– Yes, I know.
– For what?
Once upon a time, – the elf began – the Creator sent seven Angels and said to them: “Create beautiful worlds, populate them with different races and all kinds of animals, plants and flowers, reservoirs and fields, keep them and protect them so that they flourish…” That`s the way how our world was created – Araclia. One of the seven. And the angel Eraqel was its creator. For many centuries we have lived and prospered. Humans, elves, dwarfs, trolls, orks… Our world was perfect. There were no wars, no diseases, no pestilence, no envy, no greed… Everyone was equal and friendly with each other. But one day an ancient and powerful evil has invaded to us from the outworld. Neither living nor dead, bodiless shadows with great magical power and the ability to suck the life from other creatures. We call them Naabs. Naabs couldn't directly invade in our world while Eraqel was alive and protected us. To do this, they had to destroy him. They found a loophole through the thin magical channels which connecting our world with six others, and sent a squad of their minions endowed with dark magic. They began to bribe people, because they were the weakest and most easily succumb to the temptation. Naabs gave them great magical powers and promised them eternal power in all seven worlds. So the race of people was divided into "two camps". Those who accepted the dark power and went against their creator, and those who rejected their offer and opposed them. Eraqel`s Throne is in heaven. That's where his power is concentrated. Eraqel never came down to us, avoid to put himself and us in danger. Because if he descends from the Throne, he will become vulnerable. The Naabs had to find a way how to get him down. They sent a plague on our world. A terrible disease that only children were exposed to. They became seriously ill and then died. Parents are greatly grieved and begged Eraqel to help. At first, there were a few cases. But later, when the disease got all the children, our world began to pray Eraqel about help. Millions of fathers and mothers prayed to him day and night to come down to them and save their innocent kids.
– So, he came down?
– Of course. Children are innocent, they can't suffer like this. Many saw him high in the heaven that day. He made a few flaps of his snow-white wings, and myriads of shining particles, like small stars, began to fall from the sky. All the children were cured in the same hour. But he could not return back to the Throne. With the most powerful spell of the Naabs, the people captured him and imprisoned him in a dungeon. It was a small matter, to hand over the key of the dungeon to the Naabs and our world would be plunged into darkness forever. But still it didn't happen… Shortly before this event, the elves found out about the plans of the people. The Seer of our nation, Ikru, had a vision. Of course, the elves could not resist the human magicians, who were endowed with incredible power, but at the very last moment, when the magicians wanted to give the key to the Naabs, they stole it. It was clear that the dark magicians would find the key sooner or later. And doesn`t matter how many lives they had to take. All the races of Araclia fought for their lives, because they knew if the key fell into the hands of evil from the outworld, Eraqel will be destroyed, and we will cease to exist forever. The key was given to Lisa, a girl who grew up in Afleeakwein. Her appearance was slightly changed to make her look more like a human and with powerful spell she has been sent to ANOTHER world. The place where no one can find her. Into your world. Of course, we all survived, but the dark magicians turned the life of entire world into a nightmare. For about ten years there were bloody wars. In search of the key, the dark mages and their armies swept away everything in their path. A human, elves, dwarfs, orks, trolls. They destroyed everyone who opposed them. The ground was flooded with the blood of the innocent. After a while, when they realized the key is not in our world, they calmed down and began to look for it in other worlds. And we began to live relatively calmly. Everyone by itself, in our own kingdoms, behind huge walls with high towers. Every day in expectation of a new war.
Alice listened to the elf like she was in a trance, not looking away for a second and even didn`t notice how it began to sunrise. All the fairy tales that her grandmother had told her in the childhood weren`t fairy tales at all. Her heart has cramp because of resentment. She got a huge responsibility, and she almost at the first moment lost the most precious thing which was entrusted to her. Enilice certainly noticed that.
– I was only seven years old when my grandmother died. Apart from her fairy tales and the box which my mother gave me only for my eighteenth birthday, I had nothing else. Only some of my thoughts, guesses. I was thinking…
– Don't be sad, and don't blame yourself. You didn't know. And no one could have prepared you for this – Enilice tried to console her, and climbed into the saddle. – We will return the key. We have to! As soon as possible! So hold on tight, we need to hurry up before the Doppelganger thief goes too far.
Enilice put spurs to his horse and they quickly ride to the edge of the forest.
– How do we find him, if he can transform into anyone and create illusions?
– Doppelgangers have their own “magical smell”. So, we will follow this “magical traces”. I was taught by search skill when I was in the Academy of Afleeakwein. But I don't feel it here. The ancient magic of Izemburn mutes Elven telepathy, as well as magical sense of smell.
– So you're also a mage?
– No, I'm not a mage. I'm a tracker. But I know the basic spells which are known for almost all the elves, who do service in Elven army. We are all taught those spells in Academy. You saw one of them.
– Oh, yeah! That was awesome! Teach me! Please.
– Well, I think in Afleeakwein you will have a much better teacher than me. More experienced, true elven mage who knows a lot of different spells. Maybe you will be taught by Ikru, the Seer of our people.
– A seer? How is that? – Alice asked.
– Well, for example, she can see you and me. Where we are and what we are doing, no matter how far away we are from her. She's also a very powerful mage.
– I see – Alice answered indistinctly and realized that her eyes were starting to close. The long walks in the woods, the chase and the horse racing had worn her out. She wanted to go to her own bed with a duvet and soft pillows, but all she could do now was doze off as she sat on a galloping horse. After some time, Alice and Enilice left Izemburn.
Chapter 6
– Tonnord! – Ikru tried to reach elven leader mind.
– Yes Ikru, tell me.
– I have some news about the key.
– Okay. I'm on the balcony. Come. We`ll talk in private.
The wide balcony was located at the very top of the Great Elven Oak. Everyone who wanted to relax, reflect and enjoy the beautiful view of the Elven valley came here.
– Suilannad le condir! – Ikru greeted him in Elvish as she entered the balcony. I'd forgotten how beautiful it is here – She gasped, threw her view down at the valley.
The sun was just beginning to rise above the horizon, hugging the Elven valley by it`s warm rays, which is stretched for several miles from the Great Oak. Big and small forest edges were alternated with bright green meadows. The mother-of-pearl water of the great Elma River channel played with the rays of the morning sun, generously giving the valley “sunlight spots”. The signing of the birds was sweet to the ear, and the soft south wind brought the sweet smell of the meadows blooming here.
– What's the news, sister?
– My Lord, I'm afraid that`s not what you wanted to hear. I saw the box and the key in the hands of a man. I don't know who he is. He came out from Izemburn, somewhere close to our southern Outpost, and moved to the West. Enilice and Alice still in Izemburn. Unfortunately, I can't contact him yet.
– Yes, yes. He can't either, because of the ancient magic of Izemburn. Otherwise we would already know what happened there.
– But I can say they are moving, so soon they will leave Izemburn.
Tonnord thought. His view under long gray eyebrows was fixed on the single point. For a few seconds he freezes like a stone Gargoyle, motionless and silent. But soon he got up from the bench and began to walk back and forward along the balustrade of the balcony.
– Was that person alone?
– Yes, my lord.
– This is very strange. What motivates a man who decided to go to the west alone with such a valuable thing?! If that person is one of the dark magicians henchmen – he paused – Well, let's say. But we do not yet know who it is, so in order to deliver the key to the Yeagrefgort, you need to go directly to the north. Around the Canyon of Death, or through it – Tonnord chuckled – straight through the Middle Pathway, then through the Preeosted, across the Elma River, a few days across the Wastelands and that's it! But there is nothing in the West. Only the Pleepmorr, Scorched Earth and Trolls Swamps. Conclusion – this person does not belong to the dark magicians. And he seems completely reckless to go west ALONE. Around the Pleepmorr as well as inside of the city only the bastards. Robbers, assassins, thieves, mercenaries-rejected from other kingdoms… I'm not even talking about the Canyon of Death and the Scorched Earth crowded with all sorts of evil… In general, everything is bad. The key can end up in the hands of anyone, and then even the Dark Magicians, as Bronton said before. After that, I don't even want to think.
The loss of the key from an inexperienced keeper who had just come to this world was quite expected. Tonnord didn`t rule out the fact this could happen. So now it was necessary to act quickly. Return the key back to the Keeper and cover both of them in Afleeakwein. This meant one or two dozen warriors would have to be sent in pursuit of the thief, which would certainly attract attention, especially around the Pleepmorr area. And this Tonnord didn`t want to. He wanted to act secretly. But there was no choice.
– Okay Ikru, thank you for the news, even not good at all. I'll do an order to send a squad to chase the thief. I really didn`t want to “make noise” and attract attention, but it looks like we don`t have a choice. The key must be returned by any costs, before it is too late.
– I completely agree with you, my Lord.
– Go, Sister. Try to see as much as you can, and as soon as Enilice contacts you, let me know.
Ikru left, and Tonnord reached to the Tagrin`s mind.
“Tagrin, do you hear me?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Come up to me at the balcony, I need to talk to you personally.”
“Right away, sir.”
Shortly, a tall and strong elf, covered in armor, with a heavy blade at his belt and a bow on his back, entered the balcony to Tonnord. His tight black hair fell to his shoulders, and the same tight black beard fell to the middle of his chest, obscuring the Afleeakwein emblem etched on the breastplate of his armor. However, he still had the bright blue eyes and elven ears, which gave a certain contrast to his appearance. Anyone who didn't know him would have thought he was a northerner from Preeosted or it`s area. But he was a full-blooded elf. His late mother, who died in the war after the capture of Eraqel, was an elven mage. One of the strongest at that time. And as you know, the genes of magicians responsible for appearance very often change under the influence of magic, and later that passed on to her son.
– If you wanna hear about the search for Oks, then I can say he is not in the Gragos or Preeosted. I can't say anything about Izemburn because…
– Yes, Yes, I know. That's what I wanted to talk about. What you're about to hear now, must remain as a secret. But I'm afraid the circumstances are such that no matter how much we want it, it can`t hardly remain as a secret.
Tonnord brought Tagrin fully up to speed.
– I didn't tell you right away because we didn't know. Ikru and I thought that she was with Oks, but later on Ikru saw a completely different picture. So the trackers from Preeosted and Gragos can be recalled. It is very important to get some news from Enilice as soon as possible, but I do not know how soon it will happen. And the key is moving west. What do you think?
– We can't delay. We'll send two squads to the west. From the southern Outpost by the old road around the Pleepmorr.
– If I'm not mistaken Inohildis is a commander of Southern Outpost?
– Yes, my Lord. He is. Oh, how masterfully he jumped and slashed Borgind. I was unlucky that day, but he`s done that mission and stole the key. I remember everything as if it was yesterday.
***
40 years ago.
Two riders in dark-purple cloaks were riding at full speed through the wild orc forests. Soon, as the forest becomes thinned, they could see the massive stone walls of Zerton. It was a huge Orc`s city, stretching from west to east from the channel of the Elma River to the Canyon of Death, and from north to south from the Middle Pathway to the Plains. The city had over half a million Orcs. Warriors and mages, workers and merchants, women and children. They were all meant to be die.
– According to the coordinates which Naabs gave me, the dark portal should be installed somewhere in this area. – Borgind said affirmatively, pointing to the area around the city.
– What's the plan? – Keries asked.
– We'll begin construction near the walls of Zerton. And we'll do camp in the mountains of the Canyon of Death.
– It's a bit far from the construction site. What if the Orcs…
– If they will come here, burn them all! Borgind perfectly understood his General – However, no matter how belligerent they are, I don`t think they will. Anyway, these green-skinned animals very soon will cease to exist in this world forever.
The general's eyes widened in surprise. He turned his head to his master and asked in utter bewilderment:
– How come???
– When the arch of the Portal will be finished, I will place this crystal in the base… He took a bright-purple crystal a walnut size out of his pocket. The crystal was glowing and the energy was pulsing inside of it.
– And what`s next?
– Next, will be big boom – Borgind smiled – After I cast special spell, the Naabs will send an energy of incredible power to the crystal, which will activate the portal. This energy will be so powerful that it will destroy everything for hundred miles away. Nothing will survive – only the portal.
– Now I see why we should camp so far from here. My Lord, aren't you afraid that the shock wave…
– No, I'm not. I'll use the momentary movement spell. When the energy comes to the portal, I won't be here anymore.
– I see, my Lord. When do we start?
– We've already started. I gave this ordered long time ago. The construction materials caravan will be here tomorrow morning. Your objective is to set up a camp here for construction workers and security guards. The main camp will be set up in the mountains. I`m going to ride to the Pleepmorr, I have some business there. Once everything is ready, get all of our people to the mountains and let me know through the Plabark.
– Yes, my Lord! – answered Keries.
***
Ikru sat in the main library of Afleeakwein, nervously search one book after another. She was looking for an answer to the question – how Naabs could enter their world to get the key from Eraqel's prison. As long as the angel is alive, even if he is a prisoner, the Naabs will not be able to cross the boundaries of this world. The energy of Araclia is destructive for them. So there was another way. And Ikru had to find it out as soon as possible.