Road To Shandara (Book One of The Safanarion Order) (15 page)

“I can tell that you have experienced a great loss and for that I convey my sincerest condolences,” Verona began. “What passed between you and the Dragon I do not know because he gave me his own message. Every man harbors secrets for his own reasons. Fear not, that I will press you for yours. I said it before and I’ll say it again, where you go, I will follow. Our paths are connected.”

Aaron nodded not knowing what else to say. “Can you tell me about a place called Shandara and what you know of the man Reymius Alenzar’seth?” It was the first time he spoke the name aloud and it made his heart pound to speak it.

“I’ve never seen Shandara. I was a small boy when Shandara fell and most of what I know is just stories. You would do well to ask the lore masters when we reach Rexel or Prince Cyrus himself. He was the one whom Colind said you should seek?” Verona asked.

“That’s right, but the Dragon said that Colind dwells in his prison among the ruins of Shandara,” replied Aaron.

“Shandara was described as a truly wondrous place, home to the Safanarion Order," Verona began. “The Alenzar’seth’s were of royal blood and keepers of the great seal, a gift from the Hythariam folk who are themselves legend, but have withdrawn from the world of men. The Shandara that exists today is land devoid of life and consumed by shadow.”

“Not all of it,” Aaron said quickly and a bit defensively which surprised him. “The Dragon showed me a white tree that grows amongst the ruins of a vast palace. That is where I need to go.” He could feel the compulsion within fueled by his need for revenge. He would do what must be done, but at what cost?

Verona eyed him for a moment, “We will need help if that is our road. We should do as Colind advised and seek out Cyrus the Prince at Rexel. Now about Reymius Alenzar’seth,” Verona began. “He was there at the fall of Shandara. In some ways he bore responsibility for its collapse and in other ways he saved the rest of us by staving off what was unleashed there. Misguided use of power and betrayal at the heart of matters is what my uncle tells me.”

“Colind may have more to add to this story,” said Aaron.

“Much of what transpired is a mystery to many but those who were at the heart of it. I wish I knew more but history was never one of my strengths,” Verona said. “What I know of Reymius is the stuff of heroes and stories. Despite his birthright he was ranked high in the Safanarion Order and something of a diplomat with the Hythariam folk. Now and again there are whispers from small towns about a trapper seeing some of the Hythariam, but they always disappear, some vanishing right before their eyes,” finished Verona stifling a yawn.

“That’s alright, tell me more tomorrow. We have enough to go on I think.” Aaron replied settling back on the ground using a blanket for a pillow, gazing up at the brilliantly clear night sky. Though his thoughts were not idle, sleep soon came to him as his second day in the land called Safanar drew to a close. Under the watchful eyes of the statue of the goddess the weary travelers slept.

C
HAPTER
16

THE SUMMONS

THE MIRROR HUNG empty in silent defiance that gnawed at him. Mactar mulled the whereabouts of Tarimus staring fixedly into the empty mirror since the shaking of the earth that announced the coming of Reymius’s heir. That had been his design since he first found the gateway Reymius used to escape all those years ago. The blood of the house Alenzar’seth held the key to Shandara. He called to Tarimus through the mirror, but it mocked him again with its silence.

“Prisons don’t last forever, nor do prisoners for that matter. Sooner or later they break or escape. You have much to answer for,” a silky voice purred from the window.

Mactar turned seeing a veiled face, but no one could mistake those depthless blue eyes framed in creamy skin that had made many a foolish man go willingly to their death. Those icy eyes were transfixed upon him and for a moment gave even him pause. Of all High King Amorak’s heirs it was his daughter Sarah that was a step above the rest and would not be swayed as her younger brother had been. All the difference a mother can make. This one was a hunter at heart and the world was her quarry. Not a pampered princess by any means. She possessed a single minded determination to rival his own for all his long years. Stepping away from the window with her leopard like grace the light haired beauty removed her veil sneering at him. Arrogance was a fitting word to describe all Amorak’s heirs, but unlike the bravado of her brothers she had true potential or was a grave threat. He couldn’t decide which.

“My father will receive you now,” she said holding a purple transport crystal.

“So you’ve risen the ranks to the King’s messenger?” Mactar taunted but he knew that Sarah would never give in to so menial an insult. “So be it,” Mactar answered. “I have something for him in the other room.”

Sarah eyed him coolly following him from the room, “What are you playing at?”

“Trust me.” Mactar said gesturing to a dark cylinder suspended in the air above a small pedestal.

Sarah waited patiently her face impassive and Mactar applauded her reserved judgment at not rising to the bait, dangerous indeed.

“Your fool’s errand cost Tye his life and no amount of
gifts
will quell my father’s anger.”

“Perhaps my dear,” Mactar replied patiently. “We will see. Regardless there are forces at work here beyond the son of the King.” A momentary flash of anger arrayed across her eyes, but instead of continuing their verbal sparring match she activated the purple transport crystal, all the while fixing him with a stony stare.

“Won’t you be joining us?” Mactar asked raising a quisitive brow.

Sarah smirked, “As much as I would enjoy watching you squirm before my father I have other duties to attend to and nothing you need concern yourself with.”

“Ah yes, would those duties require you to travel to the east? South of Rexel perhaps?” Mactar replied in a sunny tone. He had gotten the Elitesman report as well when it came into the Council of Masters. The report of a mysterious stranger who had taken down an Elitesman, intriguing to say the least.

The golden haired beauty regarded him for a moment and then with a look of utter boredom, “Grovel well my lord,” she said activating the transport crystal cutting off his response, arrogance indeed was his last thought before the flashing of light.

***

The princess stood among Mactar’s vile furnishings and could no longer mask her utter contempt for the home of the Dark Wizard. His slippery fingers were in everything, but so far she had not fallen prey to one of his schemes. She had heard the report about this mysterious stranger who had taken down an Elite, but it wasn't that which drew her attention. It was a restlessness she had been feeling of late so she sought solace at an abandoned church devoted to the goddess located along the fringes of her fathers kingdom. It was one of the few things she clung to in her mothers memory. She was there when the earth shook and a soft voice whispered in her ears.
One of the old blood has returned.
That was all that was said and it happened so fast that she might have imagined it.

She stood there silently regarding the mirror that Mactar had watched so intently. There was no reflection only an inky black void.

Sarah,
a slithering voice taunted slowly.
Beware the man marked by dragons,
it hissed.

She grasped the transport crystal and the princess disappeared in a flash of light, but not before she heard a mirthless cackle coming from the mirror.

C
HAPTER
17

HIDDEN AMONGST THE SHADOWS

AARON SNAPPED AWAKE gasping for breath and the dark dreams that held him abated. The sun was chasing away the morning fog, and the lingering unease slowly retreated just below the surface of his thoughts.

“Are you alright?” Verona asked solemnly. “Those must have been some dreams. You were muttering most of the night, but I guess that is to be expected given the circumstances.” Verona said glancing at the statue.

Aaron wondered what he had been muttering and for a moment he considered just telling Verona everything. How long would his dreams haunt him? How long had it been since his dreams were just that, dreams, a brief respite from the waking world. He glanced at the statue when the flash of pounding hooves echoed in his ears. In an instant it was gone.

“Who is Bronwyn if you don’t mind me asking?”

Aaron was about to answer when pounding hooves thundered in his mind again. “We have to go. Now!” Aaron shouted springing up hastily gathering his sleeping mat. “They are coming. I can feel them.”

Without another word the two men broke camp. They kept a good pace rotating between riding and leading their horses each of a mindset that if the time came when they truly needed to run they could, but avoiding conflict would be preferable. The pursuit being foremost on their minds left little time for talking, but Aaron kept weighing whether he should tell Verona who he was. Both caution and honor were warring within him. His life was in Verona’s hands just as surely as Verona’s was in his own, hadn’t he already proved that? In the end honor won.

“Bronwyn is a girl I knew,” Aaron began while they were taking a rest.

“She was important to you,” Verona stated handing him a water bottle.

“Aren’t they all,” answered Aaron with a sardonic smirk taking a deep gulp of water. “Yes she was important to me,” his tone hardened, belying the pain he felt. “She and others near me were all in danger, but I was too blind to see it and didn’t act fast enough. She is dead now.” He stood up and drew his swords and slowly began to wield them. The bladesong whispered on the breeze aligning the energy around him.

“These were bequeathed to me by my grandfather...
Reymius
.” Aaron said staring directly into Verona’s astonished eyes. “I am the grandson of Reymius and Cassandra, and son to Patrick and Carlowen Jace. I am of the house Alenzar’seth.” He quickly sheathed his blades in a single fluid motion. “I’m sorry I needed to conceal my identity, but I don’t believe it would be honorable of me to travel you and not know the risk that comes with it.” He watched Verona gathering his thoughts for a moment.

“I knew there was something about you Aaron when I first laid eyes on you. You are the heir of Shandara and I vow that your identity will stay with me until you give me leave to do otherwise.” Verona said with a fist across his heart. “I understand your caution. How could you know whether you could trust me or not? I said it before and I say it again, I will see this through and stand by your side as a friend even in the face of our death.”

The man must be crazy Aaron thought, but he believed every word he said. In this world there could be no time wasted on foolishness.

“Well. Well, if you haven’t given us a great chase, my lord.” A voice boomed out from the surrounding trees. “Surrender now and you will only be a little light on coins.” Another gruff voice called out.

“If it’s more of a chase you want just say the word and we’ll be off again you dogs.” Verona shouted back laughing. The silence was broken by the hearty laughter from other men concealed by the surrounding forest. “Vaughn, Sarik, and Garret I know it’s you. I would advise you to come forward for I’m afraid my friend here has a rather large wolf for a companion who likes to feed on dogs, even one as great as you Vaughn.”

Three men extracted themselves from the surrounding trees all with broad smiles. “Well met my lord,” said the man in the middle grinning.

“Well met Vaughn,” Verona said extending his hand to the bear of a man who had traces of gray in his hair and beard. “May I introduce you to Aaron Jace another such as we who have a talent for attracting trouble.” Aaron shook each of their hands in turn and all returned a firm handshake. “Where are the rest?” Verona inquired.

 
“Camp is setup a few miles north of here. We were hunting for dinner when we quite literally stumbled onto you.” Vaughn said leading the way. “I had expected to meet up with you much sooner and at the wayward point.” He said raising an eyebrow. “Did you get side tracked again? What was her name?”

“An old friend came to me with a request that I couldn’t refuse,” Verona answered with a twinkle in his eyes.

Vaughn frowned, “There has been word of some trouble in one of the smaller towns and some cursed Ryakul activity to the east.” Vaughn replied giving a slight glance overhead.

“We don’t have to worry about the Ryakuls for now. Aaron and I witnessed an epic battle between a Dragon and
four
Ryakuls.” The word dragon was echoed from the other men while Aaron listened silently.
News travels fast it seems
.

Vaughn glanced at Aaron, “A knack for finding trouble indeed,” he smirked. “Dragons are rarely seen during these times. Though its troubling that the Ryakul have ventured this far. I wonder what brought them.”

Vaughn happened to be looking at Aaron when he said the last, but it got him thinking. Were the Ryakul hunting him? By taking the cloak and rune marked staff hadn't Daverim Alenzar’seth said beasts of shadow would be drawn to him?

“It could mean that the shadow-lands are extending beyond Shandara’s borders,” said the wiry young man called Sarik. It took almost all of Aaron’s concentration to not look at Verona at this point, but he could feel the tenseness in the air between them. Instead he scanned their surroundings as they made their way up the path.

“Peace, Sarik you speak of what you do not know,” said Garret gently. He was an older man who regarded Sarik as mentor to a student.

“It was just a thought,” Sarik replied. “The Ryakuls grow bolder with each passing season.” He said adjusting the quiver of arrows poking over his shoulder. “I'm going to see if I have anymore luck finding a decent meal for us without you lot plodding through the forest. I’ll see you back at camp.” Sarik said trotting ahead of them.

Vaughn picked up the pace speaking with Verona taking the lead. Aaron was just as happy to walk and not be on the saddle of a horse for awhile. He watched the two men ahead of him and occasionally kept an eye out for Zeus whom he hadn’t seen in a while, although he did hear the sounds of other wolves in the distance. Perhaps Zeus had found a home in this place, but as soon as the thought came to mind he caught a glimpse of the smoky gray wolf through the trees stopping occasionally to peer at him.