Book One : The Prophecy : Epilogue

Epilogue

“Sire?”

The High King Ballour turned his weary head slightly as the priest entered the prince’s chambers, where Galean lay dying among the warm furs.

“Has there been news from Anvin?” Ballour asked his priest, Uthar. The elderly seerer came to his master’s side and gazed down at the sickly faced Galean, his skin as white as the moon, a thin sheen of feverous sweat upon his forehead.

“A raven arrived but an hour ago your majesty,” Uthar bowed regally, handing the King a sealed roll of parchment. Ballour took the parchment and walked away from the seerer to the far end of the room, coming to stand before an arched window that looked out across the great and ancient gardens of Meer palace, where the leaves of the age old trees began to fall, covering the ground in a beautiful blanket of autumnal colours. In the distance, Ballour could see the great range of the Calnuthe Mountains, topped with snow. The autumn sun rose over the great heights of the mountains, its rays covering the vast lands of the north in a gentle light. Down by the great lake of Meerethe in the far distance, Ballour spotted the great dragon Nuyay, his great red coat afire from the harbour, east of the palace. Ballour sighed before opening the seal of the parchment and opening it.

Sire,

I have two pieces of news in which to share with you. First, the black witch, Ethla is now aiding your son Beon, I need not tell you how detrimental this is to our cause. His army strengthens in numbers, great ships of men from Taer sail north to Galgor, docking in the city of Balgor, travelling west to Gaul city. There have been numerous rumours that the black witch has awoken a dangerous and ancient enemy from within the mountains, the wolf king of Dulga and with him his army of night wolfs now aid your son. War is coming, the sky darkens and the birds fly west beyond our island of Summe. Even they sense what is to come. The sea waters have changed, the currents have strengthened and the sea creatures have awoken from their slumber. The second piece of news I bring you is that the great stars, Ungilith, Maglorn and Zuenaye begin to align. The time is neared your majesty, she is coming and with her will come the greatest battle of our age. I warn you, be vigilant, be safe and do not trust a soul within your court. Spies linger in the shadows, night creatures have opened their eyes and those who would see you and your kingdom fall have arisen from the darkness and come forth into the light. The time is nearing when the sun will rise in the north no longer and a greater shadow will wash over the lands of your people.

It is time to take up your sword once more sire, your enemies now lie to the east, south, west and north awaiting their summons. The kingdom of Taer is ready to fall, into whose hands I am uncertain, Islaer has great influence over Ravan at present, yet Heidan’s army marches north, first to take the last free city of Ethe from the hands of the young heir, Elion. The city will not last and remains the one true barricade that keeps Taer safe from Heidan and his ever growing army. We must now place our hope in the return of Celestine and the merging of the three stars. Until then, I caution you to keep vigilant and to protect Galean at all costs. War is brewing and he is greatly needed if we are to be victorious.

Your loyal servant,

Anvin.

Ballour let his hand fall down to his side and hunched his body over, his back heavy and his shoulders painful. His reign had been one filled with prosperity and modernisation over the course of sixty moons, but within the last twenty, the kingdoms of the south had fallen prey to cruel and malleus men, with their eyes steadily fixed towards the north. But the greatest threat to all that had been achieved was not those of the south but his own son, a son he had raised as an equal, with all the privileges a prince had bestowed upon him. Had he known watching Beon grow up that his son would ravage his kingdom, kill innocent men, women and children and awaken creatures long held to be dead, then maybe he could have tried to alter the future events, try to be a better father and king. Beon had been a loving child, whose eyes were filled with mischief and curiosity, he had a gentle nature and a giving heart, such hope had Ballour placed in his future, a hope dashed by one woman and her power hungry, revenge driven father. To watch his youngest succumb to her power, her evil and manipulative mind-set had torn Ballour, but what could he do? It was he that had negotiated the match with the House of Gaul, the city being the second richest in the kingdom, with a large naval fleet to act as a protector from the southern kingdom of Taer. Ballour had known the house of Gaul to be power hungry, devious and scheming, but he had placed them within the high court of Meer, under his watch and the watch of those that suspected the cunning Lord Tanaan. From many reports, Ballour had been deceived into thinking the lady Turtha a gently bred woman and had been greatly surprised to find that his son and the young lady had genuinely fallen in love with one another. At first, Ballour had been pleased with the happy match until reports had reached him that the young princess of Galgor was a sorceress, mentored by the great and terrible black witch, Ethla. It had been too late to warn Beon of his wife’s treachery, he had fallen under her spell and had in time separated himself from the court and his father, instead living in the city of Gaul and raising an army. Only once did his youngest come to court with his wife, to celebrate the Kings one hundred and fortieth year on the throne, the members of the House of Meer having the gift of longevity in their blood. It was during this great feast that the lady Turtha had poisoned Ballour’s wine, placing the King into a prolonged state of sickness, saved only by the healing powers of the high priest, Anvin. Beon and Turtha had been exiled from the island of Meer and forced to return to the kingdom of Galgor. A terrible plague had been spreading through the north, a plague that had ironically killed the lady Turtha. At first the King rejoiced in the news, hoping his son would see reason, but he was proved wrong when a great force of Galgorian men invaded the kingdoms of Fiar and Dulthe, killing and raping innocent, women and children and making examples of the men.

Ballour felt himself shiver as the memories flooded him unapologetically. With a deep breathe the King found strength and turned, coming to stand near to his son.

“Send word to the members of the high council and have them meet me in the great hall within the hour, there is much we need to discuss,” Ballour ordered Uthar, taking the thick parchment and throwing it into the great fire that warmed the chambers. “What news of Balor city and Lord Lier?”

“Sire, Lord Lier and the black guards have unleashed a rebellion,” Uthar replied clearly, his back straight and his hands clasped before him. “They have taken hostage the daughter of Lord Allen.”

“And what is being done?” Ballour asked, bent over the great fire.

“Lord Adgar of Dulthe has dispatched two thousand soldiers to Balor City under the leadership of his son my lord.”

“Lord Lier must not succeed do you understand?” Ballour commanded in a low tone, turning his silvery blue eyes to the elderly seerer.

“Yes your grace,” Uthar answered clearly, bowing his head.

“Go and fetch the members of the high council and have them congregate in the great hall, I shall be their within the hour,” Ballour said with a wave of his hand.

“As you command my Lord,” Uthar said with another bow before he left the chambers, closing the great doors behind him and leaving the High King alone once more with his eldest son. Ballour turned from the fire and walked over to the large bed and once more sat down beside his dying son, taking his cold hand within the palms of his own warm and weathered hands. He raised Galean’s hand to his lips and kissed it fervently.

“You have the look of your mother and the strength of your forefather’s in you,” he murmured quietly, letting his hands fall from his lips. “So many moons have I waited for you to return to me and here you are dying before my eyes. A father should never have to bury his child and I have watched hundreds of fathers do so, never believing that I would one day find myself in the same position.” Ballour, tired and exhausted felt the heaviness drown him inside as he became silent, watching his son’s chest rise and fall slightly. As he leaned over Galean he saw a gentle glow radiate from his son’s chest and frowned slightly, recognising the glow at once. Settling Galean’s hand down upon the fur, he unlaced the cotton shirt at his chest to reveal the jewel he had once worn when his wife was still alive. With trembling fingers, he took the star within his hand and felt the warmth of the glow fill his body and with it he heard a soft and feminine voice call forth for Galean. At the sound, Galean’s body twitched and Ballour’s eyes widened with hope. His son was subconsciously reacting to the voice of the woman who called out for him painfully. Ballour looked up into Galean’s face and observed him seriously. The gentle and soothing voice called out for him once more and from his son’s lips, lips that had not moved since his return came the name.

“Cel…Celestine.”






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