The Sword of Light: Book One of the Veredor Chronicles (21 page)

‘
I wish you all the best,’ said King Ignis. ‘When I complete
my campaign in Ortaria I will send reinforcements to you. We must
also consider that the Zyranian Order is working against us. There
may come a time when I ask for your help.’

‘
And I will send you men if I can. I should also tell you that
Garnock has sent word to the Fire Order to tell them the Zyranians
have turned to evil ways. You should also form an alliance with
Silvor, Ateria, and the Isles of Dawn. Perhaps they can help us
deal with Zyran.’

‘
Once I reclaim Ancora I will send word to the kings in the
south, yet I fear that Zyran will already be influencing
them.’

‘
Perhaps the Irvarians in the west can help us,’ suggested
Duke Egil.

Meara rode up
to bring her horse beside King Ignis. ‘I am going to Irvaria. I
will take word to King Edric of Irvaria and inform him of your
troubles. I am the Irilian Meara. You should know that the Irilians
are also your allies.’

‘
I’m happy to hear that,’ said Duke Egil. ‘The forces in
Veredor are gathering their strength, and hopefully we are not too
late. A great darkness is coming to our lands. We must be
ready.’

‘
It seems to me that the darkness has already arrived,’ said
King Ignis, raising an eyebrow.

‘
Garnock said what we have seen is only the beginning. He was
sent by the Fire Order to watch the north. The Kaznor Empire has a
new emperor; they simply call him “Master” and he is known by no
other name. All the Skatheans and muckrons are loyal to him. I
believe he is the force behind the evil we face, including what is
happening in Zyran.’

‘
I have heard of him,’ said King Ignis. ‘Azagord told me about
him when I was imprisoned in Zyran. He is mysterious and powerful.
Azagord told me that he is a powerful sorcerer, greater than the
Northern Sorcerers. Azagord was forced to submit to his will. He
had to fight for his mind against the forces of darkness;
thankfully in the end Azagord redeemed himself.’

‘
I think this person we speak of is actually an Astarian,’
said Duke Egil soberly.

‘
Perhaps he is the Prince of Shadows,’ suggested Red,
recalling the earlier mention of the evil adversary from the
Forgotten Age.

‘
I hope not,’ said King Ignis nervously. ‘I always thought
those old stories were just legends and myths. Until recently I
thought the same about wyverns. We are going to see many dark times
ahead if the Prince of Shadows has returned to Veredor.’

‘
We will fight these enemies together, whoever they are,’ said
Duke Egil.

King Ignis was
happy at hearing his confidence. ‘Indeed, we will not allow the
forces of darkness to take hold.’

**

They left the
Orelin basin and journeyed south along the road toward the Iron
Gate Pass for the rest of the afternoon. It was a fine day, and the
clouds had mostly dispersed allowing the warmth of the sun to shine
down. The soldiers were glad to be heading home. There was a
growing sense of hope that they would soon see their families again
and see an end to the evil reign in their homeland. All the men
felt encouraged by their victory against the muckron horde.

That evening
they made a camp beside a small river. Eben, Red, and Stella were
all sitting around a campfire. Max had joined them and was playing
a wooden flute. The sound of the music was soothing to their tired
minds.

‘
That tune was lovely. You play so well,’ said
Stella.

‘
I bring my flute everywhere with me. My father gave it to me
before he died. I grew up in Ancora near the western gate. I
haven’t heard from my mother and sisters for nearly two years. I
often wonder how they are.’

‘
You will see them again soon,’ said Red as he took the wooden
spoon from the pot and tasted the stew he had been preparing. He
then brought out some wooden bowls from his leather bag. Eben had
no idea where he had found his cooking equipment. He served the
four of them some of his delicious mushroom stew.

‘
Very nice, Red,’ said Eben.

‘
I was a cook for a little while when I was still living in
Silvor,’ said Red.

‘
You’ve done just about everything,’ said Stella.

Red nodded and
a big smile crossed his face. ‘Twenty years old and seen it all,’
he said proudly.

‘
Probably you should think about settling down,’ suggested
Eben.

‘
That’s the plan,’ said Red, his smile becoming even wider as
he glanced across at Stella. Stella shyly looked away.

‘
What about you, Eben. After the war, what will you do?’ asked
Red.

‘
All I really want to do is find my parents.’

‘
Where will you go?’ asked Stella.

‘
I plan to travel to the lands beyond the Endless Wall
Mountains. I hope to find the remaining Fiorian Knights. King Ignis
told me that my mother was once the leader of the Fiorian Order.
They may be able to tell me what happened to my mother and
father.’

‘
Your mother was a Fiorian; that’s amazing,’ said Stella, her
eyes widening at the revelation.

‘
I hope she’s still out there somewhere,’ said
Eben.

‘
If she is I’m sure you will find her,’ said Red
confidently.

‘
I have heard the Western Lands are beautiful. Especially
Irvaria and Everdon,’ said Stella. ‘I hope you find your
parents.’

‘
I will search until I do,’ said Eben, feeling that he would
not rest until he knew what happened to his mother and
father.

**

The following
morning the army moved further south. The towering Endora Mountains
covered the entire southern skyline. The landscape gradually
flattened out and looked much like the plains they had rode across
when they had first come out of the Northern Pass. The army was
marching quite quickly, mostly due to the enthusiasm of the men.
The road curved gradually toward the southwest as they progressed.
The Iron Gate Pass was set at the collision point of the Endora
Mountains and the Endless Wall Mountains. The pass had always been
the only road to Vastoria from Ortaria and Scaldonia; this fact had
caused it to be the focal point of numerous wars throughout the
ages.

Eben had heard
that the land of Vastoria beyond the pass was a harsh and
inhospitable desert. The Vastorians were mostly a tribal and
nomadic people. They lived in the wastelands and made a living from
the unforgiving environment. This gave Vastorians a reputation as a
rough and ruthless people. Further west, beyond the borders of
Vastoria, was the famed Kingdom of Irvaria. Irvaria was said to be
a land of grand castles, lush rolling hills, beautiful lakes,
enchanting forests, and noble people. Eben wondered how far he
would have to go to find the answers he sought.

‘
Eben, if I was to ever get married would you be my best man?’
asked Red.

Eben looked
over to Red who was riding beside him. He then looked back over his
shoulder and saw that Stella was riding quite a long way back with
Meara and Baftel.

‘
Of course,’ he replied.

‘
Good. Great,’ said Red, nodding and smiling. Red slowed his
horse and waited for Stella to catch up. Eben continued to ride at
the front of the army with King Ignis.

‘
He’s an interesting young man, that Red,’ said King Ignis.
‘He never takes anything seriously, yet he is always there when you
need his help; such a strange combination.’

‘
He’s my best friend,’ said Eben as he looked over his
shoulder at Red and Stella riding further back.

‘
I’ll have to make him into a knight for his service to
Ortaria, even though he was born in Silvor,’ said King Ignis. ‘Keep
this a secret; I’ll make it a surprise for him on our return to
Ancora.’

‘
I won’t say a word.’ Eben felt happy about what King Ignis
had said. He knew Red would be overjoyed at being offered a
knighthood.

**

Late in the
morning on the following day the Ortarian army was approaching the
meeting place of the two mountain ranges in the southwest corner of
Scaldonia. The land grew hilly the further they proceeded south.
Ahead of them were two great mountains and a deep valley. They
moved along the well maintained road that cut into the hillsides
and led up through the great valley between the two snow-capped
mountains. After midday King Ignis halted the army on a hilltop,
and from their position they had a wide view of the mountains.

‘
The Iron Gate Pass,’ said King Ignis. ‘In two days we will be
in Galdir.’

The King led
the way along the road as it curved up through the mountains. The
road led them through deep valleys and was often carved into
mountainsides. Often there were sheer cliffs that descended into
deep and craggy valleys below. There was always enough room for at
least two wagons side by side.

When evening
arrived they set up camp at the base of a valley high in the
mountains. The army had prepared for the cold by bringing firewood
from the wooded lands below, and before long hundreds of fires lit
up the valley in the early evening. Meara, Red, Stella, Baftel, and
Cassiel were sitting with Eben around a blazing campfire.

‘
Tomorrow we will part ways,’ said Meara. ‘Before long I will
return to Ortaria. There will be a great need for the Irilians in
these lands. I hope to bring many wizards to assist the people of
the Eastern Lands.’

‘
Do you think the Zyranians can be stopped?’ asked
Red.

‘
Yes, I do. I also believe there are still some good
Zyranians; however, the High Commander and the Gatekeeper have
certainly turned to evil ways. I am convinced they are in the
service of the evil Master in the north. I hope to bring about a
revolution within the Zyranian Order. Magic was always intended to
be used for good. In ancient times men had no magic. The Astarian
Lumen instructed men in the ways of Astarian magic to help men
defend Veredor. Those first few wizards formed the Fire Order. They
built the Tower of Fire in the Old Guardian Mountains; the Fire
Order has lived there ever since. From the Fire Order came the
Irilians and the Zyranians. The primary intention always remained
the same: to use magic for the good of all and to protect Veredor
from evil. Therefore I believe the way to overcome the Zyranian
Order is to call on the good Zyranians who still hold to the true
ways of old.’

‘
When Baltac became the High Commander all those who were good
were pushed down or out of the Zyranian Order.’ said Baftel. ‘The
good wizards who remained have been given the lowliest positions in
the order, and there are several others like myself,
outcasts.’

‘
Soon we will gather the outcasts and help them to retake
control of Zyran,’ said Meara.

**

The next
morning the army moved onward through the Iron Gate Pass. The road
continued to take them higher into the icy mountains. By early
afternoon the way opened out onto a wide flat area situated between
three enormous snow covered peaks. They had come to the crossroads
of the pass. Three roads led away from the area. Each way had
ancient stone gateways set into towering walls, but the old gates
were long since gone. The flattened area between the gates was
about the size of a large farmer’s field, about four hundred yards
across. Each gateway opened the way to the three respective
countries. West led to Vastoria, north to Scaldonia, and east to
Ortaria.

‘
This place is called the Edius Plateau,’ said King Ignis as
his eyes scanned the empty area. ‘Many wars have been fought
between these three gates.’

The army
stopped on the plateau as it was the place that Meara and Baftel
would be leaving them. The two wizards rode to the front of the
lines of soldiers.

‘
King Ignis, I will return as quickly as possible,’ said
Meara. ‘I wish you the best for the trials that are ahead of
you.’

‘
I look forward to your return to Ancora,’ said King Ignis
warmly. Meara then turned to Eben.

‘
Eben, remember what I told you about crossing the bridge. I’m
sure you will do amazing things. We will meet again soon. Be brave
and strong.’

‘
I will,’ said Eben.

She then
looked to Cassiel. ‘You are now my apprentice and a wizard of the
Irilian Order. Represent us with honour in Ortaria. I will send
word to you, and we will meet again soon. Serve King Ignis
loyally.’

‘
I will be true to the Irilian Order and serve King Ignis,’
said Cassiel, bowing to Meara.

‘
Goodbye my friends,’ she said, turning her horse toward the
gate that led to Vastoria.

Baftel raised
his hand and waved to the company as they departed. ‘I will see you
all again,’ said the old wizard. Meara was leading Baftel’s horse
behind her own horse. They rode away slowly, and before long they
were out of sight.

‘
Let’s continue,’ said King Ignis. The army moved away from
the Edius Plateau and through the eastern gateway toward Ortaria.
As the evening arrived the army came to a wide valley with a
waterfall which fell down from the heights above to a fast flowing
stream that rushed through the base of the valley. They set up camp
again beside the waterfall.

Later in the
evening Eben sat by the stream with Red and Stella.