By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,12
night sky was dark and overcast as usual. Not one star could be seen.
Naeshi motioned for her to sit beside him on the stone bench. Chrissa complied, but she sat on the edge.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” he said.
“Is there something on your mind?” Chrissa asked.
Wait. Wrong question.
“Yes. You.”
He moved closer, wrapping his strong arm around her. Just before he brought his lips to hers, Chrissa stood and backed away.
“Come back here!” he shouted.
Chrissa jumped back at his tone. He reached to grab one of her arms, but she spun around and ran back into the castle.
Chapter Four
Jalarn leaned over the old spell book that Chrissa had given him. There were so many spells, so many ways to achieve power through wizardry, but it wasn’t enough just to read about it. Magic was something that he should have considered learning years ago.
Anger suddenly raced through his veins.
Why would Ittonifer keep these spells from me? We could have conquered the whole world by now.
There was so much to know. Too much to know, it seemed.
Jalarn leaned back in his chair and rested his eyes. Ittonifer still didn’t trust him enough to let him in on the study of magic. When Jalarn opened his eyes again, a bright glowing ball emerged from the page. He stared at it and blinked. It was still there.
Magic. Real magic.
The ethereal sphere floated to the doorway and remained there.
Jalarn put the book back into its place on the shelf and then followed the bright bundle of energy.
It led him down the hallway that led out of his wing and past Ittonifer’s study. It stopped at a bolted door that he had ignored hundreds of times before.
Jalarn unbolted the latch and his pulse raced. What was behind that door? The glowing object led him through the doorway and down a dark, narrow stairway. He picked up his pace to keep up with his only source of illumination. As he neared the bottom of the steps, soft amber light bounced off the walls.
He stood at the bottom of the staircase. The magical bundle of light faded until it disappeared completely.
He stood in a cave-like room. It was lit by several torches that were secured on the stone walls. There were several cauldrons and shelves upon shelves of books, scrolls, jars, and bottles, but there was not a soul to be seen.
Jalarn walked around the large room. There were jars filled with everything from rats’ tails to dried flowers. It was the most captivating display that he had ever seen. He wanted to know the different ways of manipulating every single item in the room.
How long would it take for me to know how to use all of these things?
He walked over to a statue of a mighty warrior, carved out of black stone. Gooseflesh emerged over his body as he stared at it. There was something about it that made him never want to take his eyes off of it.
This has to be the most powerful thing in the lair.
Dragging footsteps and raspy breathing interrupted the silence.
Jalarn turned to face an old, boney warlock who wore a black hooded robe and an amused expression.
“What may I help you with, young Jalarn?”
“How do you know who I am?”
“I happen to know many things about you. My name is Aterun. I am the high magician here. I’ve been watching your progress, and I knew that one day you would come to me for guidance.”
How? I didn’t even know that this place existed.
“The great prince has very special plans for you. He has given me the responsibility of teaching you.”
“So you speak with him then?”
With a wistful smile, the elderly warlock nodded.
“Everyday.”
“I suppose he would speak to an accomplished warlock that often.”
Jalarn glanced up at the statue of the powerful knight.
“Who is that?” Jalarn asked.
The magician clasped his frail hands together. He was clearly taken by the idol.
“It is our lord. Legend has it that the prince himself carved it from the moon’s stone after he fled Heaven. It is a daily reminder of his strength and courage for us to go against the oppression written throughout the God followers’ Scriptures.”
A shiver ran down Jalarn’s spine.
Carved by the most powerful being in the universe.
“I want to gain more power for our army on the battlefield. The Malinorian Empire can use it to expand to its full potential.”
“Yes, I know. Come, let me show you something.”
“Are you the only magician here?”
“No. There are ten others.”
“Where is everyone?”
“We usually congregate