The Dragon's Champion (24 page)

Then he found a
most disturbing letter. The broken seal was that of House Lokton. It spoke of
the magistrate’s murder, and warned that Erik should stay away from the area.
The next letter spoke of Timon Cedreau’s murder, and that a blood feud had
started between the two houses. This one also warned that Erik should stay
away. Erik let his head thump back against the desk with an exasperated sigh.

Slowly he sifted
through the remaining letters. The rest were all different from the first two
from House Lokton. They all declared that House Lokton and House Cedreau were
going to war with each other, and beckoned for Erik to return and help his
father, as was his duty. They also implored Master Lepkin to return with Erik,
and help in the fight.

Erik was
confused. None of the letters said explicitly who had murdered the magistrate
or Timon. They had only implied certain people. The magistrate was killed with
a dagger belonging to Eldrik Cedreau, and Timon was killed by an arrow that
belonged to Mr. Stilwell. Erik remembered Lord Cedreau’s intrusion during his
Konn Deta. He then thought about the serious threat Lord Cedreau had given
after Erik had chosen Goliath to be his horse. He knew full well the
consequences that Timon’s death was going to create. Lord Cedreau would not
back down now until Lord Lokton was dead.

“Oh no,” Erik
gasped. Now he knew what Tukai’s prophecy meant. Lord Lokton was going to die
in this blood feud with House Cedreau. It was not exactly what he had
envisioned when he first heard the warlock say that he would kill his father.
He had thought that the prophecy claimed he would do it with his own hand. But
then again, it may as well have been a blow of
his own
hand. Erik had broken Timon’s hand. It was this injury that caused Lord Cedreau
to intrude upon Erik’s Konn Deta. It was there that the magistrate stepped in
and further humiliated Lord Cedreau by awarding one of House Cedreau’s prized
war horses to Erik. And it was Erik who had sealed his father’s fate by taking
the horse that Lord Cedreau had intended for one of his own sons.

 Erik’s
head was spinning. His stomach twisted into knots of guilt and pain. His eyes
welled with tears. He couldn’t let this happen. Not because of him. He got to
his feet and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. He walked toward the door,
determined to escape into the night and save his father.

*****

“The boy is
running away,” one of the temple guards said.

“I can see for
myself,” Marlin replied. “We will let him go.”

“What do you
mean?” the guard asked. “The prelate has given orders that the boy is never to
leave the grounds. He is not allowed out until after he has taken the Exalted
Test of Arophim.”

Marlin looked
down from the wall at Erik. The boy was creeping along the outside of the wall
toward the stable. His aura was far too bright for the boy to be able to sneak
away undetected. Marlin could see many emotions swirling through Erik’s energy.
He saw pain, anger, hurt, feelings of betrayal, guilt, and shame. Yet, deep in
the center of the aura was the same bright, white light. It was bigger than
before. It now seemed to burn within the whole area of the boy’s chest. This
gave Marlin hope. “The prelate is not here, and you will defer to me,” Marlin
told the guard.

“The prelate
will hear of this,” the guard replied. “I can not allow you to disobey him. You
put all of us at risk. That boy is to be-” the guard’s words caught in his
throat.

Marlin gripped
the man’s shoulder tighter than a snake coiling around a prized mouse. A stream
of energy flowed from Marlin’s hand into the guard’s aura. The guard slumped
down to the stone floor of the battlement. Marlin released his grip on the
guard after he was sure the man was completely unconscious. “No one shall be
forced to undergo the Test of Arophim,” Marlin quoted the commandment of the
Father of the Ancients through gritted teeth.

Marlin looked
back down to the stable and saw a pair of auras, bright and strong, approaching
Erik. “Erik shall not be kept here as a prisoner,” Marlin muttered. He sprang
down from the battlement and soared down toward the ground. A couple of seconds
before impact, Marlin called upon the energy of the grass and dirt below. The
ground itself answered Marlin’s call and sent a cushion of energy up to meet
him, catching him softly and allowing him to land without injury. Marlin
thanked the grasses and then ran to Erik.

“Erik,” Marlin
whispered quickly. “Come with me.”

Erik turned
around and anger flashed through his aura. “I will not go back,” Erik hissed.
“Not for you or anyone else.”

“No, Erik, I know
that,” Marlin said with his empty hands out to his sides. “I have come to help
you escape. Those two guards have orders not to let you out. Follow my lead and
play along, if you wish to leave.”

The anger in
Erik’s aura held strong, but peace and hope ran through it. Finally Erik nodded
and stood away from the wall. “As you say,” Erik relented.

The two guards
were upon them an instant later. “Erik is not allowed to leave the grounds,”
one of them said.

“Yes, I know the
prelate’s orders,” Marlin replied, keeping his voice calm and authoritative. “I
have just barely found him, and was about to take him back inside. Al is
waiting to give the boy a good tongue lashing.”

“He needs more
than that,” the first guard replied. “The boy should learn some discipline. This
is not a game.”

“No, it isn’t,”
Marlin said. “This is very serious.” Marlin stepped closer to Erik and placed a
hand on the boy’s shoulder. For a moment, he thought to transfer some of his
energy to Erik, to strengthen the boy, but he knew that the guards would be
able to see the changes in their auras. “I suppose we could discipline him a
little ourselves,” Marlin said.

“What did you
have in mind?” the first guard asked. Marlin could see a tinge of delight
ripple through the guard’s aura. The second guard stood quiet. His aura did not
show any sign of delight at the prospect of punishing Erik. In fact, it showed
a slight hint of compassion for the boy. Marlin seized upon it.

“Do you
disagree?” Marlin asked, pointing to the second guard.

“With respect,”
the second guard started. “I do not think it is right for him to be held here
like some criminal. This is a temple, not a prison.”

“Ah,” Marlin
said with a mocking tone. “What is your name?”

“I am Tegeruk,”
the second guard replied.

“Tell me
Tegeruk, have you been with the order long? I do not know you.”

“I have been on
night watch for three years now,” Tegeruk said with a bow of his head.

“And you think
that you understand the ways of our order better than the prelate?”

Tegeruk’s aura
showed signs of fear and caution for just a moment. Then a flash of hope and
courage ran through the man’s energy. “I may be wrong, but I believe that the
words of the Ancients are to be heeded, and I have not heard anything that says
we have the right to force someone into service.”

“You would
disobey the prelate?” the first guard hissed menacingly.

“What is your
name?” Marlin asked, turning to the first guard.

“I am Mageddi,”
the first guard said with a bow. “I stand ready to follow all orders of the
prelate, without question.”

“I see.” Marlin
rubbed his chin with his left hand and looked back to Erik. He could see the
confusion running through Erik’s energy. Marlin knew he had to act now, or else
Erik’s aura might give them away. “Tegeruk,” Marlin began authoritatively. “I am
ordering you now, in the name of the Ancients, to help Erik escape.”

Tegeruk and
Mageddi stood motionless for a moment. Marlin could tell by their auras that
neither had expected this. Marlin didn’t wait. He seized the moment, rushing
forward and striking out with his right foot to Mageddi’s abdomen.

“Run, Erik!”
Marlin ordered. Erik sprinted off toward the stable.

Mageddi came
around with his fist, connecting with Marlin’s forearm as the more experienced
man blocked the guard’s blow. Tegeruk joined in at that moment and slammed his
fists into Mageddi’s side. Each punch held with it a ball of Tegeruk’s energy.
The energy rippled through Mageddi’s aura and knocked him to the side several
feet away. Marlin relentlessly came at Mageddi and seized the man. He clapped
his hands to either temple and sent a wave of energy through Mageddi that
paralyzed the guard.

Tegeruk came up
fast to finish Mageddi off, but Marlin held up a hand. “No, we will not kill
our own brothers,” Marlin said. “It is enough now. He can no longer threaten
Erik.”

“As you wish,”
Tegeruk said with a bow. “Shall we go with the boy?”

“You will,”
Marlin said solemnly. “I will stay here and wait for the prelate. He will not
be pleased.”

“I will stay
with you,” Tegeruk offered.

Marlin shook his
head. “No, you will not. The punishment for you would be death.”

“What will
happen to you?” Tegeruk asked.

“If I had
followed the prelate’s orders, I would already be dead,” Marlin replied. “At
least now my spirit shall soar to the Halls of the Ancients, and I shall not be
ashamed.”

“Fools,” Mageddi
growled. “Without the Champion of Truth, we are all doomed to
death.”         

Marlin reached
down and sent another wave of power through Mageddi. “Be silent, brother.”
Mageddi went completely rigid and said no more. “Go with Erik. Protect him on
his journey home. He has decided not to take the Test of Arophim, and that wish
must be granted to him, whatever the cost.”

“As you say,”
Tegeruk replied.

Marlin watched
the temple guard rush to the stable. A few moments later he saw Erik and
Tegeruk riding away. He smiled to himself when he saw that Erik’s aura was
growing more intense. The boy truly had a gift. Marlin hoped that Erik would
learn to master it in time to save the rest of them. Marlin turned back to
regard the paralyzed guard at his feet. His mind told him that Mageddi was
right. Without the test, Erik could not become the Champion of Truth and they
would all be lost to the darkness that was to come. Marlin sighed. He knew that
Erik would have perished if he had taken the test. The gift in him was too
strong, and still too wild. Either way, they would be left without the Champion
of Truth. Marlin’s heart told him he had done right in letting Erik go, but his
mind whispered that he had just doomed the entire realm to the service of the
shadows.

*****

Lady Dimwater
and Master Lepkin stepped through the magic portal. “Can you stand?” she asked.

“I am good,”
Master Lepkin replied weakly. Dimwater nodded. She had spent the rest of
yesterday afternoon and all of the night weaving spells to heal Lepkin. Because
she was weakened by her recent encounter with Jerutho, she was unable to heal
him completely, but she restored enough of his energy to bring him out of his
sleep, and to be strong enough to travel through the magical portal.

“We are here, at
Valtuu Temple,” Lady Dimwater said. “The healers will help you.” The two of
them walked up to the main door of the wall and it opened slightly.

“We have been
expecting you,” a guard said. He held a large shaft with a curved, wide blade
on top with a steel point on the bottom of the shaft. “I can see to him, but
you can not come in.”

Lady Dimwater
regarded the man curiously. “You mean, because I am a woman?” she asked.

The guard shook
his head. “You and I both know the answer. I’m sorry, but I cannot allow you
in.”

“This time, you
will make an exception,” Master Lepkin said hoarsely.

“Sir, she will
defile the temple. I cannot allow it.”

“Those who seek
the book will defile and destroy not only the temple, but also the rest of this
realm. I am the Keeper of Secrets, my word is law. I stand even above the
prelate of your order. You will let her in or I will take your head.” Master
Lepkin stood as erect as he could,
trying
to appear
able to make good on his threat. He reached to the hilt of his sword and
paused, looking at the guard.

“As you say,”
the guard replied through his teeth.

Master Lepkin
and Lady Dimwater walked through the gate. The guard walked behind them slowly,
waving other guards off as they tried to bar Dimwater from entering. Lepkin
made doubly sure that they all understood by keeping his hand on the hilt of
his sword.

They entered the
front door of the temple and a man in white, silken robes greeted them. He
smiled to Lepkin, but when he saw Dimwater his mouth fell agape and his
expression turned most sour. “What is this?” he hissed.

“She is here at
my command,” Lepkin coughed. “I trust no other to help me.” The man nodded
slowly, but his scowl didn’t disappear. “Where is Marlin?” Lepkin asked.

“He is in the
council chamber, on trial for heresy,” the man replied with a shrug.

“What?” Lepkin
asked. Some of his strength returned to him at the news.

“There is much
to explain. Follow me, I will take you to our healers and then you may speak
with the prelate after the hearing is concluded.”

“No, I will
attend the hearing,” Lepkin said. The man turned to protest, but Lepkin slid
his sword free a few inches. “You will take us there now,” Lepkin threatened.
The man was visibly shaken at the threat. He nodded quickly and led them to the
chamber.

Lepkin didn’t
look at any of the murals or decorations. He had only one thing on his mind.
Whatever Marlin was being accused of, he had to save the man. Dimwater seemed to
understand the severity of the situation as well. She walked rigidly, her head
on a swivel at all times, looking for any threat as they passed through the
halls. At the end of the hall the man in white shooed away two guards and
pushed open the door to the council chamber.