Chapter Thirteen – The Lomaxian Guard
“There’s Feliisha!” William shouted excitedly as he leant forward from his seat and pointed wildly into the wind.
The four mountains of paradise came quickly into view as Trinity smiled; “And below it … Galgamire!” She added.
Draygor flew - with all of his might - as he fought against the strong wind that threatened to keep him from his arrival. High over dense forest he battled until the many raging rivers - that raced through the trees far below him, came violently together and formed an almighty ocean that raced to uncertainty - as it plunged far over the edge of the magical world around it and raced down into the very depths of darkness. Feliisha floated - like a marvellous vision from the Gods - in the centre of an impossibly vast chasm, whilst all around it - all the world’s oceans plunged down to dark Galgamire.
Heavy, saturated mist, filled the sky and raced toward them - blown violently by the endless wind - as it bombarded and drenched them with all of the swiftness of the underworld. William’s cold, wet, clothes now clung to his skin like a thick layer of flesh that had long since died - as quickly, Draygor shot way out passed the plunging edge of the ocean below him and out into the mighty chasm itself. Suddenly and with the same swiftness and ferocity as all of the oceans around him - he dived, with gaining determination, into the compelling darkness below.
All too quickly, the sunlight faded away, as the incessant noise from the raging waters around them, thundered louder and louder in the darkness. As Trinity uttered silently through the chaos, a delicate glow came slowly into existence revealing the rugged beauty all around them.
Before long, William could see the huge, golden, crown of the ancient King that stood far below them, as it came slowly out of the darkness - like the wreck of a sunken vessel that was being discovered for the very first time. He gazed in marvel as they neared it and watched intently as the full glory of the timeless monument gradually revealed itself to its new visitors. Soon enough, the ground that the golden King was stood upon came flying abruptly toward them, as Draygor landed with an almighty thud and quickly relaxed himself. The raging waterfalls still thundered violently all around them and raced quickly down to ruination around their massive platform of solid rock. For quite some time, all three of them gazed up through the gloominess to the towering colossus that stretched way up into the darkness.
Trinity smiled, “Give him his eyes!” She shouted excitedly through the thunderous racket before William stretched up his arm and clenched his fist at the harrowing monument before them. All at once, a bright and brilliant light escaped his little ring once more and filled the entire space above them, revealing the true magnificence of the golden King for the very first time in many an age. The two huge crystals appeared and blissfully floated in mid-air - high overhead - as the immense light from the tiny ring quickly died back down. Their pink hue sparkled brightly in the darkness - surrounded by nothing more than their own elegance - as they quickly ascended and partially lit the golden King as they did so.
Gradually, they slowed their pace as they approached his mighty crown and hovered. Gently, they floated and sank deeply into place as the luminescent hue - that now swirled wildly within them - gradually succumbed. For a moment or two, the three onlookers waited - almost impatiently - as they held their breath in anticipation. Suddenly, the crystals beamed - brighter than ever before - as they lit the entire enclosure around them with all of the intensity of the daylight that was now far above them. Trinity quickly turned her head in overwhelming excitement to set her own eyes upon all that the great golden King could now finally see once more.
In silent awe, the three brave explorers stared in disbelief as the legendary Kingdom of Galgamire stood - as large as life - just before them. A pair of mighty stone gates - that were solidly set into a vast stonewall - stood masterfully as they stretched up high as though longing for the magical world above. Endlessly, the monstrous wall ran with perfect grace and encircled the protected city within, whilst - at the very same time - it watched, with great expectation - as a new chapter in its own existence began the dawn of a new and exciting age yet to come.
Slowly and upon suggestion, Draygor gently ambled toward the mighty gates before him with his three riders eagle-eyed in apprehension.
“Only under the gaze of the King, will the mighty gates open,” recited Trinity to herself, just as the mighty gates - just as if they had heard her – did, in fact, part. Now before them and within the colossal protective walls, stood numerous mighty stone buildings - all completely unremarkable in appearance - as they waited patiently to receive their new visitors. Quietly, Draygor walked through the huge gateway, as Trinity, Gwen and William, looked eagerly around themselves. Slowly, the monumental gates - once again - began to close, cutting off the intense light from the King’s eyes behind them.
Every single surface before them now began to fluoresce in the encroaching darkness, gaining quickly with intensity, until the monstrous gates were tightly sealed. The continuous rage from the thundering waterfalls was now completely silenced as Draygor and his passengers looked on with wonder, as bright, metallic colours - from all over the spectrum - shone and glistened intensely. Draygor walked slowly on, toward the mighty buildings as they overwhelmed his riders with their gentle beauty.
“Hello!” Shouted William in apprehension as he looked around for any sign of life that might be lurking.
Trinity smiled, “That will not get you anywhere,” she quietly began, “Lomax’s people left this land, long ago.”
“Then … why are we here?” Gwen asked, being slightly confused.
“The legendary Guard,” Trinity quietly replied, “did not.”
“Why not?” William asked with a scowl as his attention suddenly averted from his magnificent surroundings.
“When Lomax died,” Trinity began, “his people sought sanctuary elsewhere but his private Guard - loyal till the end - stayed to protect the Cross.”
“Then how did Hildetta get it?” He asked glumly.
“That … I cannot answer,” she softly replied.
Draygor walked slowly on, passed the blazing buildings that surrounded him and toward a cylindrical column of stone that shone just as brightly as the rest of the Kingdom. He stopped, just before the column and lowered himself to the shining ground. Trinity rose from her chair of dimmed light and joined by her two companions, quickly made her way, down his mighty, stretched out wing and back on to the solid ground once more. Slowly, she approached the little column before her and gently placed a hand upon it - closing her eyes as she did so.
Instantly, the sheer brilliance of the column quickly faded - back to the drabness of the bare rock that formed it - as a ferocious wave of darkness spread quickly from its base in all directions - faster than a plague of starved locusts - as it consumed any brightness within its path, until the only light source in the entire Kingdom, was the dull luminosity from Draygor’s three small chairs. Gwen and William looked to each other, as it seemed, an entire age went by - before an almighty shock wave of fabulous light - much more intensive and much more colourful than the fluorescence that it had replaced - covered the Kingdom in a single instant.
Both Gwen and William watched in amazement as Trinity slowly opened her eyes to see an entire army of warriors amassed and bravely stood before her. They stood in their masculinity - naked to the waist - with colourful beads and bird feathers worn artistically around their necks. They wore a huge headdress of colourful feathers that fanned out high above their heads and they each carried a wooden Bo staff.
Trinity cautiously watched as one of the warriors stepped slowly toward her, “You have something of Lomax about you,” he said quietly as he peered at her, being unable to pinpoint it exactly, “which one of you restored the crystal eyes?”
Trinity looked to William and smiled gently. The warrior looked slowly at the small boy before him, “It … was you?” He asked quietly.
Wil
liam smiled nervously, “Well … I helped,” he replied.
Gwen laughed gently at his sheepish response, as the warrior turned back to Trinity, “What is it that you seek?” He formally asked.
Trinity, once again, looked to William, “We seek the Cross,” William acknowledged, sending the warrior into a fit of laughter.
“They seek the Cross!” Shouted the warrior sarcastically as he turned to the others - sending uncontrolled laughter throughout them. Slowly, he turned back to face Trinity, “and I suppose that you will just, kill the witches that stole it from us?”
Outrageous anger quickly boiled up inside her as she closed her eyes and her long red hair began to rise scarily from her shoulders. Within moments, she began to glow softly as she lifted quietly off of the ground and hovered in perfect radiance. Her glow grew much brighter until it vastly outshone all of the buildings around her as she floated gently to the ground before the bewildered warrior, as he peered - for a second time - through squinted eyes, at the old man in robes of white that now stood nobly before him; “If needs be, Morogeth,” he said sternly as he smirked at the dumbfounded warrior before him and the light faded away.
“My King!” Exclaimed the warrior through the bounds of his bewilderment.
A paralysing amazement swept instantly throughout the entire army around them and silenced both Gwen and William just as completely.
“Is this how you treat my guests?” Asked the King.
Morogeth’s face dropped as if his King had just torn out his still beating heart, “No, my King … It was wrong of me to assume,” he uttered as he fell to the ground in merciful forgiveness.
“Then rise, Morogeth,” Demanded the King as he luminesced brightly once again.
Slowly, Morogeth rose from his humble position and gradually raised his heavy head to watch Trinity engulf his beloved King before his eyes.
“Lomax has chosen you,” he said in a grainy voice, “we … shall follow you.”
Trinity stepped quietly forward as Morogeth stepped aside and allowed her passage to the other warriors - who parted like the waves of the red sea - until she stopped silently before a mighty stone plinth. Blankly, she stared at it for a few, silent moments, before she waved her arm quietly across its face and a bright blue oval of pure energy rose from its stone foundation. It spun furiously within itself and grew larger and more intense until it eventually held its size and became stable. Slowly, she leant toward it, “Show me the location of the Cross” she whispered assertively, forcing the manic chaos within to calm and ripple outward like a peaceful lake.
It revealed a dark and silent cave that had sunk itself deep into the side of the snowy mountain that cradled it as tremendous blizzards of snow and ice waged war around it.
Trinity stared lifelessly into the scene that faced her as total silence kept its deathly grip upon the congregation, “Through this portal … and into that cave, is where we go,” she announced sternly, before she stepped, without hesitation, on to the mighty plinth and into the unforgiving. The ravenous blizzard rampaged loudly around her as she appeared upon the rocky ledge - thick with snow - that led to the ominous cave. As she battled bravely against the almighty force that threatened to swipe her from her feet, bare-chested warriors - in their droves - materialised behind her and fought fiercely to gain ground.
“Come on William,” nudged Gwen as she turned to Draygor, as instinctively, he lowered himself once more to the ground.
William watched with complete admiration, as the last of the vast army marched headstrong through the portal and disappeared into the blizzard. Eventually, he climbed back up to his seat of light to see that Gwen was already strapped in and anxious to catch up with the others. Draygor rose quietly from his plateau and quickly followed the last warrior that had disappeared into the unknown. As William watched - with growing anticipation - they rapidly approached the rippling scene and dove straight in without a second thought. The other side was cold beyond all reason, as William peered hard through the sheer chaos before him - but nobody else could be seen through the sheer volume of snow and ice that brutally battered them.
Draygor fought ferociously to get into the cave and once through its jagged mouth, he lowered himself once more before his cold travellers climbed slowly down to the ground.
“Hello!” William shouted as he peered through the failing light, “Trinity ... anyone!”
“That’s strange,” Gwen quietly added as William began to lead them deeper into the cave. The noise from the raging blizzard now behind them, soon faded as they got still deeper - only to be replaced by the echo of their footsteps that reverberated loudly around them. In the dwindling light, Gwen spotted an old wooden torch as it hung peacefully from its bracket upon the wall,
“Light this, William,” she whispered nervously as she lifted it from its resting-place and offered it to him.
“With what?” He asked blankly as it began to gently glow like the embers of a dying fire. William took it in amazement as instantly, it ignited spectacularly and lit the entire cave around them.
Now before them - in the warming light - stood Hildetta with an evil smile affixed to her face, as her three sisters cowered a little distance behind her.
“Hill!” Whispered one of the sisters as she leant forward with fear within her, “Hill!”
Hildetta’s smile grew confidently as her eyes glistened and fixed upon the wooden torch in William’s hand.
“Hill!” Burst her sister once more.
“I know!” Snapped Hildetta as she spun quickly round in a rage before all three of her sisters recoiled. After a few seething moments, she turned slowly back around to face William once again;
“But Hill!” Shouted her sister - being unable to restrain herself.
Hildetta burst in fury and snapped her bony fingers as her sisters instantly vanished into nothing; “Nonsensical buffoons!” She bellowed as she brushed her fringe gingerly. After calming herself, she smiled again at William, “You have to forgive them,” she surmised, “they are easily amused!” She quickly added, “you see, William, enchanted torches … usually, only work for those, who are, themselves … enchanted,” she walked slowly toward him as she spoke, “you have some magic within you,” she hissed, “I don’t like that!”
“Oh Hilldy!” Sung a happy voice as the boldest of her three sisters reappeared looking especially pleased with herself, “Don’t you think that It’s now my turn to wear the Cross?” She beamed.
Hildetta froze as her smile quickly faded away. Slowly, she turned around to face her sister, “Floretta … dear,” see said calmly with considerable restraint, “It is your turn, when I say, it is your turn,” she snapped; “And it is never your turn!”
At this, a second sister reappeared with bulging eyes and a wavering smile; “Then what about me?” She asked excitedly, “is it my turn now?”
“Henrietta!” Shouted Hildetta, approaching her wits end, “what makes you think that you’ll even get a turn?” She snapped horribly just as her youngest sister reappeared without saying a word; “Are you part of this Maise!” She snapped once again as her left eye began to twitch erratically.
Maise smiled coldly and reached out for the Cross - joined, almost instantaneously - by her other siblings.
Hildetta began to suddenly panic as the Cross began to violently gyrate upon her chest, “Stop it you fools!” She whispered callously as the Cross upon its chain darted clean off of her neck and floated high above her head.
William smiled as he clenched his fist and slowly raised it toward them.
Hildetta froze instantly - like a rabbit that had been caught in powerful headlights - as she looked at William with a gentle smile, “William,” she chuckled nervously; “my dear boy …”
Quickly, a bright and glorious light burst powerfully from his little ring and for a few blissful moments, peace and tranquillity reigned supremely. When the light faded again, only the Cross on the dusty floor was left in the space as it
glistened gently in his torch’s light.
Trinity instantly appeared before them with a look of despair within her eyes; “They were waiting for us,” she whispered slowly as the warriors began to reappear around them, “it was like … I could see you, but I couldn’t help,” she paused as she stared blankly at the cross on the dusty ground, “like I wasn’t even there.”
William remained silent as he stepped slowly toward her, “It’s OK,” he whispered gently.
Trinity closed her tearful eyes, “The malice that they made me feel …” she sobbed, “that … was within them.”
Still, William said nothing.
“The Cross is now yours,” she announced as she opened her eyes and it floated gently up to her open palm. Slowly, she approached him and with deep respect within her heart, she placed it gently around his neck, “May you always be safe,” she whispered lovingly into his ear before gesturing to Gwen.
Gwen slowly approached and as she did so, Trinity took William gently by the hand before she reached out for Gwen’s. In apprehension, Gwen took Trinity’s hand and then William’s.
“Close your eyes,” Trinity whispered gently into the circle, before all three of them instantly vanished.