The Estian Alliance

Chapter 1

31st August - The Kielth Mountains - Siatol

“…But this is madness, Sereq! Sheer and utter folly!

No. No, I say! We must not go. We have to stay. Who is this boy in whom you have placed so much faith? Do any of us really know him?” cried Terristor.

The ancient spirit’s voice and face were now more animated than they had ever been. “…We know so little, and yet you are about to sacrifice everything for him, in the hope that he truly is the one who will lead our people to victory? Without us?! Madness, I tell you. You cannot ask us to do this! Charr… You have that look about you, the one that tells me your mind is already made up? Then, I hope for all of our people’s sakes that you are not mistaken!

We have all gone along with everything you have asked of us so far, because we too want to believe in him, just as we believe in you, but… No, I am sorry, it has to be said. He may be ‘The One’ we have waited for, but even so, he cannot do this without us. He needs our help. He is just a boy. He is a stranger to this land, a novice in the art of magic, to our ways… and I need not point out to you that he is taking on the most powerful wizard we have ever faced.

Please, will you not reconsider? Will you not see sense? Faith is a wonderful thing, Sereq. However, what you are proposing is way too much. Hear me, please?! His army is defeated. His allies are too few and too weary. Ranged against them now are thousands of battle-hardened warriors, hoards of invincible Thargws! With our help, in time, he has a small chance of winning this fight. He has the very faintest of hopes. Without us though, it is already a lost cause and he will never prevail! Surely you can see that?

I… I take no pleasure in saying these things to you, my friend. We have followed you faithfully for hundreds of years. You have led us well and we have stood by your side proudly. We have fought many adversaries together and there is no one I hold in higher regard. But, in all we have done, we have always thought and acted as one. We have spoken as one… Until now!”

The dark and damp cave within the Kielth Mountains sheltered the four ghostly spirits known to Jake as the Heynai. Aided by the chosen Keepers, they and their stones had protected the Estian people for centuries, and they were also responsible for rescuing the latest of them, Jake West, with their timely action at the Battle of Dassilliak. The collapse of the mountain was a stupendous feat of magic, it had ended the Lords of Srenul’s pursuit and saved the teenager’s life, but it was only one of a number of spells they had cast to aid him, his friends and his cause. The Heynai were now recovering from the debilitating effects of their magnificent deeds. Their energy reserves were all but spent. They had done far too much in the past day or so to save the two young boys from Earth, way more than they should have done. Their astonishing feats had almost destroyed them completely. The spirits had taken way too many risks in trying to keep the teenagers alive and they knew only too well that they had been incredibly fortunate to survive. At Dassilliak, they had withdrawn from the fight through necessity in order to rest and recover. When their strength began to return they took the opportunity to talk openly amongst themselves about the dire situation still facing the young Keeper, the boy who carried with him the hopes of millions, the ally they had met only days before. The discussion had been a long and heated one but finally one desperate, pleading voice had cried out louder than the rest.

“I too must apologise to you, Sereq. I am in agreement. Terristor speaks the truth,” added Lapo, feeling compelled to give his opinion once again. “…There are too many unknowns here, too many questions you have no answer for. You place way too much confidence in the teachings, in this boy. Surely you have some doubts? Yes, he has surpassed expectations so far. He has indeed achieved more than we anticipated, and in so short a time. But, the odds and the stakes are now far too high for such an enormous leap of faith! King Vantrax and Sawdon will descend upon Te’oull very soon with a force far greater than any ever known. They have already sacked the mighty city of Dassilliak, the greatest defensive fortification in the land. Never before has it fallen. They have conquered almost the entire continent…!

Tell me, even if this boy is the Keeper whose coming is foretold, what can he do against such a force, if he is alone?”

The leader of the Heynai said nothing in reply. His face was expressionless as he considered carefully his fellow spirit’s words. Nothing could be heard around him but the whistling of a gentle wind as it moved through the rocks.

“Sereq!” cried Rutax, forcefully. “Answer us! Now is not the time for silence. If we are to do this thing you ask, we must all be in agreement. And unless you can convince us right here and now, it is not going to happen. After all, you are talking about surrendering all that we have fought for, yielding all we have worked hard to achieve and maintain throughout the hundreds of years since we died… Our very reason for existence.

Who will protect our people when we are gone? Who will defeat the forces of evil which plague this land? Please, do not say the Keepers. They come and they go at will. They are not ever present and most do not have the power to defeat the wizards, not alone. And I for one believe that this boy has yet to prove himself worthy of such high expectation.”

The dark recesses of the cave were illuminated by the light emanating from the four ghostly apparitions. The Heynai floated just above the ground, facing each other in an impromptu circle as they debated the issues and the decision before them. With heavy hearts, they were deciding upon not only their own fate, but the fate of countless millions, on many different worlds, including their own. Silence descended briefly as Sereq carefully considered his reply. The weight of the burden he had to bear was etched into his grey and weary face. He was so, so tired of living. He was tired of fighting. And he knew what had to be done. After a short while, he looked at them each in turn, before responding in a soft, gentle and heavily fatigued tone.

“We… We have given all we have to give, my friends. We are losing this war. The new stone the dark wizard has found has tipped the balance far too heavily in his favour. It is now time for us to face facts. The spells we cast over the past few days in order to help the Keeper and his companions have cost us dear. They have all but destroyed us. The energy and effort they took to create left us almost powerless, defenceless. We will need more of the same if we decide to stay, to fight alongside Jake. I have to tell you now that we will not be strong enough. We will not survive to see this war won. Our fate on that path you would choose is to perish before its outcome is known. And, when the final battle comes, we will be unable to influence it in any way.”

“Kraas… I… I did not realise. Then, what are you suggesting?” asked Terristor, shocked by his leader’s words. “You speak of sacrifice? But, without us here to guide him, he will be lost?”

“Yes, Sereq, what exactly is it you propose? We are not blind to the needs of the Keeper. Neither are we so attached to this world that we would forsake the realm beyond, if our people were helped in any way by our leaving. We will not concede defeat and betray our oaths however. We, like you, swore to defend this land and its inhabitants, until the end of time if necessary.”

“Time, Lapo?” replied Sereq, seizing upon the word like a Thargw with the scent of blood in his nostrils. “Yes, a fitting turn of phrase. That is what it is all about now… Time. It has finally come for us. It is also the one thing we can give to our friends. And it is the one thing they need the most.”

“Kuh! As usual, you speak, but you do not tell,” huffed a frustrated Rutax. “Enough riddling, please?”

Sereq smiled warmly at the wraithlike image of his friend. “Very well, as you wish. Jake needs time to gather his force at Te’oull. Even now, thousands of fresh volunteers are making their way to the city. They are coming from all corners of Estia to join him in this fight. Our people are answering the call we made in their thousands. The war of wars is not far away my friends. It has long been foretold and it now stands at our door. Remember the prophecy;

‘…A thousand year fight is upon us, for the age of evil has come.

In the war of wars that confronts us, salvation shall lie with ‘The One’.

A Keeper to unlock the secrets, long hidden inside of a box.

A warrior chosen to wield it. The one without whom all is lost.’

This war can still be won. But, if King Vantrax reaches Te’oull first, with his vast army of seasoned warriors and merciless beasts, the Estian Alliance and its leaders, Princess Zephany and Jake, will be destroyed. We can not let that happen! They need time. Just as Ben, Verastus and Brraall need time to join them. Gellsorr may protect them now, however the dragon is about to encounter a deadly foe, and I cannot predict the outcome. The effects of casting those spells linger on for me, I am afraid.”

“Yes, us too. We all feel it, Sereq. Though, given our current condition, what can we do?” pleaded Terristor.

“We can die… Again.”

The remaining Heynai were unmoved by their leader’s deliberately dramatic choice of words. Death held no fear for them. In truth, they would all welcome the release, and the peace it promised. They had all privately grown weary of their continued existence and the seemingly never ending battle against evil. It was a continuous, energy sapping fight which had taken a great toll upon them. It had taken more away from their souls than anyone would ever know, in more ways than most could ever imagine.

“Srr… I fail to see how our deaths will aid the Keeper?” said Lapo.

Sereq replied, expressionless once more. “We will use what strength we have left to cast one last spell. It will be the greatest feat of wizardry ever performed. A wall, a shield if you will. An invisible barrier of energy through which none shall pass. It will need to stretch across the entire land if it is to work, raised to separate friend from foe.”

“Sereq, what you are suggesting is way beyond our power,” stated Rutax. “It would take far too much energy to create and maintain. There are simply too few of us.”

Sereq shook his head at him. “No. For once you are mistaken. By willingly sacrificing our lives, such as they are, we will add to the fires our very life force… And they will burn all the brighter for it.”

Silence once again descended in the cave. The gentle wind caressed the spirits as they considered their options carefully.

“Well? What say you all?” Sereq asked, once he was satisfied that they had had long enough to decide.

It was Lapo who answered first. “I will be sorry to leave like this, after all we have done. It will seem to many that we are deserting them in their hour of need, running away from the fight when the beast is at our door?”

“Yes. It will appear that way to some,” replied Sereq. “Though, those who believe in us will know differently. And in time, the true reasons behind our actions will be revealed.”

“By who?” Terristor enquired.

“Jake. And Tien. I will go to them both now, very briefly, to explain. I will not be able to stay long for the pursuit has already begun.”

“I see. Then Lapo and I will wait here for your return. We are with you. If you believe it can be done, we are willing to give it a try. It has been an honour and a privilege to have known you, Sereq. To have served our people alongside you all, has been by far my greatest achievement.”

Sereq nodded in gratitude at Terristor and then at Lapo. Then, he turned to Rutax. “And you? Are you with us in this?”

Rutax hesitated but eventually he spoke. “I… I just do not know… It feels too much to me like a defeat. As if I am running away when there is far more I should be doing!” he rasped. “We are leaving everything to chance. I have not lived like that. Is there no other way?”

“No. I am sorry but I can see none,” Sereq answered, shaking his head slightly.

“Koh. Then, I suppose it has to be. But, what of the Gerada? What of Knesh Corian?” Rutax asked, realising that they would also be abandoning the spirit of the former Ruddite general who had chosen to join with them and help his friends, instead of entering the afterlife.

“He will remain here for as long as he wishes. Only he can decide his own fate, for he was granted the same life force that we were given. It is his to surrender. He will try to save King Artrex if I know him at all. The palace at Dassilliak is swarming with enemy warriors and the King still sleeps. His wounds are severe.”

“Well, I suppose at least they will have one of us there to help them? He is a fiery, impetuous youth of a spirit, but he is a spirit nevertheless?” said Lapo.

A chorus of gentle laughter filled the cave and relieved the tension slightly.

“Then, we are all agreed?” asked Sereq. “Good. I will go to them now. When I return, we shall begin. We will hold the enemy forces at bay for as long as we are able. It may not be enough, but once it is done, once they break through and we are gone, our people are on their own.

Everything then, will depend upon the Keeper!”