The Estian Alliance

CHAPTER 27

3rd September - The City of Te’oull - Siatol

A sudden and dramatic surge of energy and power swept through the whole of Jake’s body as the last of the Lords of Srenul was destroyed. Along with it, came an enormous swell of anger and fury, the likes of which he had never experienced before. He was filled all of a sudden with another overwhelming desire to kill, only this time it was a feeling so intense, so severe, that he could barely contain himself. It was an insatiable thirst for vengeance which the young boy from England could hardly control. It was as if he could feel the combined pain and anguish of the countless thousands of Estians who had suffered at the hands of King Vantrax over the years, as if the agony suffered by his innumerable victims was tearing at his heart, and ripping it apart. The powerful emotion swept through his body and eventually reached his throat. The teenager seemed to be possessed and he suddenly roared like a Thargw. His eyes were bulging and his muscles contracted, growing in size at the same time and sending his entire body into spasms, lifting him onto his toes. He struggled viciously to contain the force within, for it was a violent, dangerous and unexpected strength which threatened to devour his soul.

For the two astonished onlookers, Resus and King Vantrax, it was an unbelievable and terrifying sight which had them frozen on the spot. Jake’s whole body seemed to almost double in size. In the blink of an eye he was transformed from an ordinary teenager to a muscle-bound freak. He looked like a powerlifter, a muscular body builder. The need and desire to exact revenge upon the wizard had consumed him and fuelled the fire.

He lifted his right arm and pointed his fingers towards his arch enemy, ready to fire his beam of light and send him to whatever awaited in the afterlife. King Vantrax was still reeling in shock. But, he had witnessed the awesome power of the Keeper and his fascination had the better of him. He watched in awe as the energy overtook the young boy’s body. This was the very thing he craved most. Though he knew he had to act in order to save his own skin, he just could not tear his eyes away from what was happening. As he looked on, he wasted the small window of opportunity he had to take advantage of the Keeper’s momentary vulnerability. And, now that it was over, the evil wizard was completely at Jake’s mercy.

However, despite the raging torrent of emotions burning within him, Jake West inexplicably hesitated. The wizard before him was the tyrant who had brought Estia to the very brink of the abyss, the man he knew he had to kill. If anyone deserved to die, it was him. But, something inside of the youngster began fighting his almost irresistible urge to take his life. A second or two passed by and Jake’s hand and fingers began to shake a little, as the battle between the two opposing forces raged within him.

Sensing the Keeper’s struggle, Resus tried to encourage him to act. “Do it, Jake. Kill him!” the dragon cried. Resus had more reason than most to want the evil wizard dead. Many of his dragons had been lost in the fight for Te’oull. Those who had managed to survive all carried wounds of some description. Thanks to King Vantrax and his prosecution of the war, the dragons were now on the very brink of extinction. “Why do you hesitate? It is a just killing, if ever there was one. It is a fitting end for one such as him. He has wrought destruction wherever he has been. Finish him, Jake. End this now!”

Jake’s eyes did not move from the wizard as he replied. His arm and fingers were still trembling but they remained poised to strike. He understood completely what Resus was saying. Heck, he agreed with him entirely! But, he still could not bring himself to do it… And he didn’t know why?

Believing that he might yet have a reprieve, King Vantrax decided to speak. “He cannot do it. He is afraid.”

Resus was incensed by the wizard’s taunt and he moved forward threateningly, as he decided to act. “That may be so, but I have no such concerns! I will…!”

“No!” roared Jake.

He did not move a muscle, but his instant command was enough to stop the dragon in his tracks, just as a bolt of light formed in the creature’s eyes, ready to strike the wizard down. “…I am the chosen Keeper, the guardian of the stones. I ask you to stand down for me now, Resus? Let me finish what I have come here to do?”

Smoke oozed from his nostrils as the dragon took a reluctant step backwards. “As you command. We follow you, so I will do as you wish,” he stated, bowing his head slightly to Jake, but unable to conceal his disappointment.

King Vantrax shifted his eyes back to the young boy who had him cornered. “It is not so easy to kill someone in cold blood, is it?” he snarled. “I do not imagine you have faced such things on your world? And this is your first encounter, your first full scale battle. I can tell,” he added, trying to engage Jake in conversation, and buy more time. “You are not to blame. Yours is a natural reaction, a perfectly understandable fear.”

Jake swallowed hard to suppress a lump in his throat. “If I was any ordinary boy I’d probably agree with you. It is incredibly hard to kill anything, and it does not come easy for most… Thank God. That is the way it should be. But, I am no ordinary boy, am I? I guess I never have been. Though I never knew anything about it, the ability to take a life was always inside of me. I have wrestled with my conscience now and it is clear. It is for the greater good. When I kill you, know that I will feel no guilt. There will be no shame, no fear. You see? You were wrong, King Vantrax; I am not afraid to act. What you saw in me was not fear. Your death is what has to happen. It is the end of a terrible journey. And it is my duty to the people of Estia.”

“Kah! And yet, you delay?” replied the King, sensing with concern Jake’s sudden change of heart and surprised by the gleam of determination in his eye. The wizard’s right hand had by now worked its way unseen into his pocket and begun searching for one of two pieces of reolite stone he had concealed there. The pair of reolite shards were the last known stones of their kind on Estia which were not in the Keeper’s possession. The tiny gems were so small that Vantrax had trouble locating one.

“I have resolved my issues now. I think it was nothing more than curiosity which prevented me from taking action. There is an unanswered question which is troubling me, nothing more,” Jake said, completely unaware of the wizard’s actions.

“I see. Then, ask away, young Keeper,” the King retorted, as his fingers finally located the stone he was searching for. “I will answer you truthfully if I can.”

“The horsemen… Where did they come from? How did you open the rift from which they appeared, when you have not been able to do it before?”

King Vantrax smiled a wicked smile. “Kuh! Have not been able to? Or, have not chosen to? You are the Keeper, do you not know?”

Jake thought about it very briefly, before the truth suddenly dawned on him. “Reolite! You had another stone!”

King Vantrax nodded. “Yes. For years I searched these lands, looking for other gems. I found only a few. With more such stones I could have ruled the world, ruled countless worlds. But, it was not meant to be, so I have had to be more creative!”

The wizard King acted so swiftly that Jake was unable to stop him. He threw the shard of reolite onto the ground and shouted out one word as it fell.

“Treveq!”

Another hole opened up immediately in the air right beside the wizard. Vantrax rushed into the gap with unbelievable speed, just as Jake fired his beam of light in an attempt to stop him. The tear in the atmosphere closed the very instant the light disappeared inside.

Jake and Resus did not see what happened. Vantrax was gone and nothing remained ahead of them but thin air. Both were too stunned to speak. After a short while though, the horrified dragon asked the question that was weighing heavily on both of their minds. “Did… Did you hit him? Is he dead?”

Jake shook his head in despair, as he realised what he had just done. Or rather, what he had failed to do. “I don’t know. I couldn’t see. Oh, why didn’t I kill him when I had the chance? What came over me? I should have…!”

He was too angry to continue, too distraught to finish what he was saying. His entire body was shaking with rage and he hardly noticed as it slowly reduced in size. It stopped diminishing when he was just larger than he had been before he confronted the evil King.

Though he was equally as disappointed, Resus stepped forward to stand alongside the Keeper. “It may be of no consequence now, Jake. I am certain that he is dead. The light was far too close to him. He could not have survived.”

“Yeah? You think?” asked Jake, hoping and praying that the dragon was correct. “…Okay, but what if you’re wrong? What if he did survive? And he finds a way back from wherever he’s gone?”

Resus thought for a brief moment before he answered. “In that case… He has lost his power, his entire army. He no longer has any wealth to speak of, for we will ensure that the mines are run for the good of all on Estia from today. I give you my word on that. So, without warriors, or the money to buy them, what damage could he do to our cause now?” asked the dragon. “…Though, if I may offer one word of advice? I think it best that this news remains just between us?” he added, as an afterthought. “…The people of Estia need not know what happened here, Jake? They have been through too much, suffered too much heartache and pain to have this victory tarnished by such news. It will be our secret, one I will take with me to the afterlife if I must?”

Jake turned to look the dragon in the eye. “No. Thank you, my friend, but I will not lie to them. I will tell them the truth, for they deserve nothing less. They must know that I failed them, failed to kill the one responsible for all of this, King Vantrax. Despite the anger and disappointment they may feel, I have to be honest and inform them that I let them all down.”

The mighty dragon suddenly began to laugh for no apparent reason. It soon became a roar of delight. When it became clear that Jake was mystified and was not going to join in, he stopped laughing and tried his best to explain why he had responded in such a fashion to the Keeper’s statement.

“You have let them down?” he said, in a tone of voice that openly mocked the teenager’s choice of words. He lowered his neck so that Jake could climb on as he spoke. “That is perhaps the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!”

* * *

Princess Zephany and the defenders of Te’oull looked on with relief and excitement from under their protective shield as the army of white spirits destroyed the dark forces from zsorcraum. It was the most exhilarating, stupendous sight they had ever seen. The short but incredibly vicious battle was being waged right before their eyes. As the last of the hideous spectres was destroyed, an enormous roar of delight erupted in and around the square. It swept through the Estian ranks rapidly, until it seemed that the whole city had just sprung into life. The warriors of the Estian Alliance began celebrating and congratulating each other like never before. Some wept openly at their miraculous deliverance, whilst others hugged and kissed any member of the female persuasion they could find, particularly the Sebantans. The fearsome warriors would normally kill anyone acting in such a manner without a second thought, but on this occasion they shared their ally’s relief and joined in the festivities willingly. Songs and cheers rang out everywhere. Princess Zephany and Lord Caro were lifted high onto the shoulders of their warriors and carried triumphantly to the centre of the square, where it seemed the whole Estian army had converged. Once there, they were lowered to the ground and they hugged each other warmly, to another crescendo of exuberant cheers.

However, the merriment soon stopped when their attention was suddenly drawn to the shield overhead. For a split second, the air above them had suddenly been transformed into a white and yellow light. Then, as rapidly as it had formed, it became crystal clear. The great protective shield had disappeared.

Everyone in the city who had not already done so began converging on the square. The vast army of white spirits encircled the city and closed in to hover just above the buildings, forming a perfect circle numerous ranks deep. Five ghostly figures then floated out of the crowd. They weaved their way through and over the Estians to halt at the centre statue, where Lord Caro and Princess Zephany were standing waiting for them, having by now been joined by the others. Jean was holding onto Melissa’s hand as they talked to Nytig. Queen Bressial was congratulating Tien, Harry and Graham on their exploits. All were smiling and laughing, and anxious to hear what the spirits had to say.

Zephany silenced the crowd when she saw the figures approaching. They were all as white as the driven snow. The young Princess smiled with delight when she realised that it was Sereq and the rest of the Heynai. Then, her smile grew even wider and her heart leapt for joy when she saw that they were accompanied by a far more youthful spirit, the ghost of her friend and teacher, Gerada Knesh Corian.

“Srr… I have quickly become accustomed to making speeches, it goes with the territory I suppose. But, on this occasion, words fail me. I can only say what I feel… We owe you our lives. We will be eternally in your debt,” Zephany began, speaking to them all, but looking straight at Sereq. “We shall never forget this day. Neither shall we forget those who came to our aid.”

Sereq bowed his head once as a sign of respect. “You seem to have found your voice as easily as you found your courage, and your calling? All of Estia should be grateful for it,” he replied. Then he raised his voice so loud that the entire city could hear his words. “Princess Zephany… You and your warriors are responsible for the victory won here today, not we! Our world is safe again because of you. All of you!”

His words were greeted by thousands of cheers and the jubilant Estians celebrated once more. Once the incredible noise had finally subsided, Sereq spoke again. “This is a time like no other. We are in uncharted waters, uncertain of our own future, and with no one to guide us. Those who reigned in the afterlife were moved by your actions, Zephany, just as we were moved by you, and compelled to save your life. Your courage, your faith, has inspired us all. And beyond this realm, where the dead live on, one among many is all it took. One solitary soul who decided to ignore the constraints imposed by others and obey her conscience, despite the dangers and the incredible risks she knew she was taking. Nittrii-Hebul,” he stated, pointing to the statue of the Goddess which stood in the centre of the square, “fought for us all. She is the sole reason we have been allowed to live among you, to come to this place now. This will never happen again. However, be under no illusion, we stand victorious on this hallowed ground only because of your deeds.”

“Me? I… I do not understand?” said Zephany, humbled and shocked to hear such praise.

“Yes. You… First, the Keeper appeared and moved us to greater things. He upset the laws of existence, threw this world and the next into turmoil. That is what needed to happen and it is what was written, the climax to the war of wars. Then, one supreme being, acting on her own, out of nothing more than a sense of injustice, risking everything to protect the mortals of this land, released the forces of evil and set in motion the events which followed. Without you and your army, they would have won an easy victory here. And if Te’oull had fallen…?

Your strong leadership and resolute defence of this place meant that others had to act. We spirits had already given all we had. We were done, and in no position to help. We stood at the gates of the afterlife seeking entry to the hereafter, fated never to return. But, when it became clear what was needed, she called out to us and offered us a reprieve. In their determination to defeat the dark ones, the rulers of the realm beyond reached out to others, to us! An army of spirits was raised and…”

“We… We kicked ass, as Ben might say,” interrupted Knesh, rudely. He was looking straight at the youngster and smiling.

Sereq cast a very stern glance in his direction and Knesh stepped obediently back into line. “Srr… Do forgive the young one, please? He has a lot to learn still, but he will, in time. Though, I suppose that turn of phrase will do. After all, it is what the Keeper might say?”

Tien was watching and listening intently. He took a step closer to the spirit leader, before asking the question which was on the tip of his tongue, burning his lips. “Sereq, what happens now? Is it over? Have we won?”

“Yes, wizard, it is over. The final war spoken of in legend has ended in victory, and Estia is once again free to chart her own course. Her future belongs to Princess Zephany and her descendants now. We spirits must leave once again for the afterlife. But, we depart safe in the knowledge that our enemies are vanquished, that the armies of zsorcraum have been brought to battle, and they have been defeated. It will take hundreds of years to replace what they have lost. They will not plague this land again for a very, very long time. You, my friend, have earned your rest. You have shouldered your burden heroically and you are welcome to join us?”

Tien was overwhelmed by the sudden and unexpected invitation. The old wizard was exceedingly tired all of a sudden, feeling every one of his three hundred plus years. He gazed over at his friends. Harry and Ben nodded to him, letting him know that they understood, and that he had their permission and approval to go, even though they knew very well that he did not need it.

“Thank you,” whispered the old wizard. “Please say goodbye to Jake for me? There is so much I wanted to tell him, about the prophecies and all he will become and achieve.”

“I will,” answered Ben, with a tear in his eye and a very large lump in his throat. “Take care of yourself… Hey! If you’re ever haunting Lichfield or summin’, pop in for a cup of tea and say hello?”

Tien laughed a little at his young friend, only then beginning to realise just how much he would miss the teenager and his ways. Then, he stepped forward to stand beside Sereq. As he reached him and turned around, his body suddenly dropped and fell to the floor. The lifeless corpse remained there for a few seconds. Then, a white spirit rose from within and Tien took his place alongside the rest of the spirit army. The spectres began to fade, slowly.

Before they had disappeared completely, Gerada Knesh Corian suddenly yelled out one last time. “Zephany! I can see your father! He is with us now and he is going to be alright. Remember child, we will love you until the end of time!”