The Darkness Within Page 12

  "Who were they?" Charles said.

  "Royal scouts, I believe."

  "Should we venture into Druthic?" Charles said.

  "Who goes there?" a voice said.

  Charles was surprised. They are both excellent scouts and nobody could sneak up on them unawares. Several figures melted out of the forest. They were slim. Their faces were delicate.

  "My name is Darrin and this is my comrade, Charles," Darrin said while bowing respectably to them.

  The elf also bowed in similar fashion and said, "We do not know many humans that could bow in elven fashion."

  Charles was mildly surprised. Darrin never told him he knew elven customs.

  Darrin nodded, "I have stayed with the wood elves for a while."

  The elf said, "Yes, they are kin to our tribe. Then you are a friend of ours."

  Darrin said, "Why would elves be so far away from their homeland?"

  The elves conferred with each other. The leader of the group came closer to Darrin and said, "We will take you to the city. It is late. There are strange animals about.

  The night was milky black. The elves helped them along the trail.

  Darrin said, "Follow me."

  "How can you see in the dark?"

  "There is some light in the dark. You just have to train your eyes to see it," Darrin said.

  Charles stumbled. Strong hands grabbed him before he fell.

  The elf who grabbed him said, "Can you make it?"

  Darrin said, "He has been sick for several days."

  The elf nodded and took one of Charles’s arms over his shoulder. He was surprised but was too exhausted to say anything. The group continued. Charles watched, as the city of Druthic got larger. The city was situated on a small mountaintop. These walls were rumored to hold against the many hordes of barbarians that came from the west and stopped the invading forces of the Fantuar Empire from the south. It looked more impressive in person. He noticed there were no royal soldiers stationed at the front. They were replaced by citizens wearing leather armor. The group was escorted inside and stopped in a huge courtyard. Darrin took hold of him.

  The leader of the elves said, "Stay right here."

  The guards were both elven and human.

  A group of armored soldiers came to them. The leader was a man with a long scar down his left side of his face. He said, "What is your name?"

  "My name is Darrin and this is Charles."

  "Are you loyal to the emperor or to the revolution?" the scar man said.

  Darrin said, "To the revolution."

  They were led through the city. The streets were littered with royal dead soldiers. They walked toward a building, which looked like a makeshift headquarters. Men and women ran up and down the entranceway carrying bundles of paper.

  The scarred man said, "Where is Marion?"

  The lad pointed down the hallway. The group walked the path until they entered a large room, which looked like a royal court, and sitting at the tall desk was a redheaded lady. A group of people stood before her.

  She said, "People, we have taken up the wings of liberty, and we cannot go back to the tyranny which existed before. We are all brothers and sisters in this war. We need to keep our hearts strong."

  The group cheered and they all gave each other hugs.

  The soldier with the scar walked toward the lady and said, "Marion, we have visitors."

  She looked at Darrin and said, "You are Darrin Masters."

  "Yes, I am."

  Marion said, "Take them to the dungeons."

  "My lady. I am with the revolution."

  "I know," she said.

  CHAPTER 24

  Meza noticed Cyrus was obsessed with the books they obtained at the secret archives. He would just stare at them for hours. Cyrus told him he found something but could explain it. Meza tried a simple reveal spell on the manuscripts but nothing happened. Maybe the enchantment was something he could not unlock. He had an idea.

  Cyrus was standing oddly enough just a few yards from him.

  He said while trying to hide his astonishment, "I cannot pierce the magic, but I think you can."

  "How?" Cyrus said while bunching his eyebrows.

  "You just have to control your flow of power."

  "I should try to read some passages," Cyrus said.

  "Yes, maybe that might work. Nevertheless, this time focus with your magic on the words."

  Cyrus took the book and scanned it. His head slumped a few inches. Meza got more alert.

  "Cyrus, did you see anything?"

  Cyrus did not respond to him. Meza shot up from his chair and rushed toward him.

  "Cyrus?"

  He was in some type of trance, and if he tried to get him out of it, he could be hurt. Cyrus twitched and fell toward the floor.

  "What happened?" Cyrus said.

  "I’m not sure. Did you feel something?"

  "Maybe, the book felt warm and then I found myself on the ground," Cyrus said.

  Meza touched the book. It felt cool. He opened it and skim through some pages.

  "Did you use your magic?"

  "Yes, I concentrated," Cyrus said.

  "Try to use your magic now."

  Meza felt a little light-headed and both found themselves on the ground.

  "It happened again," he said, "I think there is some type of powerful spell weaved around this book. Your magic seems to bring it forth."

  Cyrus asked, "Have you encountered magic such as this before?"

  "No."

  "It’s funny. I have not felt the Rathraka’s magic for quite some time," Cyrus said.

  "Let me look at it."

  "Why?" Cyrus said.

  "Please indulge me."

  Cyrus took off his shirt. He gasped when he looked at the Rathraka.

  "What’s wrong?" Cyrus said.

  The imprint of the tower was replaced by a mountain with a large cavern. A word was written on his skin: Shizan.

  "No, it cannot be."

  "What do you see?" Cyrus said.

  "It is the cursed mountain," Meza said.

  Cyrus scratched his head. "Where is this mountain?"

  "Cyrus, you are a teacher of history. You know this place. It is the cavern of the dead," Meza said.

  "I do not teach folklore," Cyrus said. "But I have heard of this place. This cavern is cursed by the gods. And no mortal can enter inside."

  "There is a way."

  "No, I cannot do this," Cyrus said, "We need to stay here and find the murderer of the children. I have to clear my name."

  Meza said, "The emperor will never believe you. The Rathraka is giving us some clue."

  Cyrus said, "No, I cannot believe in this. You are wrong. I will clear my name."

  Cyrus stormed off.

  •••

  Cyrus traversed along the sewers. He didn't want to admit it but Meza had a point. Sometimes his magic seemed to have a mind of its own. He could not control it. However, the feeling of power was so intoxicating. He wanted to tap into the magic again and again. Cyrus realized Meza was mistaken about leaving the city. The murders originated in this city. He was sure about it. These murders were some form of black magic. Why was the emperor protecting these murderers?

  Something moved and blinked. Cyrus was surprised. There is nobody down here besides Meza and himself who could conjure magic.

  Cyrus said, "Hello. Is anybody there?"

  Something came out of the far corner. It was a magical orb. It came toward him and flew away. Cyrus tried to follow it, but soon lost it. To his amazement, he was in another part of the sewers where he had never explored. He smelled clean air. A light was creeping far ahead in the tunnel. He almost slipped on the algae growing on the floor. The light was getting brighter. He stopped. The tunnel ended outside. The magical field the Clandestines conjured barred his way. He looked at the exit and then at the energy field. There was no way around the field. He used his Wizard’s sight to study it. He discerned a spot where the flow of energ
y was not strong. The magic strained to cover this tunnel. He wanted to forge ahead. He turned and saw the glowing orb. It flew toward him and glowed in different colors.

  "Can you help me get back to my friends?" Cyrus said.

  The orb changed to an amber color and shot down a tunnel.

  "Wait!"

  The orb came back. It changed into a green color and waited for him. A few times the orb stopped to get its bearings and went down another passage. Finally, Cyrus was led to Meza, who was sitting next to the books. He turned toward him.

  "What?" Meza said.

  "I do not know what this orb is. I found it while traveling the tunnels," Cyrus said.

  Meza stood up and said, "You are a marvel. Do you know what you found?"

  Cyrus shook his head.

  "This orb is a Familiar," Meza said.

  "What is a Familiar?"

  "It is a spirit created by a powerful magic user. They served their masters and protect them," Meza said.

  "Whose Familiar is this?"

  "I believe it is yours," Meza said.

  "I did not conjure this thing."

  "In magic, some things happen by themselves. You probably subconsciously conjured the Familiar because you needed help," Meza said. "The Familiar will grow as your power grows."

  He told Meza about the exit he found.

  Cyrus said, "Meza, I do not think your commander is going to help us."

  "I am not sure. We should wait," Meza said. "You found an area where the magical field is weak?"

  "Yes, I saw it with my Wizard’s sight."

  "Hmm," Meza said.

  •••

  The days rolled by and Narah barely had anything to eat. The soldier laughed and poked her with their weapons. She was given pieces of stale bread and meat, which she refused at first but after a few days, devoured the food.

  "Who are you?" a soldier said. "And why are you wearing that silly mask?"

  She never said a word to them. She was still a little groggy from the effects of the black mage’s magic. Behind her in several caravans, other prisoners were locked in prison carts. The sun beat mercifully during the day, and the night was very cold. Flies and mosquitoes flew around her. She didn’t have the strength to drive them away. She was burning mad at the emperor for inflicting her with such torture. She wanted to kill him and destroy his aid, Barthrow. She thought it was funny that she was going to be married the following week. She was happy she had stopped their scheming plans.

  "Hey, are you alive?" a soldier said. "You might be a pretty thing under those clothes."

  The soldier used his staff to lift part of her robe. The Shade reacted and broke the staff in two.

  "Ah, she has claws," the soldier said.

  "Leave her alone. She is dangerous," the commander said.

  "Yes, captain," the soldier said.

  The soldier's eyes shot pure hatred at her. She needed to watch that one. She grabbed her masked and tried to take it off. It was held securely. The mask made her face hot and itchy. This unbearable heat also added to the discomfort. However, she tried not to give into despair. She hoped Cyrus escaped. It was all she wanted.

  She had never seen the prison mines. She only knew it by reputation. Nobody had ever escaped or lived beyond five seasons. It was a slow death sentence. She needed to be strong. Everything had a weak point. She just needed to find it. However, flashes of hatred pounced upon her head. Everybody reminded her of her hatred of the emperor, from the incessant chatter of the soldiers to the creaking of the cart. She saw the other prisoners as corpses. She vowed she would never become one of the weak prisoners.

  After a week of traveling, Narah perceived the walls of the prison mine. They had been moving along the forest and through the rolling hills when the coastal sea breeze cooled the warm days. She first saw the large towers and then the gray walls of the prison. The structure jutted out of a large mountain. She shuddered. This place was going to be her coffin.

  "Hey, my pretty," a large soldier said, "We will be close friends at the prison.

  The soldier laughed and walked back behind the other prisoners. She hated this guard. She saw something in his eyes. It made her feel dirty. Yet, she could use this to her advantage. She needed to conserve her energy. Darrin told her to find her center. This center had incredible energy, and if she could tap into this energy, she could defeat anything. She focused and waited.

  The prison mine became larger. In her mind, she saw large dark pits of terror crawling to devour the prisoners. She saw the guards laughing as the darkness killed everybody. She tried to shrug off this foreboding feeling. She couldn’t relax. She saw her parents engulfed in demon fire screaming. She was going to be the next victim. She was jilted out of her musing when the wagon hit a large hole.

  CHAPTER 25

  Darrin said, "I want to talk to Marion!"

  The jailor said, "Marion will not come. So, stop your yelling."

  Darrin pounded against the bars. He was the one who started this whole revolution. He needed to take command. The emperor was not going sit complacent while the Freedom Fighters took this city. The time to organize was right now. He looked for Charles but he was not held in here. Darrin hoped Charles was getting some rest and not dying in a dark dingy cell. He looked through the windows. He grabbed the bars and let his anger disperse. He wanted to scream but he was wasting too much energy. He had to think and wait. He looked out. His view was the green grass overlooking the front of the city. Even if he could get out of this jail, it was a long drop down to the ground.

  The sun dipped into the hills far in the distance. He saw something moving on the horizon. He saw glittering armor and weapons. The royal army was already advancing toward the city. Darrin hit the bars again. He would not die in here. He detected somebody looking at him. An elf, dressed in hunting clothes, stared at him. He had a regal look to him. Darrin bowed respectfully. The elf also bowed.

  Darrin said, "The royal army is coming to destroy us. Your victory was short-lived."

  "We know of you, Darrin, leader of the rebellion. You are the man who visited the elves many years ago," the elf said.

  "Yes."

  "My name is Grendal, Prince Grendal," the elf said.

  "I do not remember you. I had only a short visit with you kin."

  "My dad said you are an honorable man," Prince Grendal said.

  "Your father must be King Aiel. Why are the elves helping the rebellion?".

  "My father felt something evil was stirring amid the realm of the Rowans. This malevolence has touched the emperor and tainted him," Prince Grendal said.

  "What is this evil?"

  "He doesn't know. It is all over your Kingdom. King Aiel hoped your rebellion would stop this vileness from spreading," Prince Grendal said.

  "I need to get out of this cell."

  "It is not up to me," Prince Grendal said.

  "It is up to me," a voice said behind the prince. The lady was handsome and stern.

  "You do not remember me? But you should remember my husband, Dagert Oakstel," Marion said.

  "Your husband is a great man. He fought bravely," Darrin said.

  "Yes, my husband, Dagert and my son, Roland, fought for you and now they are held captive at the prison mines. They were taken after your secret meeting," she said.

  "Marion, I am sorry. There was a traitor in our midst."

  "Darrin, I believe you suspected there was a traitor before you went ahead with your meeting," Marion said.

  "I will not lie to you. I knew there was a traitor before I summoned my commanders to the gathering."

  She stared at Darrin and abruptly turned away.

  "Marion, the royal army is coming. They will destroy all of us," Darrin said.

  Prince Grendal followed Marion out. He was left alone. Darrin sighed and looked out his narrow window.

  •••

  Darrin watched as the Royal army advanced toward them through his cell window. The army spread their troops, encirc
ling the city. From this far vantage point, he could see the numerous aristocratic banners flying in the wind. The emperor sent all of his army of thirty thousand men strong to vanquish them. He couldn’t see all the field of battle and suspected there were more soldiers behind this group. A guard came to his cell and said, "You have a visitor."

  Charles said, "Darrin. I’m glad that you are fine."

  "Charles," he said, "Are they taking good care of you?"

  "Yes, they sent me to their doctors. I’m feeling fine." Charles said smiling a crooked grin.

  "Are you in a prison cell?"

  "No, my room is in the hospital. Why are they holding us prisoner?" Charles said.

  "We are being held prisoner because of a woman’s scorn,"

  "Huh?" Charles said.

  "I do not have time to explain this to you. Where is your room?"

  "My room is at the eastside of the next building," Charles said.

  The guard rumbled up to them and said, "That’s enough."

  Darrin wanted to ask more, but he had to wait. After Charles and the guard left, he devised a plan. He waited until night around dinnertime. They always fed him on schedule. He prepared and waited. Two guards approached his cell. One was holding a tray with food. Keys dangled along the waist of this guard. The other guard waited behind.

  Darrin said, "Is this the same awful slop you are going to feed me?"

  "You will eat it," the guard said.

  Darrin waited until the guard was an arm’s length closer to the jail bars. He wanted the guard to get closer.

  He said, "Did you see the Royal army outside? They are here to kill all of us."

  The guard’s face was rigid as he placed the tray on the floor next to the bars. Darrin grabbed the tray and threw the food back at the jailor. In the confusion, Darrin snaked his hand out of the bars and grabbed the keys.

  "What is this?" the guard said. He had bits of food and water all over his face. "You will not have dinner tonight."

  The other guard behind him laughed and said, "Let’s go. I’m starving."

  The guard kept on laughing while they walked away. He knew it wouldn’t take long for the guards to realize their keys were missing. He imagined the soldier running back, with their weapons in their hands. The keys almost slipped out of his grasp. The cell door finally opened. He traversed quietly down the corridor. None of the other cells was occupied. A guard was posted near the next hallway and Darrin slid into the shadows. Darrin came behind him and hit him with a series of blows. Darrin dragged the guard into one of the open cells and put on his armor and weapons.