da’Lynn’s anger and rage manifested itself in various
ways, but it still did nothing to ease the situation.

And now she was preparing the army to go forth. They
would start marching today. The elves would expect her to lead, as
she commanded them.

“Mistress, we are ready.” A knock came at the door
delivering the message. Da’Lynn would have to worry about Katrena
later. She needed to be strong for the fight.

In the courtyard, the soldiers assembled. All eyes
came upon Da’Lynn as she appeared before them. Her armor shined in
the bit of sunlight. Looking north, the sky darkened. Storm clouds.
They would be heading into the rain.

She glanced west, feeling a slight pull to where the
magic lay. One minaret of the Palace of Nine peeked out from the
forest beyond Pajote. Da’Lynn hated to leave, being that close to
power, but the wraith would still survive on the chaos of war.

Da’Lynn turned back to her army and raised her sword
arm. “Today we will take down the human enemies that dare attack
us. We will bring peace to the Territories!” A swell of cheers and
yells came from the mass assembled. Someone came and led her down
the steps to a white horse. A path parted as she made her way to
the head of the line and began the long march toward the wall.

***

They barely made it to Snow’s house before the rain
came down in buckets. All were concerned about the fire, but Ynob
pushed them faster when he detected a storm in the air.

“Is that another of your magic tricks?” Fret asked,
amazed the wizard could forecast the weather. Ynob gave the boy a
demeaning look and then pointed farther ahead in the sky. The
clouds looked very dark and ominous.

Ynob missed getting wet while the others got slightly
damp. Fret was the only one that came in dripping. He was enjoying
his freedom again and hiked at his own pace. Snow made him dry off
before coming into the house.

About five minutes later, there was a harsh knock on
the door. Snow froze, and Gantha looked equally frightened. Ynob
chuckled. “It is just your friends. Really, did you think the
soldiers would knock before coming in?”

The wizard was right. As Snow opened the door Ra’na,
Jesset and Hambone fell through. All were wet, but not soaked.
Ra’na saw the question on Snow’s lips. “Shield charm. Kept some of
the water off for a few minutes.”

“Is Kara here?” Jesset asked, looking around
nervously.

“Who?” Gantha asked perplexed.

“No, we haven’t seen her. What happened?” Snow asked
while bringing towels to the new arrivals. Ra’na quickly filled the
wererabbit in.

Fret stood back from the crowd, his eyes probably
large as he watched Hambone. This creature was new to him. The boy
watched the big beast come into the house. Hambone looked friendly,
but then thoughts of the Minotaurian at the slave auction
resurfaced.

“This is great and all, but can you please keep the
noise down as I have some work to do?” The wizard inquired of the
reuniting friends. All eyes looked at him, but they quickly went
back to talking. Ynob dropped his head and returned to his
tome.

Gantha came to introduce himself. Fret came forward,
but halfway there he stopped. Ra’na came into view, and panic
struck. Quickly, he turned to run.

“Wait…Wait!” Snow called out. “He’s met Katrena.”

There was a bunch of
ohs
as this statement
explained his behavior. Snow caught up with Fret at the back door.
The boy was trying to decide if he really wanted to run off in the
rain. He turned and saw Snow.

“How could you let her in here? What if the other one
is close by?” Fret was close to hysteria.

Snow quickly transformed and waited for a reaction.
SHUNK!
One minute Fret was in full panic mode and the next
his mind had completely halted. There was a white rabbit suddenly
in front of him.

“Fret, will you listen?”

A talking white rabbit. He suppressed the urge to
escape as a new sensation overtook him. He remembered petting
rabbits as a little boy, before he turned into a bully. They always
made him laugh and were so soft. Fret wanted to pet this one.

The human made a hesitant step toward Snow, his hand
outstretched. He mumbled something that was lost among the
rain.

“What?”

“Can…can I pet you?”

“Oh brother.”

Ra’na came in just then. Fret glanced up at the
newcomer and then back at the rabbit. His joy now froze as his eyes
looked back up at Ra’na. Fear came again but did not over take.

“I’m not Katrena. She’s my sister.” The words, at
first, meant nothing to him, but as he looked at her again, Fret
did start to notice differences. For one thing, she had both
hands.

Snow quickly changed back. A small pain of longing
tinged Fret’s heart as the rabbit disappeared. He dropped his head,
seeing how he had been a fool. Twins, how was he supposed to know?
“I’m…sorry.”

Ra’na came forward and stood before him. “Don’t worry
about it. I seem to cause similar reactions in people lately. I’m
Ra’na by the way.”

“Fret.” But the word came out sounding sad and
humiliated. The women led him back into the main room. Hambone and
Jesset had found seats while Gantha and Ynob seemed to be arguing
again.

“Really, you two. Just give it a rest,” Snow
complained. Both of the debaters looked up, surprised and a bit
annoyed. Ra’na and Snow found a seat, and Fret stood, while Gantha
and Ynob watched everyone.

“Listen up. This is not just a happy reunion. There
are major problems facing the Territories. An elf council member is
possessed by a wraith. This I saw firsthand,” the wizard
exclaimed.

“Same here.” Gantha chimed in, wanting to feel
important. “And Fret.”

The wizard shot him a nasty glance, but continued.
“Now this talk of the humans taking down the wall troubles me.
Euphoria could be possessed again. I don’t see how, but we are
getting into things even I don’t understand.”

Ra’na tentatively raised her hand. Ynob nodded. “So
the prophecy is coming true?”

Jesset and Hambone listened as the wizard spat out
the prophecies verbatim.

In the mist I see fire, flames of never foretold.

They spread as quick as sickness, and devour all.

At the center, a human princess, a queen become.

Three but one, meshed in crystal and core.

Devastation and war on the horizon, led by a darker
evil, than purest gold.

Warlock of races, and sister of dawn.

Salvation but a ring, lost upon the shores.

There comes a blackness of fetid rain led by
two.

One is of three and the other is one of those
three.

Mighty is the ring that holds the
spirit.

Mighty in that it brings war and perhaps
salvation.

In three cycles of the moon, doom shall
reign.

On the first, birth.

On the second, resurrection.

On the third, death.

All sat in a moment of silence as the wizard
finished.

“Well, I am new to all of this, but I can tell you
one thing. The army has new banners, and from what I have been
told, Euphoria has dresses to match. It is a black field with what
looks like flames. Some of the town folk were saying how the dress
made it look like she was on fire.”

Gantha again tried to take lead. “That would make
sense because she is the center of the first prophecy.”

“Another full moon is tonight. But what is going to
be resurrected?” Hambone asked. All eyes eventually looked toward
Ynob.

The wizard was a bit startled. “Again, I do not know
everything.”

“But didn’t we conclude that you are the warlock of
races?” Snow asked.

“No, the elves decided that, we only talked about it.
And I don’t know any Sisters of Dawn.”

“Yes you do,” Ra’na spoke plainly. Ynob’s mouth hung
open for a bit, but then he shut it. “You know me. The Opi’Chi were
often called
Sisters of the Dawn
because of our skin. The
term is hardly used anymore, but it is still part of our
culture.”

This new bit excited Gantha. “So, so this Sister of
Dawn could be Da’Lynn?”

“Or Katrena,” Hambone added.

“Or another Opi’Chi entirely,” Jesset commented.

They all sat and pondered.

“I don’t think I like prophecies,” Snow said, and a
mild laugh went through the group.

“It is all we have going for us. Somewhere in that
mix of words could be salvation. Elf boy and I have been arguing
over this ring.” A loud thunder crack sounded as the storm steadily
raged on.

Snow stood up. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I
am hungry. We can talk prophecy later, and about Kara too. But
first let’s eat.”

Fret’s stomach seconded the motion with a loud
grumble.

Chapter Ten

The rebel elf stalked with pure adrenaline now.
Da’Lynn had charged him with finding and dealing with the wizard
and councilman that had escaped her wrath. Kerlick finally felt
like he was doing something that mattered, instead of running
around and bullying others.

He had only taken five of his men with him. The rest
fended for themselves, with the elf army. Poor fools. Most would
probably end up like Rodrick, the thief with the pierced hand.

Kerlick put it out of his head as he rode faster
through the forest. Aladedas was his first stop, and the mistress
had given him directions to some other locations as to where he
might find the traitors.