Ancient Prophecy
Book 3 of Targa Trilogy
By Richard S. Tuttle
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 1997 by Richard S. Tuttle
All rights reserved.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious.
Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
Map of Edonia
Our story so far . . .
Alexander Tork, a fifteen year old lumberman, is thrust into a position of leading his village to safety before an advancing attack of Yaki, a fierce race of large fox-like creatures. His strength, courage, and leadership skills, soon draw him into the Red Swords of Targa, an elite military group, where his loyalty and skills mark him for rapid advancement. Along his path, he befriends Jenneva, a young orphaned girl destined to become one the world’s most powerful magicians, and Oscar Dalek, a poor border town boy destined to become the nation’s richest man. The three young Targan’s paths intertwine to save the Kingdom from an evil sorcerer and his huge host of goblins and Yaki.
In the end, Jenneva manages to use the Origin Scroll to banish Sarac, the evil sorcerer, into another Universe, while Alex, with the help of Oscar’s vast fortune, marshals the forces of the Red Swords to vanquish the goblin army.
At the beginning of The Dark Quest, Mordac, Sarac’s assistant, has spent two years trying to find the knowledge to bring his banished Master back home. Mordac assembles a large army of Black Devils and pillages the world’s temples in search of the Book of the Beginning. With the help of his eager devotees, Aurora and Dalgar, Mordac manages to seize the Targan Throne and sets upon a plan to engage the country in war with its two neighbors, while his private army continues to collect books. His plan is discovered and thwarted by the heroic trio and results in Mordac’s death. Unfortunately, Aurora and Dalgar escape the destruction of the Black Devils.
Chapter 1
Honeymoon
Dalgar and Aurora stood on the hill watching the great battle below. Although the castle had a greater number of men, the Kingdom forces were slaughtering Mordac’s magicians.
“How did the Army react so swiftly?” asked Aurora. “We only told them yesterday where they could find Mordac.”
“That is not the regular Kingdom Army,” answered Dalgar. “Look at the uniforms. Those are Targa Rangers. They must have found Mordac’s castle on their own. It is a good thing we got out of there when we did.”
“There are not that many Rangers,” mused Aurora, “and yet they seem to be receiving very little resistance.”
“The Black Devils must have been surprised by the Rangers,” concluded Dalgar. “There is a lesson to be learned here, Aurora. We must remember that magic does not always win. If those forces met on a battlefield, the Rangers would not stand a chance.”
“Well, at least we know that Mordac will not be searching for Sarac,” stated Aurora. “We will have no competition for the rewards of finding Sarac.”
“I wish we had brought the Book of the Beginning with us,” lamented Dalgar. “Now it will end up in Targan hands. I think we had better be on our way. We need to find the Junction to Sarac’s Universe before Jenneva or Egam does. Where should we start looking?”
“On the plains in the Gordo Region where Sarac left this Universe,” explained Aurora. “I passed the spot on my way to Mordac’s initial meeting. There is a little pile of stones there to mark the spot. I suggest we get moving before the Rangers decide to search the surrounding hills for more Black Devils.”
The two magicians picked up their bags and set out for the Tor Pass, which would take them into the Northlands and towards the monument to Sarac.
* * * *
Alex crouched in the bushes, straining his ears to pick up the tiniest sound. He knew the elf patrol was fairly close, but he had not been able to see them yet. Within moments he saw the patrol marching down the narrow forest path, yet he still could not hear them walking. He waited patiently as the six elves passed his hidden spot and soundlessly crept out of the bushes and followed the small group. Alex had to balance his need for speed with the requirement for silence as he hurried to catch up with the last elf in the patrol. The slightest sound would give him away before he had the chance to attack.
Alex was right behind the last elf as the patrol rounded a bend in the trail. He reached out and clasped one hand over the elf’s mouth as his other hand went for the elf’s bow to keep it from falling. The elf tried to turn and Alex lifted him off the ground and held him quietly until the patrol was well ahead. He leaned close to the struggling elf and whispered, “You’re dead.”
Alex released his hold on the elf and turned him around. The Ranger Colonel held a finger to his lips and pointed to the ground. The elf scowled as he sat down on the path and Alex took off down an intersecting path. He could not hope to race after the patrol without being detected, but he could take a different path and hope to ambush the elves in another spot. Their patrols were too consistent and Alex knew the route they would be taking, but he would have little time to get into position.
Alex found the second spot he planned on using and slid under cover just moments before the elf patrol came into view. They did not seem to be aware that one of their team was missing and passed by. Alex crept out and followed the group again. Once again he grabbed the last elf in line, but the elf’s foot hit a bush as Alex was lifting him off his feet. The entire patrol turned as one with their bows leveled at Alex.
Alex lowered the captured elf as Prince Rigal came marching back from the front of the patrol. The elf Prince stood there a while looking back down the trail for the sixth elf that was supposed to be in the patrol.
“He’s back over where the trail bends to the south,” Alex declared.
“Incredible,” complimented the Prince. “I would not have believed that a human could be so silent. You are a very extraordinary human, Alex.”
“Thank you, Prince Rigal,” Alex said. “I have had an excellent teacher. Your methods are indeed silent.”
Prince Elgorn came down the path with the sixth member of the elf patrol.
“Even still,” stated the Prince, “I have never known a human who could utilize them. I must admit that it worries me some. We have grown to believe that we would hear anyone who entered our forest. If you can learn these methods, other humans may learn them as well. How are we to stop humans from sneaking into Glendor if these methods are spread?”
“Very easily, Prince Rigal,” Alex offered. “Your patrols are too consistent. I knew where you would be and where I could hide. Vary the patrols and I could not repeat my attack. Also, as your men are marching and checking left and right, have them turn their heads just enough to detect the next man in the patrol. That way if the last man is taken, you will know it immediately.”
Prince Rigal nodded to Alex and embraced his brother, Prince Elgorn. “I see that your scouting mission is complete, Elgorn. What news do you bring?”
“The goblins are not making any moves southward as was suspected,” reported Prince Elgorn. “They do not appear to be making any preparations to move anywhere. I guess the reports were wrong. I am pleased to be back home and to see Alex visiting again. Are you trying to make an elf out of him?”
“Indeed, he is learning to move like one of us,” answered Prince Rigal. “I am glad for him, but concerned with a human’s ability to move like us.”
Prince Elgorn laughed. “Do not be concerned, brother. Alexander Tork is no longer human. Come, I require food after my journey. Let us retire to the village and talk.”
Alex and Prince Rigal exchanged quizzical glances and joined Prince Elgorn on the path to the village. Alex prepared three plates of food while the two Princes reported to King Gondoral. Jenneva and Galdan came and joined Alex for the midday meal. Alex kissed Jenneva and asked, “So, how is my favorite magician doing in her studies?”
“Galdan is a wealth of information,” answered Jenneva. “I have learned much about healing and the traditions of the elves. How do your forest games go?”
“Very well,” responded Alex. “Prince Rigal is a good commander and a good teacher. He has me doing things that I never thought I would be able to do. You certainly have a strange idea of a honeymoon, but I must admit that I am enjoying it immensely. Prince Elgorn has returned from his scouting mission.”
“Good,” declared Jenneva. “As soon as Egam arrives, we can begin talking about the rest of our honeymoon.”
“What do you mean, the rest of our honeymoon?” asked Alex. “I should be returning to Tagaret soon.”
“You have no need to return to Tagaret yet,” answered Jenneva. “Mitar and David have the Rangers and Red Swords under control. Besides, I asked King Byron to excuse you for an extended period of time and he was very accommodating.”
“Even still,” asked Alex, “what does that have to do with Prince Elgorn and Egam?”
“Egam will be going with us,” responded Jenneva. “King Gondoral also wanted us to wait until Prince Elgorn returned before we left because Prince Rigal will be going with us.”
“An elf Prince and your Master are going with us on our honeymoon?” asked Alex. “Why is this beginning to bother me?”
Jenneva laughed as the two elf Princes joined the discussion. Prince Rigal sat with a frown upon his face. “Don’t worry, Alex,” he stated. “It bothers me, as well. I have heard that we are going to have to suffer a dwarf with us.”
“Prince Rigal,” Galdan offered, “this trip is being made to promote dwarf-elf harmony as well as other reasons. If we are to live in peace with our neighbors, you must make an effort to understand the dwarves.”
“I understand dwarves just fine,” the dark Prince spat. “They are warlike and evil and desire for themselves what is ours. I would wager that only one of us returns.”
Galdan frowned and Alex asked, “Why is it that everyone knows where we are going except me? Are we going to visit the dwarves?”
“Perhaps,” Galdan replied. “We hope that you are going to visit the elves, but maybe you will find dwarves instead.”
“There has been no reason to discuss the trip yet,” interrupted Jenneva. “We are going to try to reach the Universe of Elderal, land of the elves. Egam is out now, searching for the entrance to the Universe. He will be leading us on this expedition. Prince Rigal is going as the representative of the elves. The dwarves are sending a representative because we do not know what Universe we will actually be going to. Egam and I have theories about where we will end up, but nobody really knows.”
Alex was stunned. He looked around the table to see if they were playing a joke on him, but everyone appeared serious. “I have to believe that going to another Universe entails a certain amount of risk. Why would King Gondoral send one of his sons on such a dangerous mission? Couldn’t we just tell him if we found this Elderal?”
“This trip is really for the benefit of the elves,” answered Galdan. “The Medallion of Prince Geltim is to be taken as proof that his descendants still live. Only those of royal blood can carry the medallion. Prince Rigal or Prince Elgorn must be part of the expedition and Prince Rigal volunteered.”
“That was before I knew a dwarf was going,” conceded Prince Rigal. “Still, elves are not afraid of danger. Were the expedition canceled, I would still go alone.”
“Egam and I would not let this opportunity pass,” added Jenneva. “We welcome the company of Prince Rigal. I hope that you will come also, Alex. I do not wish to part from you, but this is something I cannot miss. I need to understand what I have read in the Book of the Beginning so that I can determine the threat of Sarac returning. I have explored the histories of the elves and the dwarves and I believe we have discovered their origins in this Universe. Our expedition will prove or disprove my theory. Do you understand?”
Alex remained silent and everyone’s attention was riveted on him. Alex finally reached out and held Jenneva’s hand. “I cannot let you go without me, but from now on I want to know everything that is going on. No more leaving me in the dark. I want to know about your theory and what we expect to find in this other Universe. Will they speak the same language that Prince Rigal has been teaching me?”
“They will unless they’re dwarves,” chuckled Prince Elgorn. “Our language is the same as that of Prince Geltim’s.”
“Is that why you have been teaching me the elf ways?” Alex asked Prince Rigal.
“Yes,” the dark Prince answered. “If it comes to battle, you and I must protect the party. We cannot depend on a dwarf and you have progressed exceedingly well. I am pleased you have decided to come.”
“How much time do we have left before we depart?” Alex asked.
“Until Egam returns,” answered Galdan, “and we must use that time wisely. Come, Jenneva, it is time for us to continue our work.”
Prince Rigal also rose. “Elgorn, help Alex with the language for me. I have a certain patrol that I have to admonish.”
When they were alone, Alex asked Prince Elgorn, “What did you mean about me being not human?”
Prince Elgorn gave Alex a puzzled look. “Did you not know? When you were injured in Tor, Galdan and I came to your aid. You were in great need of blood and Galdan gave you some of mine. You have royal elfin blood flowing through your veins. You are as a half-brother to me.”
“Jenneva told me that Galdan healed me and even sailed to Tagaret with me,” Alex said, “but I was unaware of your gift. I am forever indebted to you, Prince Elgorn.”
“As I will be to you, Alex, if you return Prince Rigal back to Glendor,” the fair Prince stated. “I worry about his temper, especially in the company of a dwarf. If anything happens to Egam, you must become the leader of the group. An elf will not follow the lead of a dwarf and a dwarf will not follow Prince Rigal. Bring my brother home to me, Alex.”
“I promise, Prince Elgorn,” declared Alex. “If any elfin blood from this Universe stays in Elderal, it will be mine rather than Prince Rigal’s”
* * * *
Egam and Prince Tergota, Prince of Talman, stood before King Tugar and Queen Gilas. “The Junction has been found, King Tugar. All that remains is to assemble the group that will be going. Everyone besides your son and myself are currently in Glendor awaiting my word to assemble.”
“Very well,” stated the King. “Prince Tergota will await the rest of the group on the surface where you have indicated. He will be given the Dagger of King Arak, as a guarantee of our existence should you actually reach the original Lanto. The fate of my son is in your hands, Egam. Do not return without him.”
“I shall not, Your Highness,” promised Egam.
“And I will not serve under an elf,” declared Prince Tergota.
“You shall not have to,” stated Egam. “Colonel Alexander Tork will be second in command so that neither elf nor dwarf should suffer under the command of the other.”
“You are a wise man, Egam,” conceded the King. “Were it otherwise, this expedition would not be possible. We look forward to your safe return.”
“In two weeks time, we will assemble at the point I described,” Egam said. “I am off for Glendor. Farewell.”
* * * *
Dalgar and Aurora reached the monument to Sarac and cast the Path Finder spell. They gazed about the plain looking for some sign of a Junction, but nothing was visible.
“What are we looking for, Aurora?” Dalgar asked.
“The Book of the Beginning said a shimmering light,” answered Aurora. “Maybe the monument is in the wrong place.”
Dalgar sat on the small pile of rocks that made up the monument and sighed. “If this isn’t the right place how will we ever find the Junction?”
Aurora plopped her weary body down on the grass and laid back. Almost immediately, she jumped back to her feet. “Dalgar! Look up.”
Directly above Dalgar, about ten feet in the air, was a large area of shimmering air. “Yes! Now all we have to do is figure a way to get up there.”
Aurora looked around the area of the monument. There were lots of rocks and some boulders available, but the two magicians would not be able to lift them. “We could use magic to slide that big boulder over to here, but that would still not be high enough,” she declared.
Dalgar sat back down on the monument feeling defeated. “Let’s get some sleep and think about it in the morning,” he offered.
The next morning, Aurora shook Dalgar to awaken him. “Dalgar, there is a wagon coming and I have an idea. Stay down and pretend to have a broken leg. I’ll wave at the wagon to get them to stop. Maybe from the top of the wagon, we will be able to reach.”
Aurora stood on top of the pile of stones and waved frantically. Eventually, the wagon changed course and headed towards Aurora. As it got closer, Aurora could see that it contained a painter and his family. The wagon pulled up next to the monument and stopped.
“You having troubles, young lady?” the painter asked.
“Yes, thank you for stopping,” Aurora answered. “My husband seems to have hurt his leg on this pile of rocks.”
The painter turned to his wife and son and told them to stretch their legs while he checked the injured man. He climbed down from the wagon and walked over to Dalgar.
“What seems to be the problem with your leg?” the painter asked.
Aurora had drifted towards the wagon and hurled a fireball at the painter’s wife and son. The painter turned towards the screaming and Dalgar killed him with a flaming projectile.
Aurora was excited. She checked the cargo area of the wagon and found several ladders. “Dalgar, this is better than I thought. They have lots of ladders back here. If we can’t reach from the wagon, we certainly can with the ladders.”
Dalgar cast the Path Finder spell again and positioned the wagon before cutting the horses loose. Aurora helped him shove a long ladder through the canvas top of the wagon and tie the bottom of the ladder so it would not slide. Dalgar climbed the ladder and peered through the shimmering Junction.
“I don’t know if this is working, Aurora. I don’t see any difference. Maybe there is no Junction.”
Aurora motioned for Dalgar to get down and she climbed up the ladder. When she got to the top, she leaned away from the ladder and looked down. Then she disappeared. Dalgar scrambled to the top and peered down at Aurora.
“How did you know?” he asked.
“When I leaned out and looked down, there was no wagon,” she answered. “Come on, jump. We’ve found Sarac’s Universe.”
Dalgar jumped through the Junction and joined Aurora. Together they set off in search of Sarac.
* * * *
Egam reached Glendor and announced that he had found the Junction. Everyone gathered to hear the news.
“The dwarf records were a big help,” he began. “Because they were unaware of the terrain, they climbed a section of the mountain that nobody would think of using today. It’s within ten miles of the pass, but I guess they were in a hurry to get away from the elves or they didn’t bother to look for a pass. It will be a little rough getting to, but I’m sure we will all make it.”
“What of the dwarves?” asked Prince Rigal. “Can we proceed without them?”
“No,” answered Egam. “I have already stopped at Talman and they have agreed to send Prince Tergota. He will be carrying the Dagger of King Arak. This expedition must be a joint venture between the elves and the dwarves and we must care for one another no matter what our dislikes are.”
“Agreed,” interrupted Jenneva. “The purpose for this trip is to show that there is no reason for the hostilities that exist between the two races. Let us vow not to take these hostilities with us into the other Universe.”
King Gondoral stared at Prince Rigal. “My son will do well to heed these words. A ruler cannot lead a nation with hatred in his heart. Extend the hand of brotherhood to Prince Tergota during this trip. There will be plenty of time for your hatred to return, if there is still reason when you return, but on this journey, your life may depend upon the skills of this dwarf Prince.”
“I will try, father,” the dark Prince offered.
Prince Elgorn motioned to speak. “I have gathered supplies for the journey. There is ample food and drink. I have included elfin cloaks for our friends, including our dwarf friend. There are also five quivers of myric quills.”
“I will have no need for weapons,” Egam stated.
“Perhaps not,” replied Prince Elgorn, “but myric quills may not be available in the other Universe. If you and Jenneva carry quivers, there will be an ample supply for others. Each pack also has a supply of rope. You will have food for several weeks, but if local game is available, make use of it. You cannot be certain of the time your journey will take.”
“We are not even certain that we will be able to return at all,” Alex added.
“We have no room for pessimism on this trip,” chided Jenneva. “Remember, this is our honeymoon and you’re supposed to be enjoying it.”
Alex laughed and everyone’s spirits seemed to be more positive. The group assembled and said their good-byes. Two other elves would accompany the group to the Junction to make sure that the party left without diminishing their food supply before departing their Universe.
The journey to the area of the Junction took a week and the party joined up with Prince Tergota the night before. The two escort elves departed to return to Glendor and the group headed down the side of the mountain. The path was narrow and twisted a great deal, but it was not hazardous walking. When they had proceeded down about half of the mountain, Egam called a halt.
“We will spend the night here,” he announced. “We are at the place of the Junction. In the morning, we will take a step through a portal that has not been used in many years. If we are lucky, we will travel to Elderal. If not, we will handle whatever fate has given us. Make camp.”
Alex watched the elf and the dwarf stake out spots on opposite sides of the camp area. During the first day together, neither had spoken to the other. Prince Tergota refused to wear the elfin cloak and Alex had stuffed it into his pack. He would have to keep a close watch on these two adversaries to make sure that they both returned alive. Even though Egam was the group’s leader, Alex didn’t think that the old magician would be able to stand between the two warriors if hostile feelings broke out.
The night passed without incident and the group broke camp the next morning. Half an hour down the path, Egam halted the group again. He turned and surveyed the group and then cast the Path Finder spell. The path directly in front of Egam shimmered and the group marched through.
Chapter 2
The Plan
Dalgar landed next to Aurora and looked around. Everything appeared just as it had before he came through the Junction with a few minor exceptions. The wagon and the bodies of the painter and his family were missing. Sarac’s monument was also missing. He told Aurora to stay where she was and started dragging rocks towards her to create a marker for the spot. Within fifteen minutes he had assembled enough rocks to create a marker so they would be able to find the spot again without casting the spell.
“Now all we have to do is figure out where Sarac is,” he stated.
“That may not be so easy,” responded Aurora. She looked completely around the horizon and could not see any people. “Which way do you think we should go?”
“Well,” answered Dalgar, “Mordac said he had been left behind at Sarac’s castle which was quite a bit north of here, so I would imagine that Sarac was heading south when he decided to leave. Let’s head south towards the mountains.”
“Okay,” Aurora agreed, “but we aren’t likely to find any stores to buy food. We’d better gather whatever food we can find along the way. Our travel packs won’t last more than a week.”
By nightfall, the pair of magicians had reached the foothills of the mountains. They set up a camp and started a fire. It was still early fall and the nights would not get really cold yet, but the fire would help in keeping predators away. They sat up for several hours discussing theories on where Sarac might go from their present position and then they went to sleep.
Half way up the mountain a solitary figure sat in the darkness watching them set up the camp. Shortly after they started the fire, he departed. He passed off a message to another Black Devil and returned to his post. Four hours later three other Black Devils joined him. The four men crept down the mountainside towards the sleeping couple. When they reached the bottom of the mountain they split into two groups and each group went towards one of the sleeping figures.
With a nod from one of the Black Devils, the four followers of Sarac stepped into the camp and seized the two visitors. Ignoring their protests, Sarac’s men quickly tied the visitors’ hands behind their backs.
“Who are you and what are you doing here?” demanded the leader.
Dalgar looked at the forearms of the four men before answering. “I am Dalgar and she is Aurora. We are members of Mordac’s Inner Circle and we have come seeking Sarac. We have found a way for him to return.”
The four men whispered among themselves for several minutes, while Dalgar and Aurora sat wondering whether their captors were Black Devils that were loyal to Sarac or some type of group that may have split from Sarac.
The leader finally returned and introduced himself. “I am Borundi, one of Sarac’s Inner Circle. We will lead you to him.”
Dalgar sighed with relief. “Great, how about untying our hands?”
Borundi smiled. “I think we can wait until we reach Sarac for that. Follow me, we have a long journey ahead of us.”
Borundi turned and started up the mountain. The three other Black Devils waited until Dalgar and Aurora followed Borundi before they fell into the procession. The journey was indeed long. One of the Black Devils left the group and resumed his duty at the lookout post. The other three Sarac devotees escorted Dalgar and Aurora for two days before they came to Sarac’s castle.
Dalgar stared at the ogres, but his questions went unanswered. Finally, they were led into a room in the castle and placed in chairs. They sat there with their hands still tied until Sarac arrived.
“Dalgar and Aurora, is it?” Sarac asked.
“Yes, Your Holiness,” Dalgar responded.
Sarac flinched at Dalgar’s words. He examined the two captives for a few moments before speaking again. “I find your choice of words interesting, Dalgar. Explain them.”
Dalgar was confused. He hadn’t said more than three words. “Is it improper to refer to you as Your Holiness?” he asked.
Sarac bristled. “I didn’t ask you to pose a question. I asked you to explain your choice of words.”
“I beg your forgiveness,” Dalgar offered. “Your disciple, Mordac, always demanded that your name be spoken with proper respect. I have never spoken to a god before and assumed that Your Holiness was an appropriate address.”
Sarac laughed. “Very well, Dalgar. How is my disciple, Mordac?”
“I am afraid he is dead,” responded Dalgar. “He was attacked by Targan Rangers and many Black Devils died with him.”
Sarac was intrigued with this news from his home Universe. He called for Borundi and had the ropes removed from Dalgar and Aurora and ordered food and drink to be brought for them.
“I think you have a rather long story to tell me,” stated Sarac. “Begin at the beginning and tell me everything you know.”
Dalgar and Aurora spent hours detailing the events of the last two years. Sarac was surprised at Mordac’s cleverness in making Sarac a god. He was even more surprised to find out that Egam was still living. Dalgar played up the importance of himself and Aurora in implementing and formulating Mordac’s plan and failed to mention the real reason that they were absent during the final attack. He told Sarac they were returning from checking out the Junction site when the attack happened.
Sarac ended the meeting and had Lattimer find Dalgar and Aurora quarters for the evening. The next morning they met again and Sarac had a list of questions for them. He probed the couple for information on Jenneva, Egam, and Alex. He also demanded information on the governments of Targa, Sordoa, and Cordonia.
“What happened to the Book of the Beginning?” Sarac asked.
“Mordac had it when he was attacked,” answered Dalgar. “If it wasn’t destroyed in the attack, the Targans have it. Aurora and I do remember portions of it though. We memorized the spell for finding Junctions.”
“You will write down what you remember after the meeting,” commanded Sarac. “What of this Ali Kasim? Do we know anything about him?”
“He was a fairly well placed officer in the Sordoan Army,” Dalgar replied. “I believe he was a Lieutenant. I am not sure how he surfaced to lead the country. Some of the Black Devils who were in Sordoa at the time said the Royal Palace was taken over by Rangers and they turned the government over to Kasim. I don’t know if that is true or not. I had heard of him before all this happened, but it was nothing extraordinary. He was in the Sultan’s Guard and was said to have a bigger head than his shoulders could accommodate. He will probably be a ruthless ruler.”
“Is he married?” asked Sarac.
“He would not be able to marry and be in the Sultan’s Guard,” Dalgar answered. “If he is married, the ceremony would have been performed after the Sultan’s death.”
Sarac dismissed Dalgar and Aurora and told them they were free to roam around. Sarac called Lattimer into his study.
“Lattimer,” Sarac began, “I want you to send a group of men and ogres into the other Universe. Dalgar has marked the Junction to Targa with a pile of stones and has written down the Path Finder spell. I want the ogres to build a tower on this side of the Junction. The men are to go through to Targa and get rid of the wagon. Then I want them to have a large building built so that one of the rooms on the second floor will open up to the Junction.”
“Can’t we use the ogres to build the structure in Targa?” Lattimer asked.
“No,” Sarac replied. “I do not want any ogres going through to Targa. Take whatever gold you need from the ogre mine and hire people to build the structure, but don’t let them work on the Junction room. Tell them we are building an inn. They will probably laugh at you, but I don’t care. We are going to use the inn as our own private entrance between Universes. We will need a large storage area for weapons and supplies and it might as well be in Targa.”
“What if the wagon has already been discovered?” Asked Lattimer.
“Then you have to kill everyone who knows about it,” declared Sarac. “In fact, arrange an accident for the construction workers when they are done with the inn. Before you leave, make sure everyone is familiar with the Path Finder spell.”
Lattimer hurried off and Sarac called for Borundi.
“You are Sordoan, aren’t you, Borundi?” Sarac asked.
“Yes, Master,” Borundi answered.
“Good,” stated Sarac. “I want you to return to Sordoa and rebuild the Black Devils. Mordac was playing me up as the God of Magic before he died. Tell them that Sarac lost faith in Mordac because Mordac’s followers were not devout enough. Predict that I will send a disciple to them soon and I will make her Empress of Sordoa.”
“Sordoa doesn’t use the title Empress, Master,” Borundi offered. “They have always had a Sultan and always male.”
“I know, Borundi,” replied Sarac. “No one will believe you and converts will be hard to come by. Don’t worry about it. Keep spreading the word that Sarac will not return until the Empress sits on the throne of Sordoa and the people of Sordoa rally to her. The Black Devils who you recruit do not have to be magicians.”
Sarac stared out the window and saw Dalgar and Aurora gaping at the ogres. “Actually,” he continued, “create two organizations. The Black Devils will be magicians and everyone else will be the Servants of Sarac. Learn all you can about Ali Kasim. I am going to send our new female recruit to charm him out of his country and I want your organizations in place to help it along. Take plenty of gold with you and buy allegiance from those who are not foolish enough to convert for free. I will send further instructions with Aurora when she leaves.”
“My Master’s orders will be followed,” Borundi declared.
“Very good, Borundi,” the Black Devil leader declared. “Choose someone for me who knows Cordonia as well as you know Sordoa and send him in as you leave.”
Borundi turned and left his Master. Moments later, another Black Devil entered Sarac’s study. Sarac indicated that the Black Devil should sit. “Mitchel, I have a task for you that will require you to return to Cordonia. I want you to be the next President of Cordonia. The elections should be in a few months, so you will not have much time.”
“As you wish, Master,” Mitchel replied. “I am not sure that I am capable of such magic, though.”
“You will not be alone,” Sarac stated. “I will send Dalgar with you. He believes that I am a god and will do whatever is necessary to get you elected, even if it means that you will be the only candidate to survive. Take whatever gold you will require to set yourself up as a very wealthy man. After the elections, I will send further instructions on how Cordonia is to be run. Work with Dalgar and let him do whatever needs to be done behind the scenes. He will also be resurrecting the Black Devils in Cordonia.”
“What about the attack of the ogres?” asked Mitchel.
“I cannot unleash the ogres before spring,” answered Sarac. “I will not make the same mistakes that I made last time. This time Targa will have no advance warning of what is coming. Borundi and Aurora are going to capture Sordoa while you and Dalgar take over Cordonia. I will use the forces of these two countries to remove certain obstacles that might hinder the ogre attack.”
“You mean that witch, Jenneva,” said Mitchel.
“Yes,” responded Sarac, “as well as Egam and Jenneva’s boyfriend and his band of Rangers. Mordac squandered many Black Devils, but he did show a certain amount of ingenuity by capturing the Targan Throne. That trick would not work in Targa again, but its neighbors should be ripe for a little trouble. Make sure that Dalgar knows the Voice of Comfort spell before you leave.”
“As you wish, Master.” Mitchel bowed and left Sarac’s study.
Sarac was very pleased with his new visitors. They not only discovered the Junctions, but they offered new ideas for implementing his revenge on Targa. If things continued to fall into place, he might not even need the ogres to attack. Controlling the individual nations and using them to crush his opposition would be fun. Let Jenneva try to overthrow his governments when the people of those countries love their leaders. Sarac no longer wanted to just kill Jenneva. He wanted her to suffer. Killing everyone she cares for would be a good start.
Sarac looked out the window and saw Lattimer instructing the other Black Devils on the use of the Path Finder spell. His remaining Black Devils were a loyal and skilled group and could produce much havoc without any other help. Combined with the ogres and his plans for Sordoa and Cordonia, he would be unstoppable.
Sarac rose and headed down to the courtyard, wondering why he should be satisfied with controlling just one Universe. He already controlled two Universes and Targa would make the third. He began to wonder how many Universes there were. He strode up to Lattimer who was just finishing his teaching.
“One more job before you leave, Lattimer,” Sarac commanded. “I want ten men assigned to this Universe and ten more to the other Universe. They will travel throughout the continent mapping any Junctions that they can find. I want to know what other Universes connect with these two. Give them six months to complete their task before they are required to return here.”
“Should they investigate the Junctions that they find?” Lattimer asked.
“No,” answered Sarac. “They can peek through the Junctions to see if they can determine what creatures reside there, but their time should be spent mapping the Junctions, not exploring other Universes.”
“I will see that it is done, Master,” declared Lattimer.
Sarac walked over to Dalgar and Aurora who were still intrigued with the ogres. “Well, what do you think of the ogres?” he asked.
“Are they tame?” Aurora asked.
“They know me as their god and will obey my commands,” stated Sarac. “Come, let me show you the gold mine they are working.”
Sarac led the couple across a field and over a small hill. A large opening was carved into the hillside and Sarac led them into it. The ogres that were working in the mine scurried out of the way as Sarac led Dalgar and Aurora deeper into the hillside. Dozens of tunnels cut across the main corridor and Aurora gaped at the cartloads of gold being carried out of each tunnel. The main corridor continued for half a mile into the hillside. Sarac ushered the couple back out of the mine and led them to a small stone building.
“This is where we store the gold,” Sarac announced.
He opened the door and showed Dalgar and Aurora the huge stockpile of gold that had been accumulated. Dalgar could not begin to calculate the wealth that Sarac had amassed. “What are you going to do with all of this gold?” he asked.
“I was thinking about letting you two spend it,” laughed Sarac. “Let’s go back to the castle and I will explain what your new duties will be.”
Sarac led them back to the castle and into his study. He walked to the window and pointed at Mitchel. “Dalgar, do you see the man with the curly blond hair?”
Dalgar peered out the window. “Yes, I see him.”
“Good,” said Sarac. “He is going to be the next President of Cordonia and you are going to make it happen. You may take as much gold as you need to accomplish the task. You will not be seen with him, but you will develop support for him through whatever means are necessary. You are also going to resurrect the Black Devils in Cordonia and a new group of followers called the Servants of Sarac. I’ll explain it in more detail later, but the important thing to remember is that your job is to make sure that Mitchel is the next President and that the people love him.”
“I can help with that,” offered Aurora. “I grew up in Cordonia and know the people well. I’m sure we can come up with a plan.”
“I don’t think so, Aurora,” countered Sarac. “You are not going to Cordonia. You are going to become the Empress of Sordoa. Borundi will be your support man. I liked the story of your performance in Targa and you will do the same for Ali Kasim as you did for Duke Nelson. This time, however, the ruler will die and you will take over the government. You will become the Empress of Sordoa and all of the people will love you. When you have accomplished that, I will send further instructions.”
“I understand,” brightened Dalgar. “We couldn’t get Targa to attack both Cordonia and Sordoa at the same time, but now we will accomplish the task by having both countries attack at the same time.”
Sarac assessed the young couple. “You are very bright students. We will be in a position to do exactly that, but we may not need to actually attack. My army of ogres could march through the entire continent if need be, but if Sordoa and Cordonia are already controlled by me, the ogres need only to crush Targa.”
“I think I can handle getting near the ruler of Sordoa,” commented Aurora, “but I can think of no way to get the people of Sordoa to fall all over me.”
“That will be Borundi’s job,” declared the Black Devil leader. “His prophecies will foretell the coming of the Empress. When you achieve that position, all of Sordoa will love you, for you will be heralding the return of Sarac, the God of Magic. We will need to build up your skills before you leave. You must learn the Voice of Comfort spell, in the very least. I will set up a session between you and Lattimer when he returns, to assess your skill level and teach you the spells you will need.”
Sarac stopped pacing and sat at his desk. “The most important part of these tasks is the finding of our enemies. I want to know where Egam and Jenneva live. And this boyfriend of hers that runs the Rangers, I want him, too.”
“Alex Tork,” interrupted Dalgar, “Captain Alexander Tork. He is a very serious threat. Mordac, as King Austin, tried to have him arrested for the assassination of King Eugene and the Army either refused to bring him in or was unable to capture him.”
“I will think of an appropriate fate for the heroic Captain,” mused Sarac. “You two will use whatever resources you can find to help locate these three heroes of Targa. They must be dealt with before the invasion.”
Sarac dismissed the two magicians and Dalgar and Aurora headed for the kitchen.
“He’s not exactly what I expected,” offered Dalgar. “He seems so easy to talk to. I’m not sure what I expected a god to act like, but I guess I expected something more.”
Aurora roared with laughter and quickly caught herself, lowering her voice and checking who was within earshot. “Dalgar, don’t be a fool. Sarac is not a god. He is a Master Magician and very powerful and commanding, but he is no more a god than I am.”
“What do you mean?” asked Dalgar. “How do you know what makes a god?”
“Dalgar,” she replied, “didn’t you see the way he was looking at my body with desire? I could probably manipulate him as easily as I did Duke Nelson. Mordac told us that Sarac chose to leave Targa and would return when he was ready, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” answered Dalgar. “Do you think that was a lie?”
“Of course,” declared Aurora. “Why is Sarac so excited about us bringing the spell of Path Finder to him? Have you ever thought about it?”
“You mean Sarac didn’t know how to return?” quizzed Dalgar.
“Exactly,” stated Aurora. “And I don’t think he came here voluntarily, either. He has some score to settle with Jenneva and Egam and I believe that score is the fact that he has been exiled here. Don’t forget that he thought Egam was dead. I bet that there was a great battle between Sarac and the others and Sarac lost. Now he wants to get revenge.”
Dalgar was depressed. “So, everything that we are planning to do is a farce and we are wasting our time following Sarac?”
“Certainly not,” countered Aurora. “You were in search of a god, but I was along just for the fun. The fun is about to get more exciting. Think about it. I am going to rule Sordoa and you will control the people of Cordonia. Sarac may not be a god, but he is powerful and following him will be a great adventure.”
“It would appear, however, that Egam and Jenneva must be more powerful,” Dalgar said.
“Not necessarily,” replied Aurora. “They may have caught Sarac by surprise. They certainly didn’t kill him like they did Mordac, so we have to assume that they could not. The best they could do was exile him and we have removed those chains. Sarac is free and he is returning to Targa. This is actually better than him being a god. If he dies in the coming battle, that will just mean there is room for another leader.”
Dalgar brightened as he listened to Aurora’s logic. “Yes, I see what you mean. Still, I am going to miss you while you are in Sordoa.”
“After you get Mitchel elected, why don’t you come and visit the Empress?” giggled Aurora. “Maybe she will let you stay overnight.”
Dalgar grabbed Aurora’s hand and led her out of the castle. “We can worry about that later. Right now we need to figure out where we are going to stash some of that gold. We also have to learn everything we can from Sarac and his Inner Circle.”
Aurora leaned over and kissed Dalgar. “Now you are starting to think properly. Together we can rule the entire Universe!”
Chapter 3
Elf Universe
Egam grabbed his head and sank to the ground, moaning and twitching. The others gathered around him while Jenneva tried to comfort him.
“Egam,” prodded Jenneva, “what is wrong?”
Egam did not respond and continued to roll on the ground and moan. Jenneva decided to perform a Mind Probe and indicated to the men to hold Egam still so that he did not roll off the narrow path. Jenneva stooped over Egam and began her probe. Egam was fighting, but he was not fighting Jenneva. He was fighting someone or something else. Jenneva strove to capture Egam’s mental vision, but his mind was bouncing from place to place and time to time. Egam’s mind was confused and frightened. Jenneva began to break out into a sweat as she felt Egam’s fear heighten.
The visions swirled rapidly in Egam’s head as he sought the source of his discomfort and fear. Jenneva was getting dizzy watching the quickly moving panorama. Suddenly, Egam’s body stiffened and Jenneva stared into the face of the most grotesque being she had ever imagined. Hatred and death emanated from the distorted evil face and Jenneva screamed and then fainted.
Egam had also passed out and was no longer shaking or moving. Alex caught Jenneva and laid her down next to Egam. Prince Rigal reached into his pack and removed a blanket that he spread over the two magicians.
“What do you make of this?” asked the elf Prince.
Alex shrugged. “I don’t know. I have never seen fear in either one of them before, but I think that is what we just saw. They were both terribly afraid of something.”
“Do you think we should turn back?” asked Prince Tergota.
“No,” responded Alex. “We will wait for them to recover and find out what happened.”
Jenneva was the first to recover. She sat up, her face drained of color, and looked at Egam. “Is he all right?”
“I am not sure,” replied Alex. “He passed out the same time you did. He’s still breathing and he is no longer shaking. What happened?”
Jenneva did not reply. She leaned over and felt Egam’s head. Egam awoke at Jenneva’s touch and struggled to sit up. Alex had never thought of Egam as being old, but his attempt at movements now gave the appearance of someone who is ancient and incapable of caring for himself.
Jenneva helped Egam sit up and leaned him against the rock cliff. “Egam, what was that creature and where did it come from?”
Egam appeared to exert a great effort in turning his head towards Jenneva. His face was a ghastly white and his eyes were wide and round. “I don’t know, Jenneva. He was trying to reach for me. Alutar. Yes, his name is Alutar. He knew me. He wants me . . . to suffer.”
Egam began sweating again and Jenneva mopped his brow. “We will not talk about this now,” Jenneva stated. “Rest for a while and then we will resume our journey.”
Jenneva extended her hand to Alex and he helped her to her feet. She indicated to the two Princes that they should make themselves busy and leave Egam to rest.
Jenneva led Alex down the path away from Egam. “I saw it, Alex. It was the most hideous thing I have ever seen. I have trouble believing something so evil can really exist. I think Egam may have been hallucinating. We need to monitor him closely for he may be ill.”
“This is not a very good start for the journey,” he commented. “Are we really in another Universe? It doesn’t look any different.”
“I’m not sure, Alex,” she answered. “We will know better when we encounter inhabitants.”
“You return and keep an eye on Egam,” Alex commanded. “I am going to go farther along the path and see what I can see.”
Jenneva nodded and headed back up the trail. Alex took the path away from the others and rounded a bend where the path ended in a drop. Here was a vast panoramic view of the valley. Alex enjoyed the mountains and paused to enjoy the view. His eyes detected movement far below and he tried to focus on the movement, but he could not tell what was going on. He grabbed his scope and focused on the commotion.
The figures snapped into view and Alex panned the battlefield, for that is what it was. Elf was fighting elf. It appeared to be a great battle with hundreds of elves on each side. One side was mounted on great horses and the other side looked like they were trying to defend their area. Alex no longer doubted that he was in another Universe.
Prince Rigal and Prince Tergota came down the path and saw Alex looking through his scope.
“Jenneva wanted us out of the way,” Prince Rigal explained. “What are you looking at?”
Alex stood and handed the elf Prince his scope. Alex watched the elf’s features harden as he peered through the scope. After a few moments, Prince Rigal turned and handed the scope to Prince Tergota.
“It would appear that all is not well in Elderal,” Prince Rigal stated.
“How do you know this is Elderal?” asked Prince Tergota. “It just looks like elves killing elves. They probably couldn’t find any dwarves to attack.”
Alex quickly grabbed Prince Rigal’s arm before he could strike the dwarf. “Look at the horses,” the Ranger ordered. “Have you ever seen such great horses with horns upon their heads?”
Prince Tergota lowered the scope and turned to face his fellow travelers. The sight of Alex’s hand restraining the elf registered and the dwarf cast his eyes downward as he handed the scope back.
“Why is brother fighting brother?” wondered Prince Rigal.
“I don’t know,” Alex admitted, “but we are not going to walk into the middle of the war. We will have to cross the mountains to the north and then head east. Come, let us return to the magicians.”
When they arrived back, Egam and Jenneva were talking quietly. Their color had returned and everything appeared normal. Alex described the fighting in the valley.
“The horses that you described,” suggested Jenneva, “sound like the mythical unicorns. They were believed to be wise and fierce fighters.”
“Prince Rigal,” asked Egam, “have you ever heard of battles between different elf factions?”
“No,” answered the elf Prince. “Our people were farmers and hunters until the coming of the dwarves. Never have I heard of an elf striking down another elf. What I have seen in the valley greatly disturbs me. If this is what Elderal has come to, I would just as soon not discover it.”
“Bah,” grumbled Prince Tergota, “your people have been murderers for many generations as far back as The Suffering when your farmers destroyed Lanto.”
“I would enjoy dragging your body down into the valley so my brothers would have something to spend their arrows on instead of each other,” retorted Prince Rigal.
Alex knew it was time to get the group moving and take their minds off the hatred they had for each other. He extended his hand to Egam and helped the old Magician to his feet. “Let’s get started,” he said.
Egam led the way back up the path, carefully detouring around the Junction. Alex then took the lead as he knew of a fairly easy path down to the northern plains, assuming the mountains were the same as the Boulders.
It took the party three days to leave the mountains and there were no further signs of fighting or elves along the way, still they continued to take turns at sentry duty during the nights.
The next morning they headed east towards the next pass. Alex was amazed at how he could navigate through a different Universe, just as if he were back with the Rangers on a training mission. He began to think they had passed back into their own Universe until they came across the wounded unicorn.
The large, black beast lay on the ground with three arrows protruding out of its side. Prince Rigal approached it, thinking it was dead, and almost got gored by its razor-sharp horn.
“It’s not too friendly,” the dwarf Prince declared. “It’s almost dead and, still, it wants to kill. Let’s move on before its decaying body fouls the air.”
Alex shook his head. “No, I cannot let it suffer like that. Even the lowliest warrior deserves to die with dignity. Besides, he is a mighty beast. Perhaps if the arrows were removed he could rejoin his brethren.”
“Alex,” warned Egam, “be careful. While it is a noble cause you undertake, the wounds he can inflict upon you can kill you just as well as an enemy’s spear.”
Alex walked slowly towards the unicorn. When he got close, the unicorn raised its head and attempted to slash Alex with its horn. Alex sensed that the unicorn considered him a threat. He reasoned that this was probably a reasonable attitude judging from the three arrows in the animal’s flank. Slowly, Alex removed his weapons and laid them on the ground.
Alex got down on his hands and knees and started crawling towards the large unicorn. “Easy, boy,” he whispered. “I just want to remove the arrows from you.”
When Alex was close enough to touch the unicorn, he reached out his hand towards the beast’s head. The animal viciously attempted to slash Alex’s hand, but Alex was quick enough to avoid any contact. Alex could tell that the animal was quite weak and didn’t possess the strength to get up, so he approached the unicorn from behind its head. The unicorn thrashed its head and feet when Alex reached out and touched its flank, but Alex was in a position where the animal could not reach him.
The unicorn’s hide was very tough and the arrows had not penetrated too deeply. Alex figured the animal had stopped because of the pain of walking more than from any harm to a vital organ. Hopefully, he would not have to cut the arrows out. Alex continued to whisper soothingly to the wounded unicorn as he examined the arrows. Alex smoothed his hand over the unicorn’s hide as he talked and the beast stopped trying to attack him.
Alex grabbed hold of one of the arrows and quickly yanked it out. He heard the unicorn scream within his mind. Alex continued to make a soothing murmuring sound with his voice as he mentally talked to the unicorn. It’s okay, boy. I’m not here to hurt you. I want to remove your pain.
Alex grabbed another arrow and yanked. The second arrow came out cleanly, as had the first. Again he heard the unicorn scream within his mind and Alex continued to soothe the animal.
Alex removed the third arrow easily. He continued to rub his hand softly over the unicorn and talk quietly to him as he dabbed up the blood from the animal’s wounds. There you go, boy. That should make you feel a little more comfortable. I wish you would allow me to sear the wounds, but I know you will not.
Why do you do this for me?
Alex stiffened and looked at his traveling companions. None of them had spoken. He looked at the unicorn’s head and his eyes met the large gray eyes of the unicorn. To ease your suffering, friend.
You call me friend, but your kind has inflicted my pain. Why do you care?
Alex could see confusion in the unicorn’s eyes. Has no one ever cared for you before? You are beautiful and powerful and have never caused me harm. Why does my aid cause you confusion?
Your kind has never been a friend. You hunt us and kill us and enslave us. Do you care for my wounds so that you may enslave me? If so, you may as well kill me now, for I will never be a slave.