Ancient Prophecy (26 page)

Sarac smashed his fist on the desk in rage. “Someone broke into the Presidential Palace and killed the President of Cordonia?” shouted the Dark One. “You can’t be serious? How does someone break into a Palace with a thousand men guarding it and kill my President?”

“They came in through the roof,” replied Lattimer sheepishly. “There was an old roof access hatch that was not guarded.”

“That certainly does not clarify how they got on the roof in the first place,” scolded Sarac. “Who would devise such a suicide mission? Was there anything on the bodies of the attackers that we can use to identify them?”

Lattimer gazed at his boots uncomfortably and shifted in his seat. “There were no bodies of attackers found. No one even saw them. I think the enemy was gone before the body of President Mitchel was discovered.”

“Incomprehensible!” exclaimed Sarac. “Someone waltzes into the Palace, kills the President and leaves. No one sees them come or go, but they find a hole in the roof, a roof that they could not get onto or off of. I think not, Lattimer. I think it was somebody already inside the Palace and the hole in the roof was made to mislead us.”

“I don’t agree, braved Lattimer. “John Secor, the rightful heir to the Throne of Alcea, was imprisoned at the time. Whoever killed Mitchel made off with John Secor. I think it was the Targa Rangers because one of the deaths was by a Lanoirian Star and others exhibited signs of poisoning. The Lanoirian Star and poisoned quills are known tactics of Tork’s Rangers.”

Sarac slammed his chair back into the wall and started pacing. Abruptly, he turned and slammed his balled fists onto the desk, staring directly into Lattimer’s eyes. “Let me see if I understand you, Lattimer. Aurora gets killed, but my heir is lost somehow and we lose Borundi in the process. Then somebody kills Mitchel and makes off with the Alcean heir. The two absolute chances we have of making sure that the prophecy goes my way are lost to us. That is what you are telling me, isn’t it?”

Lattimer started trembling and attempted to steel himself against Sarac’s gaze. “Even with John Secor free,” he postulated, “I don’t think he will last long. Mitchel tortured him close to death. I think we may be fortunate in another regard, though. The Sordoans sunk the
Princess
Lidia
, the Targan Royal Yacht. My sources say that Princess Callie and her child were on the ship when it went down and there were no survivors.”

The Dark One straightened up and resumed pacing. “Presumed dead is not good enough,” spat Sarac. “I want proof that they are dead. I want their bodies found. You see that their bodies are found, Lattimer.”

Sarac returned to the desk and sat back down. “Why are these messages not coming directly to me?” he questioned. “Why do you think it necessary to intercept each of these messages? Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

“Not at all, my Lord,” Lattimer quickly answered. “I have stopped all traffic coming in from the Dusty Trail Inn because we have had an infiltrator. My men are still trying to track him down and I did not want to take the chance of any of his associates getting through. My actions are not meant to keep the couriers from you, only a security measure.”

“An infiltrator?” puzzled Sarac. “Why would anyone want to come here?”

“Not here,” corrected Lattimer. “Someone took a room in the Dusty Trail Inn and during the night, came through to this Universe. Whoever it was, commanded an ogre to carry him to the ogre Junction. Once there, he set the ogre to sleep. When it came time to move the ogres through the Junction to Targa, we noticed the cart missing and started investigating. Even if this person discovers some information about our plans, he can no longer get out.”

The Dark One sat silently for a long time and Lattimer shifted nervously in his chair. Finally, Sarac sat erect. “Someone is trying to get to Alutar!” he exclaimed.

“Why?” questioned Lattimer. “There is nothing to be gained by someone talking to Alutar unless...“

“Unless they seek to become the Dark One?” finished Sarac.

“That’s not exactly what I was going to say,” clarified Lattimer. “Alutar has already proclaimed you the Dark One. What if someone was seeking to imprison Alutar again or stop him from proclaiming a Dark One?”

“The Mage?” queried Sarac. “I thought he hasn’t been heard of for a thousand years?”

“Neither has Alutar,” reminded Lattimer. “You know that if the Mage was to imprison Alutar again, you would still be the Dark One and you would not have to contend with the demon getting in your way. Perhaps we should let the Mage succeed.”

“Are you forgetting Alutar’s threat?” asked Sarac. “I do not treasure the thought of his punishment.”

“Ah,” explained Lattimer, “that was only if you failed to deliver on your part of the bargain. You have no control over the Mage.”

“I don’t think Alutar would make the distinction,” sighed the Dark One. Sarac sat tapping his fingers on the Book of the Beginning. “I had planned to lead Alutar into this Universe and proclaim my part of the deal completed. I cannot do that with the Mage and the demon in battle. I can, however, free Alutar and fulfill my bargain and still leave the Mage to imprison him.”

“How can you do both?” quizzed Lattimer.

“We can assume that either the Mage and Alutar are already in battle or they soon will be. We need to relocate to Mount Kalas immediately. Once we are there we will destroy the Universes. The Mage will then imprison Alutar and everything will be as I wish.”

“How does destroying the Universes free Alutar?” questioned Lattimer.

“According to the Book of the Beginning, when you destroy a Universe you merge its contents with the one you are in. If I destroy all of the Universes, everything will merge with the one that I am in when I cast the spell. That is why we travel to Mount Kalas. That is the Universe I wish to survive.”

“But why destroy the very Universes that you wish to control?” inquired Lattimer.

“What does it matter whether the peoples whom I wish to control are in one Universe or seven?” offered Sarac. “I will still control them all and I can create more Universes as I need them, just like the Mage will do to imprison Alutar. In fact, only one Universe in the beginning will make it easier for me to control. I can create lush new Universes and use them as rewards. Those who do an especially worthwhile deed will be allowed to enter a new Universe.”

“Brilliant!” conceded Lattimer. “I will issue the orders immediately.”

The old man continued his search for Alutar in the ogre Universe, Sagina. For three days he searched by following the path of greatest destruction, but there had been no sign of the demon. With night coming on, Egam decided to make a camp for the night. The camp would be a cold camp, one without a campfire, so that Alutar would not find him while he was not expecting it. The Mage selected as pleasant a site as he was likely to find in this devastated Universe. By the side of a once flowing creek under what must have been a beautiful orchard, Egam spread out a cloth to keep the morning dampness off and laid his pack down for a pillow.

Egam lay resting, sleep not yet within his grasp, when he noticed a pair of eyes staring at him from above. Egam remained still for a long while watching the twin lights in his peripheral vision. When he detected no change in the dual beacons, he called out. “Are things so bad here in Sagina that the fairies no longer welcome a friend?”

The eyes darted quickly away to another position, but did not leave the campsite. “The fairies no longer have friends,” came the tiny voice. “Only ogres and magicians inhabit this land.”

“Oh,” Egam queried, “then I am wasting my time searching for the demon, Alutar? I see the destruction of his presence everywhere.”

“Only one magician has sought the demon,” came the diminutive response, “and he is evil. Are you one of his magicians?”

Egam realized that the fairy was speaking of Sarac and knew that Sarac had already made his bargain with Alutar. So the prophecy had begun, for sure. “No, friend,” he called. “I am the Mage and I have come to imprison Alutar so that his destruction goes no further.”

“You cannot be the Mage,” offered the little fairy. “The Mage has been dead for a thousand years.”

“No,” corrected Egam, “I have been away, but clearly I am not dead. A thousand years ago I imprisoned Alutar yet you have seen him lately. Did you not believe that the demon was dead, as well?”

“Well, yes,” faltered the fairy, “but I have seen the demon and know he is not dead.”

“So you have,” laughed Egam. “You are also looking at the Mage, but do not realize that I am not dead. What will convince you?”

The tiny voice was silent for a long time and finally said, “The Mage can make things well again. Restore this orchard and I will believe you.”

“Very well,” obliged Egam, “but do not be frightened away.”

Egam rose and brushed off his clothes. What he was about to do would alert Alutar if he was near, but he thought that the fairy would be more nervous if the demon was anywhere in the vicinity. Raising his arm skyward, Egam cast a spell and the orchard burst into a brilliant sunlight. The light was contained within the orchard, but it could be seen for miles around.

Next Egam knelt next to the largest apple tree and placed his hands on the charred trunk. The fairy could hear Egam muttering and moved closer to hear the words.

By the Light

Like Sun and Moon

Relieve this Tree

Of Dark and Gloom.

Within moments the tree shuddered and the charred bark began to fall from the tree and pile up around its base. Dead branches cracked and dropped to the ground. A thin layer of wrinkled bark formed on the remaining branches and seemed to flow along the branches and down the trunk.

Egam smiled as the tree branches sprouted green leaves that started to sing in the light breeze of the evening.

“Wonderful!” sighed the voice of the fairy.

Egam laid his palm on the large, rejuvenated apple tree and a small blossoming branch fell to the ground.

“Oh,” cried the fairy, “it’s dying again.”

Egam bent and picked up the sprig and gently held it in his cupped hands. “No, it is not dying again. The father tree has offered his small limb for you. Come, take this twig and present it to the other trees in the orchard. I have done my part, but you shall restore the rest of the orchard.”

The fairy flew down and hovered just out of Egam’s reach, obviously hesitant to approach the Mage.

“You must make a decision,” instructed the Mage. “Believe in me and restore the orchard or let your fear keep you imprisoned in a black, charred wasteland.”

The frightened fairy flew over and landed on Egam’s cupped palms. Gently, he lifted the twig and bowed to Egam. “I am called Midge, one of Queen Mita’s sons. I am pleased to meet you, Mage. After I have restored the orchard I will herald your return.”

Egam nodded his head and the fairy lifted off to restore the apple trees. Egam sat cross-legged and watched the life return to the trees as Midge flew from one to another. When all of the trees were restored Midge returned the twig to Egam and fluttered off into the night. Egam scooped a small depression in the soil and planted the twig.

A few moments later dozens of little fairies, not much larger than Egam’s longest finger, fluttered into the orchard and landed a few paces away from Egam. Midge and a lone female fairy flew over to Egam and alighted upon his knee. Midge, his green face aglow, bowed obsequiously.

“Oh, great Mage,” offered Midge, “may I present Queen Mita, ruler of the fairies?”

Egam nodded to Midge and bowed his head to Queen Mita as low as was possible from a sitting position without moving his knees. “It is with great pleasure that I make your acquaintance, Queen Mita. I am pleased to know that the fairies have survived Alutar’s wickedness.”

Queen Mita bowed in return. “Many years we have wished for the return of the Mage. My people stand in your debt and wish to be of assistance in helping to restore our world.”

“The help of the fairies will ease my burden, I am sure,” replied Egam. “My task, however, is to imprison Alutar, the demon, so he may cause no further grief. My travels have failed to disclose his location. Is this knowledge that fairies possess?”

Midge looked towards his Queen and she nodded her approval for him to speak. “I do not know of Alutar’s location,” offered Midge, “but I do know the path he took when he disappeared. Will that be helpful?”

Egam smiled and nodded. “Yes, Midge, that will be most helpful. If you can show me the path in the morning, I will be able to find the demon. For tonight, however, you must tell me all that has happened to the fairies in the last thousand years.”

Into the night the fairies celebrated and told tales of old, bringing Egam up to date on the happenings within the fairy realm. The ogres created by Alutar had discovered the fairies and sought them out for food, devouring whole colonies. The fairies eventually resettled in large trees and for the most part avoided contact with the huge creatures. The blight and fires of Alutar’s coming cost many more fairy lives and the remaining colony had almost given up hope in despair. Queen Mita had sent out fairies all over the land to find someplace still green, but the search had been fruitless until Midge returned with word of the Mage.

After many hours of talk, Egam begged leave to retire for the night. When he awoke, hundreds of fairies labored in the orchard, moving their colony to the new green, lush land. All sorts of little furniture was being carted into the orchard and small ropes, like strands of thread, hung down from the trees. The furniture was hoisted up into the trees with fairies hovering alongside steadying the ropes.

Egam smiled and walked over to the dry stream bed and knelt on the bank. Laying his hand on the smooth stones of the creek he took a pinch of a powder from his pouch, spread it over the stones, and recited a spell.

Dust shall blow

And rocks will quiver

Water shall spring

To feed this river.

Immediately a gust of wind blew down the ravine creating swirls of dust. A deep rumble echoed up and down the stream bed and the stones started vibrating. The fairies crowded around Egam and even hovered over the dry stream. Egam waved them back behind him just as the roar of a torrent reached their ears. Egam stood up and watched as a great wall of water appeared around the bend upstream. The fairies stared in fascination as the wall of water approached and continued downstream. Within a few moments the great torrent of water subsided and a clear, cool stream flowed through the river bed.