The Marenon Chronicles Collection - By Jason D. Morrow Page 0,99

curious. He was considering opening it when Garland sighed. “I need the medallions you carry.”

“What?”

“I need the medallions.”

“You’re not getting the medallions.” Julian said.

Garland held up a hand. “Relax. I have something to show you.”

Julian stood with a puzzled look on his face.

“Below Jekyll Rock there is a stone pedestal made to fit six medallions. I’ll show you just one of the many reasons these medallions are so coveted.”

“I know why they are coveted,” Julian said. “We can see every move before the Stühocs make it.”

“You know little of Marenon’s Map,” Garland said. “Forget everything you know about it and come with me.”

Julian found it difficult to contain his excitement. He had known the map was below Jekyll Rock for a long time. He had known that Garland knew the entrance to where it rested. His mind reeled as he walked over to his cloak and wrapped it around him. What does it look like? How exactly does it work?

Inside the cloak sat both medallions where he had left them. They were not going into the hands of another, at least not until there was a sufficient reason. Garland motioned for Julian to follow and out of his chambers they went. Silently, Julian trailed Garland through various corridors and passageways until they came to a statue. It was a statue of King Harold, the first Human king of Marenon. The man had nothing to do with the Dunarians for the Dunarians had come about long after King Harold’s time. But Garland felt that based on texts, King Harold was the one king that the Dunarians mapped their philosophy after. Julian had known this story and knew that if there had ever been a statue made of his father, surely it would be standing next to King Harold. Julian’s father had been nothing but supportive of the Dunarians and had given them a hope for existence after so much war.

“Why are we stopping?” he asked.

Garland stood staring at the life size statue of a king in full, royal armor. “Holden knows about this, but he has never found a way in. He and I have had our differences over the years, so I had never found a reason to trust him with this information.”

“What information?”

“The entrance to Marenon’s Map.”

Julian’s eyes lit up, anticipating what would happen next. He was about to witness something that few in Marenon had ever seen.

Garland crouched low to the ground and reached out his hands to touch the feet of the statue. With his eyes closed he muttered only a small Erellen word. “Shelinsa.” With a groan, the wall and the statue swung open slowly inward. Past the opening was a long, dark corridor leading to a stairwell going down.

Garland smiled at Julian and motioned him forward. “After you,” he said.

Once the two were inside, the secret door closed shut behind them.

“I’m about to take you to the place where The Reckoning was conceived,” Garland said. “It’s down the stairs a ways.”

Several unlit torches lined the walls and Garland grabbed one for himself. He closed his eyes and in a second the torch was lit, illuminating their path to the stairs.

“Who else knows how to get down here?” Julian asked.

“Just me and Kaden. He was the first one that I recruited for the Dunarian Council.”

Julian knew this piece of information as well. It was no secret that Garland and Kaden had become close friends during the beginning of the Dunarians. Garland had seen the potential in the young man and taught him everything he had learned in the world of Marenon. The relationship of master and apprentice had changed to brotherhood. The story was similar to that of Kaden and Julian except for their recent snag before Kaden took off to try and rescue Silas from the Stühocs. They each felt justified in their positions and had come to an impasse, but Julian regretted how they had left things. Kaden’s capture laid a heavy guilt on his shoulders but there was nothing Julian could do about it yet.

They traveled down the stairs for several minutes, their footsteps echoing off the stark walls. Garland told Julian that they were descending deep under the fortress of Jekyll Rock. He told him that in the old days, it had proven to be a wonderful hiding place and would be so again should there ever be a siege of the castle. The entrance would never even be found by most. But if it were found, it would take significant force