Soul of Light E-Book

Vaughan W. Smith

• Herausgeber: Fair Folio
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: The Hidden Wizard
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 674

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

A wizard and mystic in one. A legion of darkness. One final act.
Alrion’s power is complete, but he’s far from ready. He should be moving on to the final stage of his quest, but can’t ignore Alyx’s plight. He’s stuck.
The Generals of the Blight are taking the lead. They're bringing the fight to Alrion, looking to weaken him and his resolve. Little by little they are trying to wear him down until he lacks the strength to resist.
Drawing on his companions, Alrion must face his own fears and past failures if he’s to have any chance of success. He’ll need to look past allegiances and dark pasts to bring together anyone and everyone who can help.
Alrion only has one chance, and if he fails, he will be consumed by the very thing he hopes to remove and user in a new era of darkness.
In this epic finale, the story of The Hidden Wizard draws to a close. Armies will clash, new foes will emerge, and secrets will be uncovered. Just who is the mysterious wizard that’s been lurking in the shadows?
Start reading today and discover Alrion’s fate.
Soul of Light is book 4 and the final volume of The Hidden Wizard Series. This four book series is outlined below.

The Hidden Wizard Series
Book 1: Pool of Knowledge
Book 2: Vault of Silence
Book 3: Spark of Truth
Book 4: Soul of Light
Also available:
The Wandering Blacksmith: Prequel to the Hidden Wizard
The Hidden Wizard: The Complete Series

Leseprobe

SOUL OF LIGHT

BOOK FOUR OF THE HIDDEN WIZARD

VAUGHAN W. SMITH

FAIR FOLIO

CONTENTS

Prologue

1. The Power of Soul

2. Different Paths

3. An impossible choice

4. Investigation diverted

5. Tracking the Queen

6. Looming Battle

7. Fight for a Friend

8. The Fall of Hurdenor

9. Fall of the Skull Queen

10. Backtracking

11. A Curious Proposal

12. Uncertain steps

13. Brangtur revisited

14. The Messenger

15. Justice of Thieves

16. Outmanoeuvred

17. A Familiar Face

18. Change in Approach

19. Capturing the Wind

20. A Wizard's Tale

21. The Right Way

22. The Scholar's Path

23. The Ancient Trial

24. Planning the Assault

25. Split Focus

26. Reckoning

27. Succession

28. The Hidden Gate

29. The Logical Message

30. On The Trail

31. The Scenic Route

32. Unexpected Return

33. A Lifetime Ago

34. Diving In

35. Closing In

36. Revelation

37. The Fellowship Rebuilds

38. Reforging the Legend

39. The Making of a Wizard

40. Startling Discovery

41. The Way to Valrytir

42. The Prodigal Daughter

43. A Heavy Burden

44. End of the Investigation

45. The Main Assault

46. A False Battle

47. A Lonely Path

48. Darkness in Numbers

49. Struggle

50. The Missing Piece

51. Soul of Light

52. The Breaking of a Wizard

53. Legacy

54. Aftermath

55. A New Era

56. The Return

57. Dreaming

Afterword

The Forbidden Spell

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About the Author

PROLOGUE

Alyx was lost in a haze of grey and black mist. Her diminishing eyesight had gone to an extreme she never thought possible. She felt her body moving and doing things, but she had no idea how it was happening.

There were flashes of images. She saw the missing Tracker. Alive then dead. She felt somehow involved in that, but it was such a strange and distant memory. Like it was in a previous life. Or something not yet done.

What’s happening to me? she thought. The more she tried to wrestle some control back, the more pain she felt and the more she drifted away. Something terrible had happened, but she wasn’t sure what it was.

Suddenly, she felt drawn to something. The landscape started to clear, and she recognised the terrain. She had somehow travelled a long way from the scene of the battle. The last thing she remembered properly.

There was a figure standing before her. She had trouble making out any features. But she could tell from the silhouette that he was armed. A sword and shield, and possibly armour as well.

“Well, well, well. What have we here?” the figure said. It sounded like a man. But it was not a normal voice. There was something wrong with it. Alyx tried to speak, but nothing happened. Just silence.

“Perhaps that was cruel of me, pausing. I know you can’t respond. In fact, the only reason you can even hear my words is that I am allowing it. So, I guess that does make me cruel. Not that it would be a surprise to anyone.” The man paused again. Alyx wanted to scream something, but she couldn’t move or do anything else. She was just aware of him and his voice.

“You’re not who I came for. It was that meddlesome wizard. He had outlived his usefulness, but I’m not one to let that stop me. I would have enjoyed turning him to some lesser purpose. But you, you’re a better prize.” The man walked closer and reached out. Alyx had to assume he was touching her head, but she felt nothing.

“We have never met, so I should introduce myself. My name is Darvin. I go by other names, but that will do for now. I’ve been so preoccupied that I never thought to look for you. And had you not been infected, I probably wouldn’t have found you. But that fool Wraith did one good thing for me in the end. Yes, this is too perfect.” The man stepped back and looked her over.

“When you killed my brother, it was a dagger through my heart. That’s how I felt it. The sharp, sudden loss. The unexpected nature of it is what hurt me so badly. I thought he was invincible, undefeatable. But he made a crucial error. He underestimated you. I won’t make that same mistake.”

Alyx, even in her haze, had started to piece things together. No doubt her mental faculties were available to her on his whim, which made it worse. But she knew who he was now. And it scared her.

“I felt that. The tremor of fear. Good, you know me. You should be afraid.” Darvin started pacing around.

“I’ve had this feeling within me for some time now, and I didn’t know what it was. It was a burning desire for revenge, to hurt you for what you did to us. But I hadn’t identified it and acknowledged it. But now it’s all rushing out. And I have the answer. I know what will fill the void I’ve been feeling.” Darvin stopped right in front of her. She had trouble making out his features. But she couldn’t miss the wicked smile.

“You are a Shade now, which is nice, but not enough. I won’t underestimate you. You have a strong will, and maybe you would find a way out. No, I’ve got something special in store for you. I can bring you into the fold. I can transform you into one of us, and you can sit at our table.” Darvin paused, watching her. Alyx had no idea what he was getting at, but it sounded bad.

“If only you could respond. Oh well, in time. But I won’t keep you in suspense any longer. To right the wrongs that you did to us, you can serve us. You can fill the gaping hole in our number. You will become the Skull Queen and serve in place of the one you so cruelly stole from us.” Darvin clapped his hands, the excitement so obvious.

Alyx understood the words and felt complete and utter horror.

“Noooooo!” she screamed. Some part of it must have gotten through because Darvin took a step back.

“Interesting. I didn’t expect that. Never mind, come with me. We have a lot of preparations to make.” Darvin turned and left, and Alyx felt herself moving with him.

I can’t let this happen, she thought, steeling her resolve. But the fog was coming back, and she was soon lost within it.

1

THE POWER OF SOUL

Alrion sat back, and let the ideas collect and form together.

“I know we’ve only read a little, but it’s been enough for me to puzzle something out,” he said. Vincent and Marla looked at him with interest.

“Are you going to keep us in suspense?” Vincent said after a while.

“I’ve figured out how my grandfather cured Avaria.” Alrion looked around, and both his father and Marla looked shocked. He enjoyed that for a moment.

“Go on then,” Vincent said.

“He needed two things: access to the Blight and access to Soul Power. Neither of which he had.”

“I understand the need for the Soul Power. Why did he need access to the Blight? You were cured yourself when you cured Wraith,” Vincent said.

“Yes, but I found a way to insert the Soul Power into Wraith’s body. He was right in front of me. I didn’t need any special connection to target him.”

“I see. But my father managed to create a net so large it covered the entire country of Avaria.” Vincent nodded along.

“Therefore, he needed those two things. How did a wizard do that, when he had access to neither?” Marla said.

“Because he mastered the skill of transferring them into vessels. One for Soul Power, one for Blight. The crystal I wear has both. It’s proof that he could do it.”

“That’s good. But how does that help you?” Vincent looked sceptical.

“There’s no way I can source and store enough Soul Power to cure everyone of the Blight. It won’t help me there. I’m mostly just glad that I’ve puzzled out how he did it. Considering his limitations, he did such incredible things.”

“He really did.” Vincent let out a deep sigh. Alrion could sense the regret in his father. He decided to quickly move on.

“Anyway, I’m starting to think of other applications.”

“Such as?” Marla said.

“If I can put Soul Power into a vessel. And if the right amount of Soul Power inserted into a body can drive out the Blight. Then what’s stopping me from creating something that someone else can use to cure the Blight?” Alrion looked over at his father and Marla. They had confused looks. But he saw them thinking it over, and the realisation showing.

“You’re absolutely right. Why did my father never try that?” Vincent said.

“He would have had a finite amount of Soul Power. He never returned here to get more, so he must have been using it sparingly, knowing that he needed it,” Marla said. Vincent nodded with understanding.

“It’s all theoretical right now. But I know I can get this to work. Those generals of the Blight won’t see any of this coming. It’s time for the tide to change. We’re going on the offensive now.” Alrion saw doubt in their faces.

But he believed it, and soon they would too. In the back of his mind, there was the nagging doubt about how he would end this war and cure the Blight. But he silenced it. There was time to figure that out. For now, he had to trust in himself and those who were on the journey with him. They had defied the odds repeatedly. What was one more impossible task?

If this works, I don’t need to be there to cure Alyx.

* * *

Lara crested the snowy hill and paused to catch her breath. She looked over at Celes and saw the older woman breathing heavily.

No need to put on appearances then, Lara thought. She let down her guard and showed how exhausted she was. They had spent enough time together that she no longer felt like she had to prove herself. Celes caught her breath enough to laugh.

“Good to see that you tire as well. I thought it was only me.”

“I’m not really the hiking type. I think I’ve done a lifetime these last few weeks.” Lara surveyed the landscape. There was enough greenery poking out from the layers of snow that it felt alive, and not completely whitewashed. The sweeping hills and rocky mountains in the distance were awe inspiring.

I should try to appreciate this while we’re still here. I wish I could get Alrion out to see it.

“Ready to push on?” Celes looked like she needed another minute.

“I need another two minutes.” Lara watched Celes’s reaction and saw the woman’s face relax noticeably.

No need to be rude.

“Do you think this mysterious trader will turn up today?” Lara looked at Celes, curious.

“I hope so, we’ve got no other leads. We have so completely canvassed this whole area.” Celes sighed. “We need to be moving, not making camp.”

“If we bring him something, he’ll move. But not before. He’s obsessed with this project of his.”

“The Soul Orbs?” Celes brushed the snow off a nearby rock and sat. She cleared a spot next to her. Lara sat next to her, trying to ignore the cold. A chill ran down her spine.

“Yes. He won’t talk about anything else. Well, except news of Alyx of course.”

“He’s always been stubborn, even as a child. Once he gets his mind set on something, he won’t budge. But I don’t see why he’s so fixated on this. If he wants to save her, shouldn’t we be out doing more than just looking?” Celes stared out into the distance, deep in thought.

“I’ve been thinking about that too. I think I know the answer.” Lara noticed that she suddenly had Celes’s full attention.

“And?”

“He doesn’t want to be in that situation again. Where he has to choose.”

“Choose?”

“He chose to cure Branthor, and he could do nothing for Alyx in the moment.” Lara could see the scene playing out again in front of her. The desperation on Alrion’s face. The defeat in the face of his amazing victory. She pushed the images away.

“And if he develops this Soul Orb, he can cure someone while still retaining his Soul Power?” Celes clarified.

“If it works, then yes. I think that’s what this is about.”

“You’re right. He’s grown so much, but he hasn’t changed. Not one bit.”

“Isn’t that great though?”

“Oh, it is. Despite all this, he’s still my boy. I still see him that way. It’s not really fair to anyone, but that’s how it is. I have to keep reminding myself that he’s saving the world.” Celes rose awkwardly.

“I’m not made for this intense cold. Let’s keep moving.”

“The sooner we get to this outpost the better.” Lara blew warm air into her hands and took off after Celes.

The hike didn’t take that much longer. Soon, they saw the top of a wooden shack rising out of the snow. It was nestled amongst tall fir trees and looked like the landscape had grown around it. A small plume of smoke wafted out of a small chimney.

“That’s our place.” Lara pointed to the shack.

“Good. I hope this trader is legitimate. How do you want to do the interrogation?”

“Interrogation?” Lara stopped suddenly.

“Perhaps that was too strong a word. But we need to figure out what he knows, and I don’t have the patience for some ego-driven idiot.”

“I’m curious what you would consider normal?” Lara felt a sudden pang of fear. Maybe she didn’t know Celes at all.

“Oh, don’t give me that look, I’m not like that. I meant more along the lines of ‘the cudgel and the honey’.”

“Oh, I see. In that case, why don’t you choose? I’ll follow your lead.”

“I’ll be honey, you be the cudgel.”

“Sounds like fun.” Lara winked and Celes returned it. Lara upped the pace and took the lead before heading into the shack.

A wave of warmth rippled out as soon as she pushed open the heavy wooden door.

Finally! Lara lingered for a moment in the doorway, then remembered Celes. She quickly shuffled inside, held the door and closed it quickly. There was a raging fire which explained the warmth. Otherwise, the shack was very simply furnished. There were a few chairs and couches, and one writing desk in the corner. Two men occupied the room. One silver-haired gentleman in adventurer’s gear sat at the desk, and another man lounged in front of the fire. He was younger and dressed like a well-to-do merchant. He was reclining in the chair and playing with a silver ring.

He’s not dressed for the elements at all. I don’t trust him already.

The man at the desk nodded towards the hearth, and Celes approached first. She took a seat directly opposite the merchant. Lara pulled up a chair next to her. The merchant paid them no attention.

“Excuse me, I was led to believe that you have some information of the recent Blight attacks.” Celes’s voice sounded sweeter than usual. Lara almost laughed. The merchant looked up.

“Oh yes, good of you to finally join me. I was promised coins.” He held his hand out.

“Certainly.” Celes handed over a small bulging sack. “My name is Celes. And you are?”

“Gunthram.” He pocketed the coins without delay and started to resume his previous position.

“And the information?” Celes maintained her polite voice. Gunthram looked annoyed.

“Yes, yes I can confirm the attacks. I was there at one. Ghastly business.” He turned his attention to the hearth.

“We’re quite interested in hearing more. What was unusual about these attacks?” Celes tried again.

“I’d rather not say.” Gunthram started spinning his ring idly. Celes nodded at Lara. The young thief stood quickly and snatched the ring from Gunthram.

“Well, I never!” He started to rise. Lara shoved him back down, making a show of inspecting his ring.

“Nice ring, if a little plain. Does this have some special significance?” She looked him directly in the eyes. Gunthram gulped but did a good job at hiding it.

“No, not really. Just a trinket I picked up.”

“You won’t mind if I keep it then.” Lara pocketed the ring. Gunthram’s face grew red. Celes reached out and held his hand tenderly. She looked back at Lara.

“No need to be rude, Gunthram has been through a lot. Clearly, the attack was quite traumatic.”

Gunthram seemed to relax and nodded. But he kept his eyes on Lara.

“Why don’t you share some more details, I apologise for my associate. She’s really quite hasty. I tell her every day, but she just doesn’t listen!” Celes was almost using a motherly tone. Lara had to stifle a laugh.

“Very well. I, well I’m. It’s just… it wasn’t normal.” Gunthram seemed quite preoccupied. He started fidgeting. Celes nudged Lara and she returned the ring. He took it without looking and resumed twirling it around.

“The truth is, I can’t believe what I saw. There was a creature unlike any I’ve seen before. She was jet black, dressed in a simple black uniform adorned with silver. But she wielded a giant great sword and her face.” Gunthram stopped speaking. He grew pale, and a haunted look came over his face.

“Go on. Please.” Celes encouraged him.

“It was like you could see her skull. It was horrific. The few that stood up to her, she was like a whirlwind of death. There seemed to be another standing back and laughing. I ran.” Gunthram sank into the chair. He closed his eyes.

“That’s quite a story. We’re so appreciative of the information. I know that must have been hard for you.”

“I see that face in my dreams. I try to pretend it never happened.”

“Why did you come here? Why admit you saw it?” Lara softened her voice slightly but still challenged him. Gunthram looked up, fear in his eyes.

“I lost everything. I bragged about my survival in taverns to get the odd drink, and conversation. I felt that I was somehow moving past the whole thing. Then I was offered the odd coin for more details on the story from concerned travellers hoping to avoid trouble. I thought I could keep going and get enough money to travel back to Avaria, without truly reliving it. But no. As many times as I kept it back, it wouldn’t stay back.” Gunthram slumped into the chair. He focused on the hearth, the flame dancing around and chewing on another log. Celes pulled out another sack of coins and pressed it into his hands.

“What did they call it?” she said softly. Gunthram’s lips quivered.

“The Skull Queen.” Lara stifled a gasp and looked over at Celes. She nodded, and they turned to leave.

“What are you going to do?” Gunthram said, apprehension in his voice.

“We’re going to cure her of the Blight.” Lara shoved the door open and rushed out into the freezing cold.

2

DIFFERENT PATHS

Alrion held the crystal delicately and examined it from all angles. From normal inspection, it looked quite average. You could not discern anything special about it. But by accessing his Soul Power, he could see the surging of Soul within the crystal. Not a lot, but definitely there. A knock on the door interrupted him, and he placed the crystal down on the table next to him.

Vincent walked in, nodding to Alrion. He eased himself down in the chair next to Alrion.

“How’s it going with this?” Vincent pointed to the crystal.

“See for yourself.” Alrion handed it over and watched his father’s reaction. Vincent turned the crystal over and seemed to see something. He handed it back.

“It looks successful. What does this mean for your plan?”

“It’s a major win. I just need to settle on the right vessel and the right amount of Soul Power.” Alrion turned the crystal over once more, before setting it down.

“Provided that it works as intended?”

“Yes, I will need to test it on a Blighter initially. But the applications are vast once I get going.”

“Is that your plan? To become a craftsman creating tools to fight the Blight?” Alrion was caught off guard by his father’s question.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ve been holed up here for weeks, tinkering away while the world moves on.” Vincent looked Alrion directly in the eyes. The challenge was obvious.

“It was a good use of my time, while the search for Alyx continued.”

“We both know this is not critical to saving her, or your quest. You’re just buying time. You’re stalling.” Vincent paused, watching.

“It’s, not like that.” Alrion almost stammered the words out.

It’s true, isn’t it? You’re hiding here.

“I’m doing the best I can. It’s been relentless getting here.” As he spoke the words, Alrion realised how bad an excuse it sounded.

“I know that, nobody’s judging you. You’ve overcome incredible hurdles to get this far, moved mountains. But this is not the kind of situation where you can just put things on pause.” Alrion picked up on the sense of urgency from his father.

What’s driving this? Maybe it’s time to find out.

“I never properly explained to you my last dream.” Alrion watched his father’s reaction. His face changed quickly, to one of curiosity. The hard edge fell away.

“Go on.”

“I saw a vision of the source of the Blight. And my grandfather.” A look of recognition passed over Vincent’s face in an instant, but Alrion was watching. He noticed.

“Really?” Vincent spoke evenly, keeping his composure.

He’s feigning ignorance. But he knows.

“But you already know what I’m about to say. Because you’ve always known.” Alrion’s voice raised slightly in volume.

“I’m not quite sure what you are referring to, son. Just tell me.”

“He touched the source of the Blight, and it changed. He caused the problems that we now face. That’s why he was so hell-bent on solving the problem of the Blight. It was guilt. And you knew about it. All this time. There’s no way you didn’t.” Alrion was on a roll now. The emotions of the past few weeks, the discovery that he had kept to himself, all combined into a single moment.

“That had to be why the two of you were so estranged. He wanted you to take on his legacy, but you couldn’t. And you ran away. Now that I’m here, and I’m doing it, you’re here to push me forward again. To make sure your father’s unfinished business is done.” Alrion was shouting now.

Where did that come from?

He saw his father shrink back. Vincent lost that sense of assurance and confidence. He looked pained.

“Alrion, I.” Vincent paused. “I understand how you feel. You’re right. I did know about my father’s part in this. It was what drove us apart. I am sorry that I kept it from you.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Even now?”

“I didn’t want to put that burden on you. It’s a heavy toll, and you had enough to contend with.” Vincent reached out, but Alrion shrank away.

“When were you going to tell me?”

“At the end, once we were done. It would have been a nice close to this whole chapter. We could both put it behind us.”

Alrion didn’t know what to say. He could hear the sincerity in his father’s words.

But another lie?

“I… there’s no words right now. Don’t worry, I’m not abandoning my quest. I’m just trying to prepare something to be one step ahead. I’m sick of having to make bad choices.”

“Which one are you hoping to avoid?”

“Having to choose who to cure.” Alrion’s voice was soft and trailed away. Vincent stepped forward and enveloped his son in a tight hug. Alrion didn’t return it initially but then gave in.

“This does not make things right. You better not be hiding anything else from me?”

“That’s it. How many more skeletons can I have in the closet?” Vincent laughed. Alrion was about to respond when he noticed the door opening. Lara and Celes entered the room.

“Oh good, you’re both here. There’s something we need to tell you,” Lara said. Alrion could see from the look on her face that it was bad news.

Something about Alyx. Oh no.

“Do we need to get Marla?” Vincent said.

“No, not yet. We found word of Alyx, and we’re pretty sure it’s a real lead.” Lara looked over at Celes, who nodded.

“And?” Alrion said.

“And it’s worse than we expected. She’s become something else.”

“Something else?” Alrion saw Lara look down briefly before meeting his gaze.

“She’s become the Skull Queen.”

“What?” Alrion looked from Lara to his mother. Both wore serious and apologetic looks. Even his father looked shocked and saddened.

“I don’t understand. She was turning into a Shade. What’s this?”

“The enemy must have found a way to transform her further. It’s quite cruel really, considering her past.” Vincent shook his head.

“She killed the Skull King. I can’t believe this. I knew I should have been out looking. Instead, I’ve been wasting time with these toys.” Alrion threw the crystal to the floor. It clattered with a loud noise but didn’t break. Lara stepped over and picked up the crystal, examining it.

“Does this work?” She handed it to Celes.

“It should do. But I need to test it. I don’t know how much is needed and if the effect will be the same.” Alrion started pacing.

“Alright, we need to get moving. No more waiting around. Where were the sightings?”

“Some smaller towns at the foot of the mountains. They must be moving towards bigger settlements.”

“Do we have maps? Let’s figure out where we need to get to. Maybe we can predict their destination and cut them off.”

“I know where some are, give me a minute.” Lara left immediately.

“Alrion, I’m not sure we should be pursuing this right now,” Vincent spoke gently.

“Did you just say that? After we just had that conversation?”

“It’s your quest, and you’ve worked on your tools, your extra options. You can continue to refine those on the road ahead. But you need to learn the spell you need and the place to cast it.”

“Listen to your father, Alrion. We are here to support you, but you need to keep moving forward. On the task at hand. You can’t save everyone?” Celes reached out and held Alrion’s hand. After a moment, he pulled away.

“Alyx is not just anyone. She sacrificed so much, and now the worst has happened to her. It was bad enough her running around as a Shade. But now she’s been transformed into her worst nightmare. That should make it more important to save her, not less.”

“You can save her by saving everyone. I know how important she is, and what she did. But isn’t saving the world more important?”

“You don’t understand. I can’t save the world if I can’t save her first.” Alrion slumped down into a chair.

How could I let this happen?

Vincent put a hand on Alrion’s shoulder. Alrion felt the warmth and reassurance. He looked up and saw his father smiling.

“You need to do the right thing for yourself, this is your quest. I only want to provide you with some perspective. I’ve been around a while, I have learnt a thing or two.” Vincent winked.

“So you think,” Celes said, laughing. Vincent feigned injury and turned back to Alrion.

“All jokes aside, I’ve just had a realisation. We are your support team, I shouldn’t forget that. And I understand that keeping things from you has made it difficult. So, here’s my suggestion.” Vincent paused and drew in a deep breath.

“Your mother and I will go hunt down clues for the location of the source of the Blight. You can pursue and save Alyx. We can meet up later and go together to end this quest.” Alrion nodded, taking the words in. It wasn’t the first time they had split up to achieve different things. He looked over at his mother. Celes nodded her approval. But he still noticed her giving his father a questioning look.

So, it wasn’t planned. I’m sure he’ll get in trouble for that, splitting us up again.

“It’s a good plan. If you perfect your Soul Orb, then either one of us could cure Alyx. And once we have her back, we will be much stronger.” Lara spoke slowly but seemed to be gathering in enthusiasm with each word.

“But how can we even coordinate ourselves? Where will your search take you?” Alrion said to Vincent. The blacksmith rubbed his chin in thought.

“I was just thinking, that while we don’t know where the source of the Blight is, we do know where it is near.” Vincent paused.

“Where?” Alrion said.

Don’t tell me you’ve been hiding more!

“Remember the story of the four generals of the Blight?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Where did those generals come from?”

“Valrytir.” Lara gasped after speaking. Alrion looked over at her, shocked.

“It makes sense, doesn’t it?” Vincent raised the question. Alrion didn’t know what to think.

“Are you sure?”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter if I’m right. They successfully reached the source of the Blight from there, so it’s as good a place as any to stage our final approach. They are well-versed in fighting the Blight and have the world’s largest and most sophisticated armed force.”

“He’s right, if you’re looking for raw firepower, that’s the place to go,” Lara said.

“You’ve been there before, haven’t you?” Celes said to Vincent. He nodded.

“Many years ago, before we met. I’m not in a rush to return, but I think it’s the right place for us to go.”

“This is all very sudden.” Alrion sighed. But he thought about what his father had said.

I do need to move forward, I can’t delay it any longer.

“I guess this is it. We shall investigate appearances of the Skull Queen. Then we will look for a lead concerning the source of the Blight. If we don’t find one, we can meet at Valrytir. Does that sound right?”

“Exactly. Your mother is quite skilled at information gathering. I’m sure she will have this solved within the week.” Vincent winked at Celes.

“Right, don’t set any reasonable expectations.” Celes laughed.

“I think it’s the best path, considering the circumstances.” Lara’s voice was quiet. Alrion could sense some hesitation in her, despite her agreeing to the plan.

“Is everything alright, Lara? Is there something about the plan?” Alrion thought a moment, it was more than that. “About Valrytir?”

“I was born there, but I’ve not been back in a long time. It will be… strange.”

Don’t pry, there’s some sort of history there.

“That’s fine, I’ll do whatever I can to make it easier. But first, we need to save Alyx.” Alrion looked around the room. Everyone acknowledged him. His father with a tight nod, his mother with a warm smile. Lara gave him an apprehensive smile.

“We will make preparations and leave.” Vincent guided Celes towards the door. She stopped and stepped back to Alrion.

“Take care, son. We shall see you soon. Don’t forget, that we’re so proud of you.” Celes pulled his head over and lightly kissed the top of it. Alrion fought down embarrassment.

“Send my regards to Alyx.” Vincent opened the door and, after Celes left, followed her.

“I guess it’s just us again,” Lara said.

“So it is. Just like old times.”

“Maybe we can skip the whole ‘take on a field of Blighters and almost die in the process’ though this time?”

“I’ll consider it.” Alrion gave her a grin, then his mind started working through the consequences of his decision. But he was still firm.

Alyx, we’re coming.

3

AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE

Alrion hugged Marla and stepped back.

“Are you sure you have everything you need?” Marla gestured to the storeroom again. Alrion let his eyes wander over the shelves and mentally catalogued everything.

“Yes, any more would weigh us down. And the crystals you gave me to experiment with the Soul Orbs are reusable. We are ready.”

“Thank you for your help. Do we know when we will return?” Lara said, looking at Alrion. He shrugged.

“I don’t expect to return until it’s over. But I will come back and see you. I’m not going to follow in my father’s footsteps.” Alrion sighed, but Marla laughed.

“Good, we look forward to seeing you back here. You are a part of us, so you belong here. But I understand if you decide to spend your life somewhere a little warmer.”

“You do have a tendency to get snowed in.” Lara gave an exaggerated shiver.

“Well, thank you again. I will try and send word if possible.” Alrion paused, thinking it over.

“Yes, if you leave word with any Mystics you come across, we will get the message. Good luck and look after each other.” Marla waved, and Alrion pushed the door open, waiting for Lara to exit.

A blustery wind assaulted them immediately.

“Not looking forward to the initial hike one bit.” Lara kicked at some snow and pushed forward. Alrion noticed small clusters of Mystics out and about. They all seemed to slow and stop, watching them leave.

“Do you think they’re glad to be rid of us?” Alrion said.

“In a way, yes. We brought so much death and destruction with us. Even if it wasn’t our fault.”

“True. That’s why I’ll set things right. This won’t happen again. I’ll make sure of it.”

“And I’ll watch your back while you do it.” Lara pivoted around and walked behind Alrion, fending off phantom adversaries.

“Maybe save that for later?” Alrion laughed. But he appreciated Lara trying to lighten the mood. The news of the Skull Queen had sent him reeling. He thought that he was prepared to help Alyx, but now he was not so sure. There was a niggling doubt that maybe he would be unable to help her.

First things first—I need to find her.

The path outside the Mystic’s home was foreign. Alrion hadn’t paid much attention on the way, he had been preoccupied. While staying with the Mystics, he hadn’t strayed beyond his accommodation at all, leaving the job of combing the countryside to his mother and Lara.

“You must be an expert in this area now,” Alrion said.

“By necessity. We spent more than enough time traipsing around, looking for hidden paths and alternate tracks. It will come in handy now.”

“I hope so.”

“I can take us the most direct path out of here. But where are we heading to?”

“Do you know where that lead came from? Where the Skull Queen was last sighted?”

“A small town really. Called Londarth.”

“Londarth it is. I’m not naive enough to believe that she will still be there, but we can find a trail.”

“There’s always a trail.”

“There wasn’t one here. How did we lose her?” Alrion practically mumbled the words. Lara stopped and grabbed him by the arm.

“You have to stop beating yourself up. Sometimes you can’t do it all. We’ll make it right.” Lara looked directly into his eyes. Alrion could see the same pain that he felt. It was reassuring.

“Good.” Alrion strode forward, “let’s get a move on.”

“Try and keep up.” Lara darted forward, picking an odd path between the large stones littered along the path. Alrion almost lost sight of her.

Here we go. He started to really move, and the exercise awakened him in a way that was surprising. It was invigorating.

I’ve been too static. This is good. It was time to just lose himself in the journey for a little while.

* * *

Hours passed, and Lara finally slowed.

“You really do know these lands now. I didn’t think it was possible to cut a path through here that wouldn’t require us to take a break.” Alrion heaved in a deep breath. He could augment his physical endurance somewhat with the Soul Power, but it had nothing on actual training. The more he learned, the more he realised that it wasn’t a shortcut. It was more of an augmentation. He couldn’t create fitness. But he could create speed and strength in short bursts.

“Trust me, it became pretty boring heading out time and time again. We needed to find ways to make it more interesting. And cut the duration. There’s a limit to how much you can explore in a day.” Lara drew in measured breaths. It seemed like she had used this as a rest place before.

“I need to figure out a way to travel faster with magic.”

“And take away another thing I can still beat you at?” Lara grinned. Alrion was thinking of a witty retort when he noticed something suddenly hurtling towards them. He reached out by instinct, sending a wave of force. The object stopped immediately and hovered in the air. Alrion stepped over to investigate. It was a jet-black arrow.

“Good reaction.” Lara had a dagger in hand and was staring into the distance.

Alrion activated his Soul Power and examined the arrow. He could see the taint of the Blight on it. He could even see traces in the air, where the arrow had displaced it.

This is interesting. He followed the signs, tracking the arrow’s point of origin. A flat rock in the distance. There was a man standing on it, but at this distance was only a silhouette.

“There. Let’s go ask him a few questions.” Alrion grabbed the arrow out of the air. He could feel the Blight within it. A familiar and unsettling feeling.

Don’t worry you are past that.

Alrion approached carefully, Lara by his side. She stalked along, sweeping left and right looking for threats. Alrion maintained his focus on the figure ahead of them. The man remained still, looking in their direction.

Details began to emerge. Alrion could see the bow and quiver clearly now, as dark as the arrow. The man was wearing a black hood over his face, with a black leather jerkin. His legs though, they were something else. They were black and wiry, and the stone beneath him seemed to ooze blackness. Alrion conjured a fireball and held it in front of him as he moved closer.

“Ahoy there. Don’t shoot the messenger!” The man’s voice was almost normal, but there was a strange accent to it that sounded off. He quickly raised his hands and backed away a little.

“Don’t trust him, keep alert.” Lara started to circle around to approach the man from behind.

“You shot first,” Alrion said.

“Just to get your attention. I didn’t want to make the wrong impression.”

“Too late,” Lara said. She was almost within striking distance. However, the man seemed unfazed by her.

“Trust me, it would have been a lot worse had I done this.” The man seemed to become a blur and ran rings around them before settling down in the same spot. It was almost too fast for Alrion to react. But rather than loose the fireball, he had held on to avoid friendly fire.

“See? I’m rather fast.”

“And you leave a trail.” Lara pointed to the ground. A black tar coated the ground in a circle around them, showing his path. It quickly dried up and started to flake away.

“What are you?” Alrion said. He had encountered nothing like this at all. Not even the Trackers were like this.

“I prefer who. Fermur, pleased to meet your acquaintance. You may have heard of me?”

“You’re one of the generals of the Blight.”

“Alrion, wasn’t it?”

“How did you find me? Why are you here?” Alrion created a second fireball. Fermur backed away more, but then noticed how close Lara was.

“Easy now, as I said, don’t shoot the messenger. That’s all I am. I have a message for you.” Fermur seemed a little apprehensive.

He’s probably heard of what I can do. Alrion let both fireballs dissipate into nothing. They were a distraction and were probably too slow to deal with this thing anyway.

“Pass on your message then.”

“With great delight. I have a message for you from our fearless leader, Darvin. He sends his regards.” Fermur paused, watching Alrion.

“And?”

“And he would like to inform you of two events. First, his new comrade the Skull Queen will be leading an assault on a town nearby called Carth.”

Alyx. We’ve found you.

“Why should we trust anything you say?” Lara inched closer, with her dagger still poised to strike.

“I am honour bound to relay only truth. I am a messenger after all. Never liked fighting, not really. It was a benefit of my transformation then, that I could have a legitimate reason to avoid it. Do you want to hear the second part of the message?” Fermur looked at Alrion. He nodded. Fermur beamed a smile.

“Excellent! Now, the second event of note is that Darvin himself will be leading a separate assault on the city of Hurdenor. He provides you an opportunity to confront him as the hero you are.” Fermur stopped again and assumed a waiting pose.

“That’s it?” Alrion said. What are they playing at?

“Yes, that is all. Were you expecting something else?” Fermur grinned like he was expecting the reaction. Alrion looked to Lara. She shrugged her shoulders lightly and kept her focus on Fermur.

“What do you think he’s trying to tell us?” Alrion said. The grin faded from Fermur, and he took on a confused look. He leaned back and pulled out an arrow. But rather than preparing it to fire, he rubbed it between his fingers, deep in thought.

“You know, nobody ever asked my opinion. They either tried to kill me or chase me away.”

“You seem quite intelligent to me. I would like to hear what you think.” Alrion could see Fermur coming around. The general put the arrow back in his quiver.

“Very well, that’s not against the rules. I think that he is taunting you. He wants you to choose between going after your friend and saving a city.”

“Why?”

“You are his adversary. He wants to know how you think, also, I believe, to cause you pain. That is his way. But as I said…”

“Yes, you’re just a messenger. We get it.” Lara didn’t hide the frustration in her voice.

“You do listen. Fantastic. I must be away then, message delivered after all.” Fermur started to whir and move away. But Alrion was ready.

You’re not leaving. Alrion sent out a wave of force and wound it around Fermur. It prevented him from moving from the spot.

“Curious.” Fermur looked around his feet while straining to run.

I have to try. Alrion started releasing his Soul Power, using his magic as a conduit. He activated his enhanced vision, watching the Soul Power travelling along hidden waves. It started to wrap around and permeate Fermur.

“Oh no, that’s cheating.” Fermur quickly drew and fired multiple arrows at Lara. She dived down and Alrion quickly refocused his wave of force. Two arrows hit the ground and two others were diverted away by Alrion’s spell. In that instant, Fermur was gone, the only sign the trail of black ooze. It seemed to be drying up and flaking away faster than before.

“I’m fine.” Lara stood and Alrion ran over. He helped her up.

“No, really I’m fine.” Lara turned and looked over the slowly disappearing trail behind Fermur.

“Do we want to follow him? It might be possible.”

“No, he’s probably going to return to Darvin. Our focus needs to be Alyx.” Alrion noticed surprise in Lara’s face.

“You’ve already decided?”

“I can’t move on otherwise, no matter the cost. If we don’t act now, we will lose her again.” Alrion saw doubt in Lara’s face before she looked away.

“You don’t agree, do you?”

“I thought you were about saving everyone. Maybe there’s a way we can?”

“Not this time. Please, support me on this.” Alrion looked into her eyes. She held his gaze.

“Always. Let’s go save our friend.” Lara gave him a hug. The warmth was reassuring. But it was like he could feel it weighing on her.

I won’t do this again. I promise.

4

INVESTIGATION DIVERTED

Vincent paused and looked around. The sweeping hills and clear sky were breathtaking. The contrast of the bright green leaves with the remnants of the snow made the surroundings much more colourful than he had expected.

“Beautiful country around here.” Vincent brushed some snow off a knee-height rock and eased himself down.

“You really should have tried visiting sometime.” Celes gave him a wry smile.

“I know, I know.”

“What do you think we will find out here? Lara and I found so little.” Celes leaned against a tree and brushed some snow off her shoulder.

“As thorough as you were, your search was constrained by how far you could go and easily return to the Mystics. There’s a lot more going on around here, the news about Alyx is just one thing.” Vincent sighed. Alrion had taken the news harder than expected.

He’s so blind to anything else right now.

“He’s been tasked with the impossible. And you haven’t made it easy for him.”

Here it is. I’ve been waiting for this conversation.

“Our family history? I was protecting him!”

“You may have started by protecting him, but you ended up protecting yourself.” Celes pointed at his chest with a finger and he felt real pain. She was right.

“I know. I hope he understands. The weight of something like that, it’s crushing. I didn’t want to put it on him, nor did I want to have to deal with the fact that I had kept it silent.” Vincent paused and shook his head, “that’s always the way, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“Secrets come out at the worst times.”

“Always. I think it’s a golden rule. Makes life interesting though.” Celes chuckled, and Vincent showed a tiny smile.

“So, was there a plan here? Or did you just want to run away from our son?”

She’s on fire today.

“Definitely a real plan. I wanted to get you to a bigger city, so you could get to the bottom of what’s happening around here. I think any major Blight activity will turn into a lead towards the Source. It’s inevitable.”

“And I suppose that it’s a complete coincidence that the big city around here will be the only place with decent blacksmiths?”

“Of course. If we need to do some investigation at the smithy’s, then, of course, I will reluctantly accept the responsibility.” Vincent grinned at Celes.

“You are having way too much fun.” He pointed at her in a mock accusatory way.

“I know. But I feel like we’re finally free again after twenty years of just living a different life. Not a bad one, but different. And it’s the last one.”

“The last one?”

“This quest, journey, adventure—whatever we are calling it. It’s the last one, I can feel it. So, I’m enjoying it for what it is when I can.”

“I can’t argue with that.” Vincent rose and shook off the weariness. He needed to be active and strong.

“Let’s push on and find civilisation.”

* * *

Vincent put down the mug of ale and settled into the warmth. The little tavern was packed full of people, which was a nice change from the lonely wilderness. He gave Celes’s hand an affectionate squeeze.

“Feeling more comfortable now?” She smiled.

“I hadn’t realised how remote that area is. This feels better. We’re still on the fringe, but there are people and activity.”

“Shhh.” Celes nudged her head towards a nearby conversation. Vincent nodded and tried to pick out the voices.

“I’m telling you, I saw them. Headed towards Hurdenor. A whole horde of Blighters. But they’re using the forests to hide their movement,” an old man said. He was nursing an ale and, as he spoke, flecks of spit flew across the table. His friends laughed him off.

“Gurt, you old dog. You’ve been on the piss again. You wouldn’t spot a horde of Blighters if they were in here with us!”

“I swear, I hadn’t even been drinking. But now, now I need to forget all about it.” Gurt downed the rest of his drink and wiped his mouth. One of the men at the table jumped up to return to the bar.

“Good man, Frand. You know I’m telling the truth.” Frand turned back.

“Not really, I just want to hear what kind of ridiculous story you’ll be telling us next!” The rest of the table burst into laughter and Gurt grumbled with annoyance. Vincent leaned over.

“Sorry, friend, I couldn’t help but overhear. Which forest was it?”

“Finally, someone with some sense! It’s just over to the east. Easy to avoid, it’s not the way you’d normally travel. Although I’d avoid Hurdenor just in case. They couldn’t have been heading anywhere else.”

“I wouldn’t want to risk that, not after hearing your story.” Vincent fished out a coin and flicked it onto the table in front of Gurt, “for your trouble.” Gurt quickly pocketed the coin.

“Thanks.” He looked about to say something else, but Frand returned with his drink. Vincent looked over at Celes.

“I know that look.”

“Good, we can skip the conversation where I convince you to follow me into the woods.” Vincent finished off his ale and slammed the mug down.

“You know, you’re lucky that I love you.” Celes rose carefully and threaded her way between the bodies and tables and found the door. Vincent followed close and paused before he left, relishing the heat.

The cold chill was worse than he expected. Night had fallen, and a stiff breeze brought the temperature down even more. Vincent nodded towards the edge of town, and Celes followed close.

“Do you really believe there’s an attack brewing?”

“I believe enough to go tramp through the cold and drag you with me.”

“Good. This is one of those situations where I would rather you were wrong and had dragged me out here for no reason.”

“Likewise. I can’t explain it, but it just feels like something is brewing. I can’t ignore this.” Vincent found a path between two houses, that headed into the trees. He noticed a lantern by the side of the path and bent down to pick it up.

“Looks like we’re not the first to venture down here. Can you light it?” Vincent handed it to his wife. Celes retrieved something from her cloak and knelt on the ground. Within moments, she had a flame going and handed the lantern back to Vincent.

“After you.” Vincent accepted the light and walked ahead. He noticed Celes walking closely behind him on the narrow path.

“Do you think we are being followed?” Vincent didn’t stop to wait for a response and kept walking. The path was easy enough to follow but didn’t seem to be much in use.

“No, all clear.”

“That’s a relief. I’m so hasty sometimes, this whole thing could have been a setup.”

“That’s why I’m here, to keep you out of trouble. Speaking of which, what have you been up to these last weeks?”

“What do you mean?”

“While I’ve been out in the countryside, you never ventured out. What have you been up to?”

“Keeping an eye on Alrion mostly and making sure he had what he needed. At other times, practising with the Soul Power.”

“You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?” Celes laughed.

“What do you mean?”

“First chance to do something that I think of as magic, you’re all over it!”

“Hardly. I did it to be responsible and not shirk away from my duty. It should be helpful in our quest.” Vincent expected a quip back, but there was silence. He continued to forge through the forest, pausing occasionally to look for signs of activity. There were none.

“What can you do? With the Soul Power?”

“I’m still figuring that out. But I seem able to heal myself and enhance my body. Gain extra speed or strength, push it beyond its normal limits.”

“That sounds useful. I assume there’s some sort of limits to how much you can use it?”

“Of course, once it runs out, I need time to recover. Stop a moment.” Vincent thought he could hear something. He handed the lantern to Celes and motioned for her to stay put. She nodded. Vincent enhanced his vision and was able to see in the dark. He crept forward, straining his ears for confirmation of what he had heard. Nothing yet. Then, a quiet rustling.

Vincent stalked forward, using care to glide through the forest. Stealth wasn’t his strength, but he knew enough to avoid twigs on the ground and errant branches. The rustling became louder, spurring him on. He reached a tree and clambered in, bracing himself on the lowest branches. Vincent stifled a gasp.

Before him marched an army of Blighters. With care and minimal noise, they were slowly advancing through the forest. Each one looked intensely focused and in control.

What is this? The tip was good, he needed to warn Celes. Vincent spun quickly and almost lost his grip. He paused, feeling his heart pounding. After a few deep breaths, he lowered himself down and ran back as quietly as he could.

“What’s wrong?” Celes hissed as he approached. Vincent slowed.

“Blighters. A whole army.”

“What?” Celes’s voice was raised, and she quickly covered her mouth.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. They’re marching slowly and quietly, like well-trained soldiers. This is not good.”

“This is terrible. You were right to investigate this.” Celes looked out into the darkness and shook her head.

“I’d rather be wrong.”

“How far ahead did you think this through? Are we going there now?”

“Yes, we must. I wish I could warn them…”

“But they’ll never believe you, even if you could get there in time,” Celes said, finishing the thought.

“Let’s get a horse and try and get ahead of this. We can figure out a plan on the way.”

* * *

Not long after, Vincent stepped back out of the inn, following an old and bemused farmer holding a lantern out in front of him.

“You young’uns and your urgent tasks. I was once like that. A long time ago. Always rushing around.”

I’m not a young’un!

Vincent was about to object but Celes put her hand on his arm. He grumbled to himself and swallowed the retort.

“We appreciate you helping us out on such short notice,” Celes said.

“Oh, don’t you worry, I’m being amply compensated.” The farmer chuckled and started whistling. It only took a few minutes to reach the stables. The farmer used his lantern to light another just inside the entrance.

“Now, I know you’re in a big rush, but I can’t spare my best stallion. You can take Brenda over there.” The farmer pointed to a medium-sized mare, staring out at them with a vacant expression. Vincent handed over a small sack of gold. The farmer weighed it up, peeked inside, then pocketed the sack.

“I trust you can sort the rest out. Good night, and good luck.” The farmer waved and left the stables.

Vincent had the horse out and saddled within minutes. Despite first impressions, Brenda seemed responsive and energetic. He helped Celes jump onto the back.

“Now the fun begins.” Vincent guided the horse out onto the main path and gently nudged her into a canter.

“We are on the way to warn a city that won’t believe us about a horde of Blighters that are going to attack. But look at you, you’re still having fun.” Celes grabbed him and held on tight.

“I did say this was the last journey. But we’re not at the end yet.”

I hope Alrion finds a way here too. These people are going to need all the help they can get.

5

TRACKING THE QUEEN

Lara ambled up the hill, keeping slightly ahead of Alrion. She paused to take in the view. A cluster of houses nestled together amongst the woods. Snow was lighter here, and the trees more densely packed together. She watched Alrion make the last few steps. There was a heaviness to him.

His decision is weighing on him. It was the opposite to what he had done before. When the stakes were high, he used his power to cure Wraith and restore Branthor. It was the greater of the possibilities. But doing so had lost them Alyx. Now he was ignoring an opportunity to confront the leader of the Blight and potentially save a city in the process.

Is it guilt that he let her go before?

“You look deep in thought,” Alrion said with what looked like a forced smile.

“As do you.”

“There’s much to think about.” Lara watched his expression darken, but he hid it quickly.

The weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Let’s go find the inn down there, I’m sure they have something approximating one, and warm up. Then I have an experiment I want you to help me with.” Lara watched Alrion’s face. It lit up with genuine excitement and interest. Her heart jumped a little, she loved that about him. His eager curiosity and how genuine he was.

“I’m intrigued.”

“Good, hold that feeling.” Lara crested the hill and headed down to the buildings below.

* * *

The town, if you could call it that, was named Plort. Lara didn’t even bother asking about the origins of the name. But she did confirm their bearings and destination. She found Alrion tucking into some spiced chicken and potato. The warmth and the food were returning some of his usual behaviour.

“Where’s my food?”

“Coming, I ordered you something special.” Alrion winked.

I don’t even care what he ordered, it’s worth that spark in him.

“You’ll be pleased to hear we are just a day’s hike from Carth. We can rest here tonight, hike all day tomorrow, and we will arrive late in the day. Then we can see what’s happening there.”

“Shouldn’t we go tonight?” Alrion had a questioning look.

“No. We won’t hike all day on no sleep when we think we’re going into a battle.”

“But maybe we’ll be too late?”

“It doesn’t matter if we get there before or after the battle, it just matters that she’s there. You’ve made that quite clear.” Lara let her frustration out a bit.

“It does matter, we shouldn’t put lives at risk unnecessarily.”

“We’ve already done that by coming here instead of confronting Darvin.” Lara took a deep breath. “Look, you’ve made that choice already. Now we need to make sure that you achieve the objective. There’s no point to this if you can’t save Alyx.” Lara watched his face, wondering if she had been too direct. He looked pained.

“You’re right. Whatever we need to do to ensure we get the job done.” Alrion returned to his food, reluctantly picking at it. Lara’s food arrived. It was a plate of steamed vegetables.