The Second Prophecy (Part 1 of the Dragdani Prophecies) (2 page)

“I think I know what you mean.”

“
No, I don’t
think you do,” said John coldly. “So how are they?” he asked, not
being able to hide his interest in those he had known for most of
his life.

Delsani,
knowing exactly what his old friend meant, said, “I’m sorry to say
that we’ve lost two, but the others are fine, and they have missed
you terribly, Jastark, as I have.”

“
Who did we
lose?” asked John, now sounding deeply concerned.

“
All will be
explained later, I promise you that, my friend,” Delsani
replied.

John nodded
as old memories flashed into his mind. He found himself wondering
who the two were, but tried to think no more of it at that
time.

“
Aren’t you
going to introduce us, John?” asked Helen assertively.

“
Yes, of
course. Delsani, this is my wife, Helen, the woman who was kind
enough to take me in out of the cold.’ John’s sense of humor was
starting to resurface.

Delsani nodded at Helen.

Then John
turned his head to look at her and said, “Helen, this is Delsani,
one of my oldest and most trusted friends.”

Helen moved
forward and shook the old Wizard’s hand. “It’s good to finally meet
you.”

“
It’s nice to
meet you, too,” the Wizard replied. He turned to John again. “I
regret to tell you that I didn’t come for a friendly visit. I’m
here on Council business. I’ve come to tell you something very
important,” said Delsani cheerlessly.

“
What is it?”
asked John, his humor fading again at the mention of the
Council.

“
I’m not sure
if we can talk about it here. If he has the slightest idea of what
we are trying to do, his spies may be close, and that means we
can’t stay for very long,” replied Delsani. “You must come back
with me.”

“
Go back? I
can’t. I won’t! Especially not for those who call me friend and
forget that I even exist,’ John sulked. “Just tell me what’s
wrong.”

“
Haven’t you
heard a word I‘ve said?” Delsani replied harshly.

“
Yes, I’ve
heard every word, but you must understand that I have a life here,
and I’m not just going to leave it until you give me a darn good
reason. Now tell me what’s wrong.”

“
Very well,
you leave me no choice. What I have to say is about the Dragdani
Prophecies, so please listen carefully. This has been kept secret
for over six hundred years and for a very good reason. I will only
tell you if you’re sure that you’re willing to hear it. Once you
do. There is no turning back.”

“
Tell me. I’m
willing, whatever it is.”

The old
Wizard nodded slowly and said, “John, you are the only living
descendent of King Dragdani, who wrote the two
prophecies.”

John opened
his mouth as if to speak but no sound passed his lips. He felt as
if his heart had suddenly jumped into his throat. In fact, this
news surprised him so much that it took him a few seconds to come
around again.

For
it is believed by most (but certainly not all)
Wizards and Witches that Dragdani was one of the wisest and most
powerful Kings in all of history.

After a few
more seconds, Helen broke the silence by asking, “What does that
mean?”

The old
Wizard turned his gentle gaze upon her. “Please forgive me, for I’d
forgotten that you are a Normal. I will explain it so you may
understand.”

There was
another short pause then he continued, “Six hundred and forty seven
years ago there was a Wizard-Elf by the name of
Dragdani.”

“
What’s a
Wizard-Elf?” Helen interrupted. “Sorry.” she added.

The Wizard
smiled. “Wizard-Elves are very rare and very powerful people.
History scrolls say that there were only ever four. John is the
Fifth Wizard-Elf and the only one that I have ever
seen.”

Delsani went
on to explain about John’s family history, and everything else they
needed to know. When he had finished
, he
said, ‘Now I will explain the prophecies to both of you, if you’d
like.”

“
Yes, please”
said Helen, who sounded absolutely enthralled with what she was
hearing. She and John were both now listening very carefully to
every word that passed the old Wizard’s lips.

“
The
First Prophecy warned that
the Dark Shadow, which Lord Salith formed, would return by the
fault of another evil, and this evil would assemble an enormous and
very destructive force. From it, the races of Dorminya would suffer
terrible losses of life, and this would plunge our world into
darkness. The hatred among some races would grow, and some of the
old alliances would die. It was the evil Wizard’s plan to leave our
world defenseless against his influence.

“
Understanding this, the Wizard Council kept the First
Prophecy secret. They believed that if everyone knew of it. There
would be panic, and any little trust that Wizards held would be
gone in an instant. For men and Dwarves didn’t and still don’t
trust Wizards. Fear is their main reason. They fear us because we
are so different.

“
It was fear
and mistrust that caused the Council to lock the Prophecy in the
vault in the Towers of Telian, in the land of Opredanas, and there
they kept it. They only removed it when they were studying it. They
thought that the answer to stopping this terrible event from taking
place might be found in the Prophecy itself.

“
The
y asked Dragdani if there was
anything in the Prophecy that might stop it, but even he didn’t
know. He studied it constantly but could find nothing else. The
Council was losing hope when Dragdani told them of another vision
he had, only the night before. As he related it, it was written
down, for they knew at that time it was all that could be done.
This vision has become known as the Second
Prophecy.

“
The
Second Prophecy foretold that
after the shadow of Salith gripped of our world again. The death
mist, which Salith also created, would also return. Nevertheless,
Dragdani also saw that from the Normal World there would come a
very special Wizard-Elf. He would be the only one able to rebuild
the alliances and lead all of the races against the shadow and mist
of Salith.

“
However, if
this Wizard-Elf could not be found then evil would reign in
Dorminya forever,” finished Delsani.

“
What is so
different about this Wizard-Elf?” asked John.

“
Dragdani
foretold that he would be the most powerful yet, and he would be
descended from Dragdani’s own family line. And as you, John are his
last descendent, you must be the one of which he spoke.”

John now
looked astonished. “If you knew that I’m the one in the Second
Prophecy, why didn’t you say something sooner?”

“
Because we
didn’t find out until today.”

“
Why?”
John asked with even more
interest than ever.

“
The
re was a blank piece of
parchment rolled up with the prophecies, and as Dragdani left
instructions not to discard anything in the scroll, it was kept as
well.

“
We’ve been
studying the Second Prophecy for any clues too who it might be
referring to. Then early this morning the blank parchment was no
longer blank. It had a name on it. Your name. And even stranger
than that, it wasn’t your Wizard name, but your Normal name,” said
Delsani informatively. “That’s why you must come with me
now.”

A long silence filled the room.

“
John I want
to talk to you in private,” said Helen anxiously, as if she thought
they were about to disappear in the blink of an eye.

“
The
n I shall wait here, but
please do hurry,” said the old Wizard.

John and Helen went into the living room and
shut the door behind them, while Delsani remained beside the dining
table.

As soon as
they sat down, Helen not only sounded worried, now she looked
it.

“
I don’t want
you to go. It’s too dangerous, and you said that you never wanted
to go back to Dorminya.”

“
Yes, I did,
because –” John paused.

“
Because...”
prompted Helen.

“
I was
exiled, but this changes everything. If Delsani is right and I
don’t go back. Then my world will be destroyed.”

“
Those people
threw you out of your home and destroyed your life. They haven’t
shown the slightest interest in you for seven years. Now that they
need you, they have the cheek to come here and ask for your help.
They’re just using you. Don’t let them.” Helen’s anger was starting
to show.

“
You’re
right. The Council did throw me out, but not everyone thought what
they did was right. They’re the ones I’m thinking of. How can I let
those people pay for the Council’s arrogance? And besides, I’m glad
they threw me out. If they hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you,” added
John carefully. The last thing he wanted was to make his wife
angry. She was no tyrant, but she did have an awful temper. John
knew that if it flared he would most certainly lose the argument.
Not that it would stop him from doing what he thought he
must.

After John
spoke, Helen thought that it did not matter what her view in this
was. John felt too strongly about it. Besides, she also knew he was
right. Why let the innocent pay for the stupid decision those
idiots made? Furthermore, John was right about them not meeting if
it hadn’t have happened. She frowned and said, “I understand, and
I’m going too, and you can’t talk me out of it.”

“
What makes
you think that I would want to talk you out of it?” asked John who
looked quite happy with Helen’s decision.

They got up
together. John opened the door, and there was Delsani standing in
the same spot.

“
Well,
what do you say? Are you
coming?” he asked eagerly.

“
Yes,” John
answered. “We’re both going.”

“
I think that
would be for the best. It may not be safe for Helen to stay on her
own,” admitted Delsani, “in case one of Ulicoth’s spies were to
find out that you are married. He could try to use it against you.
She should be safe in the towers.”

“
Ulicoth,”
spat John; his face suddenly losing its color. All Wizards knew
that name. Ulicoth once sat at the right hand of Lord
Salith.

“
Yes, the
Dark Wizard-Elf. He was the one who brought back the shadow of
Salith. He is the one that we must stop before he brings the red
mist back as well,” said Delsani hastily. “There is one other thing
that you must know about Ulicoth. We still don’t know who he really
is or even where he came from. All we know is that Salith taught
him over six hundred years ago.”

“
Do you think
he could really have so much power?” asked John.

“
Yes, I am
afraid he has become as evil, ruthless and almost as powerful as
his master, and he will do whatever it takes to finish Salith’s
work.”

John said
nothing at first. Then he asked, “What does the red mist
do?”

John had
already heard about it, as he had heard of almost everything that
the Wizard had said up to this point, but he wanted to be sure. It
had been a long time since he had heard the stories, and he wanted
to be absolutely sure of what he was walking into.

“
Y
ou must have heard the stories,
but the truth of the matter is, we’re not entirely sure,” said
Delsani, “for it only ever claimed two victims, and it affected
them both differently. The first was Alavil; she was the Elven
maiden that Salith forced to bare him a child, a Wizard-Elf. When
Salith exposed her to the mist, it killed her, which is why some
call it the death mist. The second victim was Queen Thoucil
Dragdani’s mother. It turned her mad,” said the old Wizard. “You
should gather whatever you need; we must leave as soon as
possible.”

“
Not until I
call Joan and Harry,” said Helen. “We can’t leave without telling
them. Besides they’ll cover for us while were gone.”

“
The
re’s no need to worry about
that. We will send some of our people to take your places while
we’re away.”

“
But how will
that help? Our friends do know what we look like,” said
Helen.

“
I am
offended by your lack of faith, young lady,” Delsani joked. “You
forget who you’re dealing with here. Our agents will not only
assume your identities. They shall also take your appearances as
well.”

“
But still,
we should tell Joan and Harry.”

“
Quickly,”
urged John.

“
How long
will we be away?” Helen swiftly asked.

“
In truth, I
can’t really say, though I would guess at least five years in
Dorminya. Then you could return to see to your lives here, if that
is what you want,” replied Delsani. “That would be two years and
six months in this world.”

“
Right, okay
two years and six months,” Helen repeated while rushing into the
living room to call their friends. She had always had a terrible
memory when it came to anything that was not connected to her
books.