Chapter Eleven – A Hidden Treasure
Harrington ran quickly across the gloom and back to where the rest of the party were still stood on alert, “Avarian!” He shouted, slightly out of breath as he held the small book high in the air.
“Armiyas!” Avarian forcefully bellowed as he thrust his arm fiercely out before him and the light that fell on to the village slightly dimmed as some of the spirits disappeared from view. He walked quickly through the many men that surrounded him to where Harrington eagerly awaited, “I know exactly what this is,” he smiled before Harrington could even say another word. Gracefully he took the book and ran his hand gently across the textured cover before it came to a peaceful rest upon it. He smiled for a few moments as he felt the coldness of the leather beneath his hand, “show me which building this came from,” he said quietly. Harrington ran - with Avarian behind him - as quickly as he could, back through the gloom that the remaining spirits still shed on to the village and toward the large wooden house that he had initially come out of.
Inside, Zaybian and his small unit stood around, still with their weapons poised and ready to be used at a moment’s notice. Harrington burst back into the house and took up position, just ahead of Avarian - who stood for a moment, just inside the doorway as if to take in the ambiance of the gently lit room before he softly spoke; “Have you checked the rest of the house?” He nervously asked.
Zaybian’s eyes narrowed as he smirked intensely, “No old friend!” He laughed, “We were waiting for you.”
The small unit moved cautiously toward the white wooden door with their loaded rifles focused entirely upon it.
“No wait!” Avarian quickly rasped as one of the soldiers turned the little doorknob and the light went instantly out. A faint growling suddenly came into existence and emanated from the darkened room that was now before them. As they stood in fear, they gripped their rifles tightly in their hands and nervously waited for what would come out of the darkness. Gradually, the growling grew louder, until the soldiers - who would wait no longer - fired blindly ahead of them. When the firing ceased, silence once again washed over them as the light - that had gone so instantly out, flickered quickly back into life.
The small room - that had now been partially breached by the light that had spilt through the open doorway - stood calm and peaceful, as Zaybian, still with his shotgun at the ready, made his way through the small body of men and into the little room. Keeping a watchful eye around him, he clumsily felt along the walls and flicked a small switch beside him. The room lit up immediately and revealed it to be nothing more than an empty shell - pitted by the hail of bullets that had buried themselves into the weakened wall before him. He stood quietly in thought as he stared blankly at the numerous holes before he quickly tuned and ran to the base of the staircase - followed almost instantaneously - by the rest of his unit.
He stood in complete silence, only his heavy breath could be heard as he pointed his heavy shotgun up the staircase to where the light gradually faded into the darkness that consumed it. Slowly, he stepped on to the first stair with a terrific creak - and then, with a steady stream of comrades behind him, he ran - as fast as he could, led by his weapon. Avarian uttered a few breath-restricted words as he hurried along the staircase and the entire upper floor quickly illuminated, “Gwen!” He shouted, once he had caught his breath. A long few moments passed, in which every member of the little team held their breath in silent anticipation, “I’m in here!” Came a small voice eventually.
Zaybian’s eyes sprang wide open. Instantly, he released his grip on his shotgun and allowed it to dangle freely from its leather strap around his mighty shoulder, as he ran quickly toward a great bookcase that stood to attention - overloaded with books of all sizes - against one the large bare walls before them. The other soldiers - quickly followed by William and Avarian - ran after him in amazement, as Zaybian looked frantically about the bookcase.
“Help me please! I’m in here!” Came the small voice once again.
Quickly and without hesitation, Zaybian ploughed into one of the monstrous sides and put his entire weight behind the huge structure, whilst three of the other soldiers dropped their rifles - sending them smashing into the floor - as they joined the struggle before them. Accompanied by a thunderous racket that reverberated around the entire house, the bookcase gradually inched to one side, scrapping fiercely along the wooden floor beneath it. After a short while and some considerable effort, a small wooden door - that had been previously concealed from view - revealed itself, as the rest of the group looked on with wondrous awe. After, what seemed like an age, the little door creaked slowly open, until a frightened young girl stood vulnerably before them.
Avarian smiled gently at the sight that his spirits had allowed him to see, “Gwen?” He whispered softly. She stood nervously before them - no more than fourteen years of age - and wore a long, blue dress with a bright, yellow sash around her waist. She bore long, curly hair that flowed way down passed her little shoulders and saw the world, for all that it was, through her bright blue eyes. She looked around at the many faces before her, then - after a few moments, she found focus with William and walked slowly toward him in amazed curiosity; “You are he,” she said quietly in complete amazement, “I have seen your face in my dreams my whole life!”
William smiled in return but held a look of confusion, “And I somehow know you,” he softly replied as he stared back with the same bewilderment upon his own youthful face.
Silence spread its glorious wings and flew calmly through the entire unit for quite some time, as Gwen - surrounded by her amazed onlookers, stared calmly at William as though she was once again inside a blissful dream. William himself, gazed back through confusion at the strangely familiar face before him. Suddenly and without warning, the silent awe was smashed by an explosive burst of thunderous gunfire that snapped the almost hypnotised unit instantly into action. They ran furiously back toward the wooden staircase to find two grotesque creatures waiting for them at the bottom of the stairs. Bathed in only the green gloominess that now lit the floor around them; they focused immediately upon the party and flew at them with blind rage. The soldiers at the front of the formation fired madly at the terrifying creatures, as the entire unit – Gwen included - ran vigorously down the stairs. They ran without a second thought - passed the now slumped over creatures - and back out into the coldness.
Beasts - from the very depths of Haidreal itself - filled the entire village and fouled the very air that they breathed, as manically, they ran to all that they could see with wails and screeches from the very highest pitches that they could muster. Gunpowder, from every available weapon, exploded frantically - firing endless hails of bullets through the fouled air and deep into their decayed flesh. Zaybian led his unit as swiftly as he could back toward the main body of men, as each and every single weapon that was capable, blasted furiously away. The green gloominess that almost covered the entire action, soon became thick with Impenetrable black smoke as monsters and foul beasts alike, fell dead upon the cold cobblestones that once carried them.
Slowly the firing quietened until it ceased altogether and the thick black smoke gradually dissipated into the ether, as silence - once again, retook the village. For several long minutes, the party remained tense as they gripped their weapons with ferocity and with defiance in their hearts they waited for what would follow the onslaught. One by one, soldiers began to groan quietly and foam slowly at the mouths - as if a plague had suddenly gripped them and was spreading its deadly fingers throughout the entire party - until even the Reapers themselves were spitting blood.
William and Gwen huddled tightly together – being the only two unaffected- and looked quickly around themselves in terror, as weapons were sent crashing to the ground and all around, people threw their heads fiercely into their hands, screaming – through monstrous wails - wildly into the dust that they stood upon.
“We need to go!” Gwen nervously shouted, grasp
ing William tightly by the wrist. The hands of the soldiers around them grew thick with black fur whilst their fingers grew radically long as razor-sharp talons sprang from them; “We need to go now!” She insisted as she ran - pulling William by the hand quickly behind her.
Slowly, the groaning and the screaming stopped and as the party’s transformation concluded, William glanced quickly back to see his sister that was, glare rage fully at him through her now blood-red eyes. Suddenly, she roared horribly through the silence sending the entire party of wild beasts instantly hurling at the fleeing pair at daunting speeds. In absolute panic, William looked quickly ahead and pushed on by the fear that had now consumed him - he ran as fast as he could, as the wailing and the screeching of their ghastly pursuers grew louder and more terrifying as they neared. Instantly and without any warning, a gigantic beast dropped swiftly on to the fleeing youngsters from the night sky above. It spread its mighty wings and roared - with blood-curdling fury - at the fast approaching creatures, before flying back off into the night - with Gwen and William held tightly in its grasp.
Swiftly they were flown - high into the cloudless sky, as Gwen screamed into the moon-drenched darkness around her. William gazed in amazement at the mighty foot that had now cradled him and laughed, “It’s OK!” He shouted excitedly as he looked up through the night at the mighty jaws that held a battalion of razor-sharp teeth, “It’s my sylus!” He shouted across to Gwen - who was still flailing about inside the monstrous grasp, “It’s Draygor!” He laughed, “It’s my sylus!”
Gwen slowly calmed herself as she looked back through the night to see William - who was still smiling and enjoying the ride, “Thanks for rescuing me!” She shouted with an uncertain smile.
“Thank Draygor!” William laughed.
Draygor flew almost silently through the cold air as William thought deeply about his new-found sister that had now been turned into one of the foul beasts that she had so passionately hunted. Mightily, they landed upon a flat hilltop - far from the village - that was covered in thick, long grass as it danced relentlessly in the wind. Draygor relaxed his enormous wings as they folded neatly beside him and released his grip upon his live cargo. William walked slowly clear of the gigantic talons and stood in the grass as Gwen slowly approached,
“Are you O.K.?” She asked gently with the colossal monument stood boldly behind them.
“I guess,” he quietly replied, “it’s just …”
“I know,” Gwen quickly acknowledged, “it’s horrible, isn’t it?”
William fell quiet for a while, “How were you in that room by yourself?” He asked eventually.
“My father,” she slowly replied, “hid me in there when we first heard the screams,” she stared blankly as if she was reliving the fresh events; “I hid under my bed long after the screaming had stopped.”
“I’m sorry,” William quietly uttered.
Gwen remained silent before she smiled once again and removed a small ring from her finger. Looking at it for a moment, she took William’s hand, “Thank you for finding me,” she smiled, as she gave him the ring, “It’s not much, but I want you to have it.”
William smiled and looked at the small token that he now held between his fingers. A pearl oval, beaded by thin gold, sat upon a thin, golden band.
“It’s called a Conjurer’s Purse,” Gwen smiled, “it can store things inside it.”
William looked at Gwen in confusion, “Inside it?” He asked
Gwen laughed, “At the moment, it’s only holding one item,” she paused, “you can have that too,”
William gazed at the ring, “Put it on,” she whispered.
Slowly, William slid the little ring on to his finger before he closed his eyes, “I … feel strange,” he whispered slowly.
Gwen smiled, “It’s OK - it’ll pass,” she paused for a moment as a sudden excitement overcame her, “can you see it?” She beamed.
“I think so,” he replied, still with his eyes tightly closed as a slight frown appeared upon his brow, “A golden ball.”
“Yes!” She shouted, unable to restrain herself, “It’s The Sibyl! Let it out William!”
William opened his eyes, “I’m not sure how,” he quietly replied.
Gwen cupped her hands gently together, “Just point the ring at my hands… and picture it,” she said softly.
Slowly, William raised his arm until the pearl oval had pointed directly at the small hands before him. A few moments had passed before a glorious light escaped the little ring and engulfed the entire hilltop before the darkness of the night completely consumed it and the small, golden sphere, was left resting within Gwen’s delicate touch.
William’s eyes lit up as Gwen smiled with delight; “Ask it anything, go on!” She coaxed.
William stepped closer, his eyes narrowed as he carefully examined the little object; “Where is the Lomaxian Cross?” He asked slowly.
The orb fluoresced, becoming brighter and brighter, until a quiet voice spoke - like a heightened whisper on the wind, “The Sacred Cross of Lomax, lies deep within the Mantari Mountains,” its beautiful eeriness held a certain charm all of its own, “around the frail neck of Hildetta it hangs.”
The blinding yellow light faded quickly away to nothing; “How do I get the Cross?” William asked quickly, before the orb fluoresced once again; “Only the Lomaxian Guard are impervious to its nature,” the ghostly voice paused as the yellow light beamed brightly; “far below Feliisha - in the Kingdom of Galgamire - is what you seek,” it offered before its light succumbed to the darkness of the cold night around it once more.
“I …” Gwen began, “think that’s all you’re gonna get,” she smiled.
William took a few steps back and with frustration upon his face, he slowly raised his arm – but nothing happened, “You have to think of … a pair of doors opening, or something like that!” Gwen shouted.
William concentrated hard upon the small sphere and opened the mighty doors in his mind’s eye. All of a sudden, a great light emanated from the ring once again as the orb raced out of Gwen’s hands and disappeared back into it.
“There you go!” Gwen smiled as the light faded quickly away.
“Now how do we get to Feliisha?” William asked.
Draygor spread his mighty wings and roared into the night - startling Gwen as William stepped toward him in curiosity; “You … know the way?” He asked, feeling a bit silly.
His monstrous pet roared once more and rested his mighty wings at his sides, “That’s how we get there!” Gwen laughed, as Draygor lowered to her feet as though awaiting a knighthood.
Cautiously, she climbed the mighty beast and looked back down to William as she sat between its overwhelmingly massive shoulders.
William stood in denial, “This is madness!” He shouted as he headed closer and began to climb up.
“What took you so long?” Gwen toyed, as William sat behind her and the pair gripped tightly on to the mighty scales around them. Slowly, Draygor rose to his full magnificence and roared masterfully into the night once more before taking back off with spectacular elegance.