They fell asleep quickly, exhaustion permeating their bodies.
Jonas slowly opened his eyes as a bright light shone before him. He squinted and held up his hand to block out what felt like the sun’s rays shining right in his face.
After a few moments the light disappeared and Jonas opened his eyes fully, revealing Shyann before him. She was standing on the edge of a cliff, with her back to Jonas, and she was wearing black leather breeches and a matching black sleeveless shirt. Her whole body seemed to be bathed in white light.
Jonas looked around and noticed that he was standing on a mountain and Shyann was looking down at something below.
She turned her head, smiling warmly at him. “Jonas, come here. I want to show you something.”
Her voice was the same as before, melodic and entrancing, and it warmed his very soul. Jonas slowly approached and stood next to her, looking at her beautiful features the entire time.
She turned and looked at him, but her face was a mixture of pain and sorrow.
“Jonas, Look down,” she ordered.
Jonas followed her gaze and saw that they were standing above a huge city that was burning, smoke billowing from every corner. There were thousands of orcs and goblins camped along the perimeter and Jonas could see many still plundering the area. The city was obviously in ruin.
“Is it Tarsis?” he asked.
“It is, Malbeck has taken the city and King Kromm is now being hunted in these very hills.”
“Is he alone?”
“No, he has a small group of his elite guard with him, but Malbeck will find him. He is sending out his hunters as we speak. That is why I need you.”
“You want me to go to the king and bring him to Finarth?”
“I do. There will be forces hunting him and his family that even Kromm, the mighty warrior king, cannot face. Take Fil and Taleen with you. You will need help in this venture. Jonas, King Kromm and his family must not be captured. The king is necessary to the survival of these lands.”
“What can one man do against the Shan Cemar?”
“To win this war we will need a culmination of what many men can do. The power of one, combined with the power of others, is a force that is hard to break. This is the ultimate difference between good and evil, men working together for a common cause. Evil harbors resentment, greed, and other emotions that eat their power away from the inside. It is a time for heroes, Jonas.”
“How will I find him, my Goddess?”
“Remember, Jonas, call me Shyann. I was once just a farmer and a hunter like you.” Shyann smiled warmly now. “Tulari will lead you there.”
Shyann’s eyes suddenly lit up with shock, as if she were watching something terrible happen. “Jonas, you must awaken! Treachery is happening in the king’s chamber! Hurry or it will be too late!”
A bright flash of white seared Jonas’s eyes……
......And he awoke with a jolt, his eyes wide and his body fully awake. He leaped out of bed and noticed that he was already wearing his armor and both his swords were strapped at his side. He didn’t stand around pondering how that happened but ran out of his tent, yelling for Taleen as he went. “Taleen, to the king’s chamber!”
Jonas was long gone as Taleen awoke quickly, grabbing her sword next to her. She was already wearing her chain mail shirt but she didn’t bother taking the time to put on her plate mail.
Jonas raced towards the king’s tent and noticed the guards at the entrance were all lying on the ground. He didn’t stop to see if they were hurt or just spelled, barreling through the drape that covered the entrance and calling on his light simultaneously. He drew both his blades so quickly that it looked as if they leaped into his hands. His light bathed the entire interior and nothing of darkness could escape the magic.
A tall figure stood over the king’s bed and the man turned as Jonas’s light filled the room. It was Prince Nelstrom and he was holding a bloody dagger.
But Jonas’s light wasn’t touching the prince. He was surrounded by a shadow that seemed to pulse around him, just like Jonas’s light, but dark and heavy with evil. Jonas’s light hit the darkness and was repelled.
Prince Nelstrom’s eyes were glowing red and his features seemed to grow and elongate, until he was two heads taller than Jonas with long legs and arms.