Wizard's Quest: Book Two Chapters Seven and Eight

All works copywrite Jay D Evans 2013

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

Finding himself standing in the park between Old Town and New Town Edinburgh, Richard looked up at the deep blue sky. Clouds, just wisps of white, floated high above his hometown. The sun shone brightly over the mid-morning strollers in the park that he had rarely visited. Before Angus MacCorkadall had come and taken him to Crauford Castle, most of his time had been spent roaming the dirty streets of the poorer neighbourhoods of New Town, looking for someone to pickpocket or con out of their money. He had never had time to enjoy the beauty that Edinburgh had to offer. His had been a life totally different than the people that were strolling along the winding paths of the park in the warm spring air.

“Richie, my special boy,” came from behind him.

He knew the voice, it hadn’t been that long since he had heard it. Remembering back a few months to the time he was ready to give up his quest for the Power Stone, Richard saw in his mind his father’s flat. It was neat and tidy instead of the unkempt flat that his father usually kept, with pictures of his mother, still alive long after she had died, and his mother, standing in the small kitchen, cooking dinner for her husband and son. She had talked with him then, about life, love, loyalty and fulfilling promises. Is that what she would tell him today? That he should be loyal to the cause and live life to the fullest? Or would she give him advice about something different? Circumstances were different this time. He wasn’t giving up anything; in fact, he was determined to find all his friends and return them home, to Crauford Castle.

Turning and running to the woman that had given him life, he hugged her tight. The last time he had not been given enough time to be close to her, to have her hold him like this, to show her that he loved her. He was not giving up the chance this time to be close to her. Slowly and gently, she pushed her son away from his embrace, but not totally away from her. It was as if she understood his need for closeness, for her love. Still holding him, she spoke in a gentle voice like only a knowing mother could do.

“Richie, you look tired. Have you been sleeping? And you’re thinner, you really need to eat better.”

“Mum, you dinnae know what I’ve been through. But, I’m fine. I’ll be all right.”

“Tell me what’s happened. What have you been through, my special boy? It cannae be tha’ bad to make you look so worn,” concern showed on her face.

“Mum, I’ve come back to find me mates. I’ve found two, but it’s been hard. I have people trying to kill me,” showing her the Sphere and the Sceptre, “for these. I think they are the only way to find the rest of them.”

She only glanced at the tools he had shown her, as her gaze once again centred on his face. The concern deepened the lines etched into her skin. Her once golden hair was greying and the eyes that once shone brightly with life were dimmed by age more and more right before his eyes. He imagined that this was what she would have looked like at this time in her life if she had lived. As it was, he knew that this was only on illusion, something out of his mind that was here to teach him a lesson or help him make a decision.

“Richie, you let things worry you so. The small things aren’t so important, it’s the big things that you should be concerned about. Your friends, they mean the world to you, and finding them is very important; I can see that in you. But the power that you have now is more than you realize. Kahnlin cannae hurt you. As long as you believe in yourself and your quest you will be the victor. Trust only those that you know. Question those that you don’t. There are people that would usurp your power and take from you all that you have if you allow them to.”

“But, Mum, the quest is over. I got the Power Stone back to Crauford Castle and Professor MacCorkadall.”

Smiling at her son, Carolyn Evans reached out and stroked his cheek, something that she had done many times when he was a boy. “Richard Evans, the quest isnae over. You still have to find those you left behind. No matter where it takes you, no matter what the cost, you cannae return home until you have them all. Even the evil one, the one that tried to undermine you, must be found and returned.”

The warm breeze that had been blowing turned cold. The sunny sky turned dark with rain-swollen clouds. The people in the park were thinning out, going back to their jobs or homes to stay out of the impending rain. Richard shivered in the cold wind as he listened to what his mother was telling him. He knew that she was right, finding everyone, even Sebastian, was paramount. With the power that he had through the Sceptre and Sphere the quest would be easier, but as time went by the power seemed to be dwindling.

Without him saying anything, Carolyn answered his question, “The power is great. It will not leave you. You are starting to control it more through logic instead of emotion. Magick is a strange thing, Richie, the more emotion put into it, the greater it is, but also the more unpredictable. Use your heart, but control it with your head.”

The sky became black, looking around, Richard could no longer see beyond the park boundaries. Edinburgh Castle was gone, as were the buildings on the other side. There were no other people in the park now. The darkness was growing thicker and within seconds all he could see was his mother. Reaching out to hug her, she looked into his face and smiled, then she, too, was gone. Standing in the pitch black, Richard knew that he was alone again in that place he called Nowhere. Soon he would be returned to Syrus and his friends, his outlook changed slightly, his mood a little lighter. He knew what he had to do and how he had to do it. He would have to send his friends back home to Crauford, this was a task that only he could do. Trusting no one but those he knew meant putting them into more danger than he wanted to. Losing Mary again would kill him so she would be the first to go home.

It would be difficult to send Mary away; she had always been his support and comfort. He had made it through the Quest; he had found the Power Stone and returned it to Master MacCorkadall without her help. He knew he could do it; the task would be much easier, and enjoyable, for him if she were with him. But the danger was too great, the risks too high. He would send her home. Lost in his thoughts he hadn’t realized that he was back in the canyon on Syrus.

“Where’d ya go, Mate? One minute you were here, the next you were gone.” Sean looked a little concerned.

“Nowhere. At least that’s what I call it. I was there before, when I was the only one left looking for the Power Stone. I saw me mum, Sean. She spoke to me. Then and now. I kinn whit I need tae dae, thanks tae her advice an' wisdom.”

Turning towards Kahnlin, Richard looked deep into his eyes. His mother had told him that logic over emotion was the way to control the power. Concentrating, the boy wizard stared into the terrified face of the Trelf. He could see into his mind, into his very soul and know what this being knew. Fergus was being held, not by trolls, but by Kahnlin’s people deep in the central mountains. Because of their aloofness and arrogance, the Trelfs believed everyone was below them and Fergus was no different. He was being used as a slave by Kahnlin’s own family.

“Sean was right,” came through clenched teeth. “You are a foul evil little cockroach and don’t deserve to live.”

Terrified, but believing this human was incapable of much more than threats to him, the Trelf just stared at his captor. Although Richard knew that his family held his friend in slavery and that he wanted the Sceptre and Sphere so that he could control Syrus, Kahnlin still believed that he would win somehow. This lowly boy and his band of misfits would make a mistake, and then they would pay for their insolence and treatment of the Heir Apparent of King Oberon. They would die for what they had done to him.

Sensing what the Trelf was thinking, Richard turned and starting walking away from the granite stone encasing Kahnlin. Mary, not knowing all that had happened between the young wizard and the half-troll/half elf stared in disbelief. Seeing the emotion on her face, he just shook his head at her, not giving reason or excuse for his actions and walked past her into the night.

“What is he doing? He can’t leave this man here, like this!”

“Aye, he can, and should,” replied Sean. “Mary, you dornt kinn what the boggin’ choob has put us through. He deserves what he gets, and more.”

From out of the darkness Richard called for his troupe. Once everyone was around him, out of earshot of Kahnlin, he told them his plan.

“I’m going to leave him here, in that bloody rock! I may send someone back to get him, or I may just leave him there to rot. Depends on the reception we get when we get to the central mountains. Fergus is in Kahnlin’s own house, as a slave for the bawbag’s family. We’re going to go get him and then head to the Troll caves for the doorway to the Elvin world. Ker, I am leaving you here to guard Kahnlin. Do what you want when we’re gone, it’s up to you. Any questions or comments?” No one replied as the air around them became cold despite the ever-present oppressive heat, then the world disappeared.

Mary and Thomas had never travelled via the Sphere before and were left dazed by the transition. Seeing her almost fall over from the effect, Richard reached out to hold her up. Smiling, he leaned into her and lightly kissed her. He hadn’t realized until this moment just how much she meant to him. She was important, yes, but the emotion that he had for this girl ran deeper than just friends. It was now that he realized that if he were to lose her again, it would mean certain death for him. Knowing this, he made a decision.

Looking directly into Mary’s eyes, “I am sending you home. You, Thomas and Elizabeth. This journey is too dangerous for me to have so many to watch out for. Sean and I can find Fergus here and then go on to find the others.”

“I won’t go home!” Elizabeth was adamant. “I told you that I was coming with you and I won’t go home until we find them all. I knew what I was getting into when we came back here. I am not going to quit now.”

“What are we up against? More of those filthy trolls? What could be worse than that? If there are more to find, I want to help.” Tears started to show at the corners of Mary’s eyes at the thought of leaving with more friends to find.

“Oo do we need ter find? I’m in, nah matter wot ya say,” Thomas’ reply showed his cockney roots.

“Mary, Sean and Elizabeth were the only ones that made it back. It’s a long and painful story. Too long to tell right now. Even they don’t know all we’re up against. I can’t lose you again. Thomas, as much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, I need to do this with as few people as possible.”

The sky was starting to turn from bright blue to the darker shades of evening. Not knowing too much about the Trelf’s habits, Richard took his group of rescuers behind some boulders to keep from being seen if someone were to come down the path they were standing on. It was seconds later when a party of hunters appeared with their catch for the day. With them, carrying the packs like a beast of burden was Fergus. Finally things were starting to go right! This would be simple. Wait for them to get as close as they could, stun them and take Fergus without a fight. Then send everyone home but Sean.

As the Trelfs came abreast of Richard’s group, he raised his finger to his lips to indicate for everyone to be quiet. Pointing to Sean, then to the Trelfs, becoming rigid to indicate the stun spell, he turned and waited until they had passed by. Sean, knowing what Richard wanted, jumped out behind them, with wand pulled and ready, and shouted to get their attention. Every oval eye turned to the young wizard, Fergus couldn’t believe what he saw. With shouts of surprise and the confusion of seeing another human boy in their midst they didn’t see Richard stand with the Sceptre and quietly say, “Reodh!” and the entire group froze where they were.

Sean looked at Fergus and smiled. “Maybe we could leave him this way, send him home and MacCorkadall could unfreeze him. Make it a lot easier than fighting with him.” Snapping his fingers, “Maybe we could freeze them all, Rich, that way none of them could argue with you.”

Smiling and shaking his head, Richard looked at his friend, “As easy as it would be, I can’t do it. Wouldn’t be right. But, it is an idea.” Looking at Fergus he waved the Sceptre over him, “Neuriojey,” and the boy fell over, off balance from the packs and the surprise of seeing his friends.

In his thick Irish brogue, “Waaat de ‘ell! ‘Oy ye fend me?”

“Well, Mate, first we came back here to this bloody rock. We met the ‘heir apparent’ to the throne, who tried to kill us because Richard has somethin’ that belonged to his faither. Then Richard got somethin’ called the Sceptre of Oberon an’ with it got a lot more power to his magick, read Kahnlin’s mind an’ found out where you were, came here and found you. Any questions?” Sean looked pleased with himself over his explanation.

“Waaat?”

Shaking his head, Richard laughed. “Fergus, let’s just say that because of very fortunate circumstances, we found you. Now it’s time to send you all home. We can tell you all about it when Sean and I get back.”

“I am not going home!” Standing with defiance on her face, Mary folded her arms across her chest. Then, softer, “You may need me.”

“And I’m in this to the end. I told you that before we left. Remember?” Elizabeth was just as adamant as Mary.

“They hae ye, Mucker. Ah, fur a body, am nae gonnae argue wi’ those tois burds. They baith hae guid points.” Sean stressed his Highland roots in his speech, something he did only when he wanted to make a stand on something.

“I wanna Scapa Fla, too! Ya may need me. I could do more than the bloomin’ ocean pearls if ya ran into Barney Rubble.” Thomas cockney slang was a little difficult to understand sometimes, even for a Londoner. When every one looked at him like he’d lost his mind, he repeated, “I wanna go! If you run inta trouble, I can ‘elp.”

“If yer don’t mind, I’ll go ‘um. De last four months ‘av been total ‘ell for me. Sorry, Richard, but I’m not gonna argue, jist send me ‘um.” At least Fergus was making it easy.

Torn, Richard fought with himself for several minutes. Should he let them stay? Should he make them go home? Elizabeth knew the risks when she came along. Mary had no clue as to what she would be up against. Thomas could help, especially if they ran into trolls, dragon riders or something that hadn’t been encountered before. Sean was staying, that much he was sure of. Finally, he decided that he, Sean, Elizabeth and Mary would continue on. Thomas and Fergus would go home and report to MacCorkadall. Sean and Elizabeth were going because they had started with him. Mary would go because she was always his support. He had needed her on the first part of the quest so many times. She could help with the wounded, if there were any and with Stephanie and Cassandra when they were found. Thomas, even though he had the strength, would make too many people to watch out for. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“I’ve made my decision. Thomas, you and Fergus should go home, report to MacCorkadall that the rest of us are going on to find the rest of the group. Mary, as dangerous as this quest is, I don’t think I could dissuade you from going. I don’t want to lose you, not again, but I needed you before and I may need your strength as we go on. At least this time we won’t be facing the rock creatures that I did when I found the Power Stone.”

Looking around at the young faces around him, Richard realized just how old he felt. His eighteenth birthday was only two weeks away and he was feeling older than MacCorkadall. As his friends looked back at him, he raised the Sceptre and sent Thomas and Fergus back home to Crauford Castle. At least they were safe from any harm. Hoping the right decision had been made, he used the Sphere to take the rest to the Troll caves and the door to the lush forest that surrounded the Mansion. Materializing in the dark tunnel, the foursome was bathed in the blue glow from the doorway. Mary just stared at it in awe, never having seen anything like it before.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Aye, that it is. Wait till you see what’s on the other side.” Leading the way, Richard went from the dry, arid world of the trolls and Trelfs into the green, cool world of the forest elves.

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

“Oh, my…. It’s beautiful,” Mary gushed. “And so cool. Even home isn’t like this.”

“I thought you might like it. But there’s more. Wait till you see the Mansion. It makes Crauford look like a heap of ruins.” Richard smiled at his friend, thinking about what she had said about the castle they call home and how she thought there was nothing in the world so grand.

“Maybe we should be getting there, Richie. It’ll be gettin’ dark soon.” Sean looked around at the forest thinking about the elves and wondering if they were watching them. It would be just like them to watch from the shadows, spying, and then scare them by popping out at the most inopportune time.

“Aye, you’re right. Hopefully it’s back the way it was and there’s a good meal waiting for us. I could use some hot haggis and an ice cold ginger.”

“How can you eat that stuff,” Elizabeth got a sick look on her face and stuck out her tongue. “Yuck!”

With a hurt look, Richard stared at her, “It’s the best thing a body can get.”

“Aye,” Sean laughed, “meat and oats in a sheep’s stomach. Nothin’ better,” then got a sick look on his face.

“Are we going to stand here and argue about food or go somewhere and get some,” Mary asked?

Taking the lead, Richard headed off to the Mansion and, hopefully, to a hot meal and a warm bed. When he and Stephanie had found the big house, there had been food waiting for them and rooms made up for royalty. The next morning they had clean clothes and Elizabeth, who had been wearing less than rags, had a new set that fit like a glove. The house itself was decked out in gold, silver, diamonds and marble. But, when the group had returned from the land of Fey without Richard, the house had turned into a shack, looking like it had been abandoned for decades. The food had been gruel and instead of individual rooms like before, there had only been two rooms for the travellers and they had straw mats instead of soft beds. The only room that had any semblance of being taken care of had been the one where Quentin and Stephanie had been left to lie in state and then disappeared from.

Hoping for the best, expecting the worst, the four trudged along the trail silently until they came upon the vine covered wall that surrounded the Mansion. Walking as they had before, towards the gate, Richard, Sean and Elizabeth became more and more excited and animatedly babbled about all that they had encountered the last time here. Mary listened to the incoherent noise until the gate appeared at last and the others stopped to stare at the glimmering building. It was indeed as it had been when first found, immaculately kept garden, polished oak doors and lit from within as if welcoming home old friends. As the friends approached the massive front doors they opened without pretence and they entered to find all as they had hoped, even the dining hall was set for the four with all their favourite foods and drinks.

Once full, Richard decided to check out the bedrooms on the second floor. As before, the rooms were fit for royalty. King-sized beds with satin sheets, silk pillowcases and thick comforters to cover it all. The carpet was thick enough that footprints were left behind when walked upon and the bathroom floor was black and white marble. The lights had silver and gold trim to match the silver and gold paint on the walls. The dressers in each room had new clothes in them for a boy and a girl. The fact that there were only two rooms made up for them confused the young wizard. The last time there had been enough rooms for all of them. Looking at his friends with the dazed look of someone totally lost made the others laugh.

“I don’t understand. Why are there only two rooms made? There were enough for everyone last time.”

Mary looked at her friend sheepishly, “Maybe we’re supposed to sleep…. You know… together. Sean and Elizabeth. You and me.”

“As smart as you are...” Sean looked at the floor, shook his head and laughed.

“I don’t know that I want to sleep with you,” Elizabeth looked at Sean reproachfully, holding back a laugh of her own.

Feeling stupid, Richard could just stand there and turn red. Not able to hold back his accent, he blurted, “Ah hae tay many things oan mah min’. Ah wasnae thinkin’ ‘at way!”

“Mary, mebbe he doesnae want tae sleep wi’ ye. It coods be ‘at he’s scared ay sharin’ a bed wi’ a good lookin’ girl,” Sean winked at Mary as he mimicked Richard’s thick accent. “That’s all right, though. I’ll let both of you girls sleep with me and our fearless leader can sleep by himself.”

Frustration on top of embarrassment didn’t help Richard speak proper English any faster. “Ah tauld ye, Ah hae a lot oan mah min’. An’ I'm exhausted. Can we jist gang tae scratcher?”

“Can we WHAT?” Elizabeth stared, again not understanding what he had said.

“What he said was that he was tired and wanted to just go to bed,” Sean translated.

“Aye, that’s what ah said.”

“Good idea. Let’s go to bed. I’m about to fall asleep on my feet. Richard, I don’t care where you sleep. I’m going into this room,” Mary pointed at the room next to the grand staircase, “taking off these filthy clothes, taking a shower and going to bed. You can either follow me or sleep with Sean and Elizabeth, if they let you. It’s up to you.” With that, she disappeared behind the door.

“Not sleeping with me this time, my friend,” Sean shook his head, looked at Elizabeth and went into the room across the hall.

“I guess I’m doing what Mary is. Taking a shower and going to bed. In this room,” Elizabeth indicated the room Sean had gone into and she, too, was gone.

Left alone in the hallway, Richard looked around. Feeling like a fool he was reluctant to follow Mary. So instead, he went up to the third floor to the room at the end of the hall where Stephanie and Quentin had been placed when killed by Sebastian. There was something different about it this time, something that Richard couldn’t quite put his finger on. It came to him suddenly that the colours were lighter. Where there had been dark maroon and royal purple it was now blood red and violet. The light fixtures and accents were still gold and silver, but were much brighter.

Looking around the room there were other things that caught his eye. There was an open book on the table and a scarf thrown over the back of one of the chairs. But what surprised him the most was the bed. Where Quentin and Stephanie had laid in state there was only one side of the bed that looked like it had been lain on. It didn’t surprise him that his two friends weren’t there; they had disappeared before he had gone on to find the Power Stone. But why did it look as though someone had been sleeping here? The room looked lived in.

Richard sat down in one of the two big reading chairs and leaned against the table trying to decipher the clues that were here. The bed, the scarf, the book... it just didn’t make sense. There had never been anyone here before. Sitting, staring at the floor he spotted a piece of cloth just under the edge of the bed. He fell back into the chair when he picked it up. Here, in his hand, was a rock pendant that he had given Stephanie his first year at Crauford Castle. Thinking back almost four years, he remembered when he gave it to her.

“It’s a stoatin day tae be ootwith, isnae it?”

“Richard, ye need tae speak clearer. We aren’t in Auld Reekie anymore.”

“Yoo’re reit, Quent. But, Ah cannae help myself when it’s such a great day an’ it’s sae guid tae be alive!”

“You two! When will you start living at Crauford Castle, not on the streets of Edinburgh?” Mary looked at her new found friends and laughed.

“They will never learn to speak English. After all, we Britons have been trying to teach the Scots civilized living for centuries.” Stephanie shook her head at Richard and Quentin, knowing that it didn’t matter what she said.

“Aye, that ye have. An’ we Scots have fought ye aff for all those centuries.” Richard stuck his chest out in a show of superiority.

The day was warm with a bright sun high in a cloudless sky and the castle the four friends had learned to call home in the background. They had been at Crauford Castle for almost a year spending nine hours a day, six days a week learning the ancient art of magick. With spring turning to summer and the weather having been warmer than usual for the Highlands of Scotland they had decided to go to the loch and swim. Richard and Quentin had met on the way to the castle and the two girls had been friends in London before being invited to study their unique gifts at the ancient school. When they had met on their first day in the Great Hall they had become instant friends. This was the first time they had been able to spend time with each other for more than just studying.

Stephanie had taken an instant liking to the outspoken Richard and had done her best to spend as much time as possible with him. It was assumed that the two had become a couple within the first month of arriving at school. Richard wasn’t so sure of the relationship. He wanted to study hard and learn as much as he could and didn’t want to be held back by having someone who needed to have his attention. That had not dissuaded the feisty blonde at all. She let him have his space, but when he and Quentin had asked her and Mary if they wanted to go to the loch she knew that this would be the time to make the relationship more official.

They had finished swimming and were sitting in the grass along the shore of the loch; Quentin and Richard were throwing stones into the water. Stephanie and Mary were watching them as if they were spectators at a football match, cheering whichever one threw their stone the furthest. Richard walked down the shoreline to find “the perfect stone.” When he returned he held his hand out to Stephanie.

“Mah lady. Ah hae a gift fur ye. Will ye accept it an’ cherish it forever?”

“That depends. What do you have for me?” Stephanie looked at Richard with a mixture of confusion and distrust, not knowing whether he was serious or whether he would hand her a frog.

Richard held her hand in his and dropped a heart-shaped stone into her palm. “A token o’ mah affection for ye, Steph. Yoo’ll always hae a piece o’ mah heart.”

Holding the stone close to her heart, she reached over and kissed him lightly. “I will keep and cherish this forever, my lord. And I will never be without it.”

Shaking his head to clear the memory from his mind, Richard stood up. “I know she’s still alive. She has to be. All we have to do is find her.” Pocketing the pendant he left the mysterious room and went back to the second floor.

Standing in front of the door that Mary was sleeping behind he hesitated. As he stood there, deciding whether he shook knock or just walk in, he heard noise from the room where Sean and Elizabeth were. He listened for just a second until he realized that it was not just one of them being restless, but the sounds of two teenagers having fun in a way that only a boy and girl can have together. Feeling like an audio peeping Tom, or something similar, he quietly opened the door to his own room, hoping that Mary was still awake.

“Richard, where did you go?” came almost inaudibly from the bed.

“I didn’t wake ye up, did I?” He sat on the edge of the big bed and looked into the eyes of his best friend and soul mate.

“No, I was waiting for you. I wasn’t sure that you would come in. It’s been an hour. I was beginning to think that you decided to sleep in the hall.”

“Nae! I went up to the third floor to check on that room” He debated whether to mention the pendant and decided to wait until morning when they were all together.

“Find anything?”

Leaning over to hold her, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Right now, I just want to spend some quality time with you.” He got back up and got undressed. As his tunic hit the floor, the dim light went out as if the Mansion knew it was time for darkness.

 

Darkness was just coming on in the canyon where Kahnlin was held in the block of granite. With his hands bound by his sides there was no way for him to get free. With a great roar from deep in his chest he called for help and within minutes there were four Trelf warriors chiselling away the rock that held their leader.

Ker, knowing that he had just called for help became wary. Looking around, he waited for the Trelf’s warriors to arrive. The wait was shorter than he expected. Surrounded by tens of warriors in seconds, he braced for battle. The sheer numbers were his downfall. The giant troll fell minutes after the battle began, but not before he had killed a score or more.

Looking down with disdain at the slain troll, Kahnlin made an oath. “That insolent little whelp will pay for this if I have to follow him to the gates of Hades.”