Read Bakkian Chronicles, Book I - The Prophecy Online
Authors: Jeffrey Poole
Bakkian Chronicles, Book I - The Prophecy (21 page)
There, sitting inside a dusty, dirty trunk in the cellar of this small, thatched house we finally located the manuscript, there in Capily. I’m anxious to start reading about Volan’s legendary travels, but Grace would like to return. The Nayan is also eager to see the manuscript, and I believe Grace would like to share the discovery with her.
“
I wonder who this Volan person is, then?”
“
Would you stop interrupting! Sheesh!”
“
Sorry.”
We’ve contacted the Nayan. She’s ecstatic the manuscript has finally been found and we can once and for all read about how the Bakkian was originally discovered. You would think that if this Bakkian is as important as everyone says it is, then more references should exist.
I’m grateful of the confidence that was placed in Grace and I, yet I can’t help feeling a little worn out. Now that this task has been completed, I’m looking forward to some rest. We’ve earned it. Kri’Entu himself told me that there has never been a more dedicated, diligent set of official biographers than us.
This being the seventh successful task we’ve accomplished, we’re going to ask for an extended period of time. I know Grace would like to return.
“’
Grace would like to return’? That suggests that he’d much rather stay there than come back.”
“
Seven successful tasks? How long do you think that they have been coming here?”
Steve scratched his chin. “I wonder how they first got there? I mean, we got here because of them. I wonder how they learned how to get here?”
“
Well, what if those doors were in that house long before your grandparents bought it?”
“
Kinda cold, don’t you think?”
Sarah paused. “What? What’s cold?”
“
Before they ‘bought it’? Come on, you know the doors were there before they passed away. They had to be using them. It’s a question of how long before their deaths.”
“
Before they
bought
the
house
,” Sarah clarified. “I didn’t mean before they bit the big one, but whether those doors were always there. Did your grandparents build that house? That’s the question I’d be asking right about now.”
“
Well, remind me to look it up once we get back.”
Sarah flipped through the next couple of
pages
, scanning the entries. Was there anything in here that could help us out? She was about ready to turn the page when a familiar word caught her eye.
“
Jhorun! They talk about jhoruns
in this entry!”
“
Let’s hear what it says.”
Sarah passed him the journal. “Your turn.”
Steve took the journal and started to read.
September 25
th
, 2008
The castle has finally quieted down. With the journeys of Volan finally disclosed, all anyone can talk about is who, or what, the Nohrin are. Who they are, where they are from, why they have not appeared yet, and most important of all, what their jhoruns might be. I can’t even imagine the jhoruns required to fulfill the Bakkian.
I’ve seen the levels of the wizards of R’Tal, and it makes mine seem miniscule.
“
Hah! There, did you hear that? They did have jhoruns! I knew it!”
“
Keep reading! I want to hear what they were!”
And it doesn’t even work all the time. I have to concentrate so hard I give myself headaches, and even then the pen doesn’t write fluidly like it should. The parchment that Grace conjures suffices for our work, but it would have been nice to have something stronger.
“
Babe,” Steve said, “doesn’t that sound like our jhoruns are more powerful?”
“
Well, ordinarily, I wouldn’t say so, but it’s hard to refute that. Your grandfather could make a pen move? Like having it transcribe for them? And your grandmother conjured the paper for him to use?”
“
I’ll say it. Those jhoruns sound pretty
wimpy
to me.”
“
It sounds convenient. Those two jhoruns go together really well, don’t you think? Keep reading, will you?”
Steve returned to the journal.
I really shouldn’t complain. It’s taken thirty years to become trustworthy in the Kri’yans eyes, and even longer to earn our jhoruns. I’m grateful Shardwyn is a powerful wizard.
Steve’s jaw clanged noisily on the ground as his mouth fell open.
“
Say what? At least thirty years? And they were given those jhoruns??”
“
But, but…” Sarah sputtered. “They should have had their own! Thirty years! Couldn’t they figure out how to access their own jhoruns?”
“
Thirty years.” Steve repeated. “If they had jhoruns, they would have figured out how to make them work. What if they didn’t have them?”
Sarah considered. “Well, if they didn’t have them, why do we? Are we just smarter than they were and figured out how to use them whereas they didn’t?”
Steve shook his head. “We have only been here a few days. And we already know what it takes to make our jhoruns work. We might not have all the nuances down, but we have a decent idea on what it can and can’t do. I think you’re right. I don’t think they had jhoruns on their own.”
Pointing to the book, Sarah indicated to Steve that she’d like him to continue reading.
October 16
th
, 2008
We’ve received our eighth quest. Discover the identities of the Nohrin and facilitate their arrival in any way we can with the full support of the court of R’Tal.
I would say that we’ve been escalated again in their eyes to give us this much responsibility. The king and queen clearly are disturbed that the Nohrin haven’t arrived yet. They are
utterly
convinced that their son, Kre’Mikal, is in mortal danger. His highness is only seven years old, and hasn’t a clue to the danger his parents believe him to be in.
I can’t say that I’m convinced the danger exists, but clearly everyone here believes it to be real. The foreign kingdom of Ylani has always been Lentari’s greatest rival, and would love to cause strife for their peace-loving neighbors. But would Ylani really make such a bold statement of war by trying to kidnap the young prince?
The entire kingdom is rife with unease. I do not think it would take much for civil unrest to escalate out of hand. Everyone here loves their King and Queen, and the little boy Prince. If a rival kingdom were to somehow get their hands on that little boy, this kingdom will declare war faster than a griffin can snare a wiht.
So now we’ve been tasked with finding the identities of the Nohrin. The Bakkian clearly states that the royal family will be challenged, and that the little Prince will not truly be safe until he is in their care. So who are they? What magic do they possess that can out-perform the wizards of R’Tal? Where do they come from? How can we possibly ascertain the origins of people mentioned in a four hundred year-old reference?
Steve whistled. “A four hundred year-old reference? I wouldn’t want to have to track down these people, either.” He gestured to the journal. “That was two years ago. I wonder when these Nohrin guys showed up?”
Sarah looked thoughtful. “Even if they did, I wouldn’t want to be the king or queen. How can you be certain that the people who arrived and claimed to be these Nohrin people were in fact who they claimed to be?”
“
Good point. They probably came up with a test of some sort.”
Sarah took the journal from Steve. “If these people showed up, I’ll bet there would be some mention in here, don’t you think?”
“
Good one. Skim through and see what the next entries say.”
“
Let’s see.” Sarah scanned the next couple of pages. “Here’s an entry, dated early the next year. No progress made. Ummm, next we have an entry from the summer of 2009, still no progress. Looks like your grandfather is getting very nervous. Apparently the king and queen are getting restless.”
Getting defensive, Steve snorted. “How can they expect them to track down these people if the only clues they have are from four hundred years ago? I wouldn’t know where to start, believe me. Sounds like the Homework Assignment from hell.”
“
Actually,” Sarah said, reading the next entry, “It looks like the king and queen were worried, but not frustrated. This entry says that the queen has been continually reassuring them, telling them to not give up hope. Looks like your grandfather was being incredibly hard on himself. I guess he took his job seriously.” She looked up from the journal and met her husband’s eyes. “Sound like anyone we know?”
Steve hmmphed at her, indicating for her to continue.
“
Let’s see, the next couple of entries are all from 2009, and all of them pretty much say the same thing. They aren’t having any luck identifying who the Nohrin are. The first entry from 2010 mentions that the king and queen have granted them an extended leave of absence so that they can then focus all of their energies into their task when they return. Says here that the king is figuring they are working too hard and need to rest.”
Sarah quietly closed the journal. “That’s the last entry.”
Steve paled. That meant his grandparents died during their “vacation” and would therefore be unable to complete their last quest.
Sarah took his hand. “Are you okay?”
“
Yeah, it’s just spooky to hear about what they were doing before they died. And apparently, they were on some important mission to find several people who could supposedly protect the little prince.”
There came a sudden knocking on the door. Both occupants quickly sat up on the bed. Steve made it to the door first and opened it. There stood a soldier, clearly a high ranking one due to the way he carried himself. His uniform was a deep, scarlet color with a jeweled sword sheathed on his hip. Several daggers were visible in various locations along his belt.
Behind the soldier was the innkeeper, nervously twisting his apron in his large, beefy hands.
Steve’s demeanor quickly shifted to neutral. “Hello. Is there something I can do for you?”
The soldier’s eyes narrowed, noting the different manner in which the foreigner spoke. He raised his right hand, dismissing the owner of the inn.
“
May I enter?” Without waiting for a response, he strode purposely into the room and faced the occupants.
“
I am Rhenyon, captain of the Royal Guards. Who are ye? And more importantly, where are ye from? Mister Thacken told me a man, ye I presume, was able to heat three
rather
large cauldrons effortlessly using naught but his jhorun. Did he speak the truth?”
Sarah had silently positioned herself behind her husband. Just in case. She was pretty sure her husband would keep his head and not do anything foolish. However, she had also personally witnessed what he was capable of.
Steve met the captain’s stare.
“
Good evening. My name is Steve. This is my wife, Sarah. And as you can probably figure out, no, we’re not from around here.”
Not sensing any danger from either one of the strangers,
the soldier
relaxed his posture.