A meeting with the dead
Walker Boh rose from his campsites in the early hours of the morning. Karne Lissan was awake, but not so as other men might awaken. He did not sit slowly and yawn groggily or stretch his limbs. The moment his eyes opened he was alert to anything and everything in the vicinity. He continued to amaze Walker even after these many years of friendship. Every movement he made, reflected that of a born predator, ready to do whatever the times required at any given moment.
Of course, his ancestor's extraordinary magic, the one they called Mareth helped with these instincts, but just where the magic began and Karne began was a puzzle still. Walker left then and felt Karne's gaze upon him as he climbed the slopes. It was not a gaze of hatred, as most men would think. But, then again Walker was not most men. He knew it was a gaze of concern. Walker knew that his behaviour had not exactly been rational or controlled these past few weeks, although given the circumstances he considered it allowable but not acceptable; this was part of the reason he continued climbing the slope.
As he reached the rim of the valley, he paused shortly to compose his thoughts. A single mistake could quite possibly cost him his life or perhaps worse, his soul. He resumed his walk and progressed down to the Hadeshorn's edge. He raised his arms to the lake and began to speak to secret passages to release the dead, known only to druids. Screams erupted from the centre of the lake as a column of steam rose containing thousands of spirits. The spirits moaned as they regained a momentary feeling of the world to which they had lost. A huge dark shadow appeared and made it's way slowly and deliberately towards Walker. It stopped a few feet from the edge and bent it's head towards him.
-Speak my name, Walker Boh, last of the druids- "Allanon" -What would you wish of me this night, druid?- " The sword of Shannara has been stolen from Paranor, I wish to retrieve it. I know not who stole it, their reasons or future intentions." - You know the one who stole it and yet you have never met them - "I don't understand."
- This one has the talisman you seek for, but they will not give it up easily. There are others who will affect the outcome of this quest, Walker Boh. You cannot and must not do this alone. You must surround yourself with the last of those who still possess the faerie magic, Walker. They are your talismans.- "But where is this enemy I search for? - You know of whom I speak. I can see what you are thinking, Walker Boh. How could anyone possibly enter Paranor, steal the sword and leave without me knowing? The answer lies in an obvious place. The magic is attuned to those of your blood and magic, sowhy is not obvious for someone to carry your magic in their veins to be the culprit and the victim? Do not judge them harshly when you find them, Walker Boh. They know not their potential or actions.-
"Wait! Allanon!" The spirit turned and proceeded back into the mist of the Hadeshorn. The lesser spirits tried to claw their way free of the inner pull of the lake, but eventually the lake grew silent once more. Walker Boh collapsed on the shoreline, devastated by what he had heard and even more so by what he hadn't.
As Walker awakened once more that day, he found himself back in the campsite with a worried Karne looking over him. "Are you alright?" He asked tentatively, as if the druid might bite. "Fine, thank you." "Where are we going?"
Karne had an uncanny ability to pick up strong waves of thought at the most awkward of times. He had already sensed Walker's anticipation to be gone from this place and saddled the horses. It unnerved Walker at times, as he often wondered what other thoughts he picked up from Walker, but out of fear or courtesy declined to mention. "Arborlon, Karne. It is crucial that I speak to someone that I knew a long time ago."
Walker Boh rose from his campsites in the early hours of the morning. Karne Lissan was awake, but not so as other men might awaken. He did not sit slowly and yawn groggily or stretch his limbs. The moment his eyes opened he was alert to anything and everything in the vicinity. He continued to amaze Walker even after these many years of friendship. Every movement he made, reflected that of a born predator, ready to do whatever the times required at any given moment.
Of course, his ancestor's extraordinary magic, the one they called Mareth helped with these instincts, but just where the magic began and Karne began was a puzzle still. Walker left then and felt Karne's gaze upon him as he climbed the slopes. It was not a gaze of hatred, as most men would think. But, then again Walker was not most men. He knew it was a gaze of concern. Walker knew that his behaviour had not exactly been rational or controlled these past few weeks, although given the circumstances he considered it allowable but not acceptable; this was part of the reason he continued climbing the slope.
As he reached the rim of the valley, he paused shortly to compose his thoughts. A single mistake could quite possibly cost him his life or perhaps worse, his soul. He resumed his walk and progressed down to the Hadeshorn's edge. He raised his arms to the lake and began to speak to secret passages to release the dead, known only to druids. Screams erupted from the centre of the lake as a column of steam rose containing thousands of spirits. The spirits moaned as they regained a momentary feeling of the world to which they had lost. A huge dark shadow appeared and made it's way slowly and deliberately towards Walker. It stopped a few feet from the edge and bent it's head towards him.
-Speak my name, Walker Boh, last of the druids- "Allanon" -What would you wish of me this night, druid?- " The sword of Shannara has been stolen from Paranor, I wish to retrieve it. I know not who stole it, their reasons or future intentions." - You know the one who stole it and yet you have never met them - "I don't understand."
- This one has the talisman you seek for, but they will not give it up easily. There are others who will affect the outcome of this quest, Walker Boh. You cannot and must not do this alone. You must surround yourself with the last of those who still possess the faerie magic, Walker. They are your talismans.- "But where is this enemy I search for? - You know of whom I speak. I can see what you are thinking, Walker Boh. How could anyone possibly enter Paranor, steal the sword and leave without me knowing? The answer lies in an obvious place. The magic is attuned to those of your blood and magic, sowhy is not obvious for someone to carry your magic in their veins to be the culprit and the victim? Do not judge them harshly when you find them, Walker Boh. They know not their potential or actions.-
"Wait! Allanon!" The spirit turned and proceeded back into the mist of the Hadeshorn. The lesser spirits tried to claw their way free of the inner pull of the lake, but eventually the lake grew silent once more. Walker Boh collapsed on the shoreline, devastated by what he had heard and even more so by what he hadn't.
As Walker awakened once more that day, he found himself back in the campsite with a worried Karne looking over him. "Are you alright?" He asked tentatively, as if the druid might bite. "Fine, thank you." "Where are we going?"
Karne had an uncanny ability to pick up strong waves of thought at the most awkward of times. He had already sensed Walker's anticipation to be gone from this place and saddled the horses. It unnerved Walker at times, as he often wondered what other thoughts he picked up from Walker, but out of fear or courtesy declined to mention. "Arborlon, Karne. It is crucial that I speak to someone that I knew a long time ago."
