CHAPTER ONE - THE FALLEN STAR
One thousand years ago a meteor fell to earth it crashed through the trees of the Forrest and crashed into the earth. Sending a shock wave through the earth and air knocking down a ring of trees half a mile in circumference their it lay in a crater slowly cooling from its descent from the heavens.
Seeing the fiery ball fall a small group of hunters searched for hours till they came across the edge of the newly created clearing, some stayed in the shadows frightened to walk into the great fiery realms of the unknown. Only six of them ventured all the way to the edge of the crater they looked down over the edge of the still smouldering earth and saw before them a beautiful glowing piece of what looked like glass but yet seemed to have a different consistency to glass and sang as it cooled. Upon hearing the wailing two of the group made to retreat but a bearded figure barked at them "hold your positions".
The bearded figure carried a bow and upon his back was a quiver made of some sort of animal skin with sixteen arrows in it each with white feather fletching. He strung his bow over his shoulder and jumped down three foot into the crater his feet crunched as they hit the bottom of the crater, he stooped down and picked up a piece of glass which seemed to have formed along the bottom of the crater. Looking around he saw that at the edge of the crater the
earth seemed to be layered, the lowest most being a yellowish colour he scooped some in his hand and realised it was sand from the consistency clearly when the strange rock fell the intense heat turned the sand into glass.
The mass started to sing again and drew his attention back to the middle of the crater, he started taking cautious steps towards the mass
"Baldor be careful" hissed a female member of the group still towering over him at the edge of the crater.
Baldor silenced her with a hand gesture telling her to be quiet, with every step he took the singing grew louder there were no discernable words just a beautiful melodic tune bringing memories to Baldor of when the wives back in camp would sing around the camp fire. As he moved Baldor drew from his belt a short knife with a shiny sharp blade, the singing continued to intensify till it took all of Baldors self control not to cover his ears with pain. The glass like mass started to pulse inside with glowing light always changing colour, finally he stood before it and slowly pressed his hand to the glass the light seemed to pulse along hollowed out veins to connect with his fingers before they could he removed his hand and the light faded. Even though he stood right beside it the singing disappeared while he was in contact with the glass now he could hear it again, Baldor took his blade and slapped the flat side against the rock immediately he knew he had made a huge mistake.
Cracks appeared at the point where his blade struck and light began to spill out shimmering around the crater striking each of the group In the face the singing was now so loud that all of them were curled up on the floor clutching their ears. Baldor was still standing but he could not physically move his legs or raise his arms to cover his ears, lines of blood were running out of his ears and dripping down onto his hood.
Baldor looked for the others but they were all covering their head and screaming inaudible words at him but he could do no more than watch the others, a bright blue ray of light shot into his eyes and in his head he saw the now known stars path from the Forrest where it landed through worm holes, galaxies past dying suns and newly formed stars. The images took him right back to a beautiful crystal world with a dazzling sun.
Baldor felt his knees buckle beneath him and he finally broke contact with the crystal star and all was black.
….
CHAPTER TWO - ALL THE KINGS MEN
When Baldors eyes opened he was lying on his back looking up at the sun he must have been knocked out longer than he thought, when he sat up blankets fell of him It took a minute for his vision to clear and he saw the others sitting around a camp fire eating.
Upon seeing he was awake Eileen the girl who had warned him in the crater brought over to him a bowl of steaming soup he took it gratefully and smelled the steam rising from the bowel ahh rabbit soup Baldors favourite. As he ate Eileen sat on the stump beside him watching patiently until he finished only then did he speak to her
"I see you have finally learned the art of patience young one" said Baldor as he laid his bowel and spoon on the floor beside him.
With a flicker of a smile on her face Eileen responded "you cant stalk a deer if your in a hurry"
Now it was Baldors turn to smile as he remembered giving her the same words three years ago when he started to train her "true, true did you catch the rabbit yourself" he asked.
That was always Baldors way straight to business no time for chit chat " yes but listen Baldor the others are anxious to ask you what happened in the crater their scared they thought you were dead you've been out for three days" she spoke quick and swift not wasting time.
For at that moment Rownan a tall warrior with a hand and a half sword at his hip walked over and stood over Baldor the message was clear we need to talk now.
Ten minutes later Rownan, Eileen and Baldor sat with the others at the fire they were only about five foot from the now cool crater.
Rownan sat on a log sharpening his sword while the others spoke a great deal about the events the night before. Rownan knew that Baldor was holding something back but he did dare question him in front of the others for Baldor was the leader of the group and it would not do well for Rownan to see impertinent towards him. No he would question him later when they were alone and demand to know the whole truth, as his temper flared the wet stone grew oddly hot in his hand he stopped sharpening the blade when he saw a shimmer run along the blade. Ronan blinked and looked again at his blade but it was as still as a rock he looked up to make sure no one else had seen what he saw but they were all immersed in conversation he would not trouble them with his delirious hallucinations.
Baldor had just finished recanting the events of the last night when Ronan trudged over and stood beside the fire
"ok I think if Baldors feet are sturdy again one of us should head back to camp and fetch a horse and cart while the rest of us get that hunk of glass out of the hole"
"crystal" muttered Baldor not looking up from the fire.
The rest of them looked at him with suspicion how could Baldor know the name of the rock when no one in the group had ever seen such a substance before
"how do you know what it is ?" asked Eileen in surprise Baldor was a wise and powerful hunter but he lacked the knowledge of earthly substances, he could be right of course Eileen remembered how the rock had sang while it cooled and her mother had always told her how crystal goblets in the kings court had sang but that was a long time ago.
"I am not sure the word seems to fit" said Baldor with empty eyes, the look of confusion on his face was enough to make the others believe him but something made Eileen stop she had only just seen it for a second when he looked right at her.
After a few hours Norvall the youngest of the group returned with a horse and cart by this time the others using rope and a lot of muscle have managed to remove the crystal from the crater and were now covering it in a large blanket. After another forty minutes the crystal was loaded on the back of the cart and the group were on their way back to the village a full two days ride away, Eileen and Baldor brought up the rear of the group trudging along behind the cart.
Baldor noticed Eileen kept glancing sideways at him as if trying to work out something about him "if you study me any longer I fear you may loose your footing, strike your head and loose all sense"
Eileen did not smile this time although she had been paying more attention to him than the path before them "you know Baldor I would swear there was something different about you its in the eyes"
Baldor carried on walking pondering what she had said perhaps after last night something had changed maybe he looked older or something Eileen would be the only one to notice it as she had spent many hours alone together over the past three years in training. Oh well Baldor could ponder this later for now they must return the crystal to the camp a full day and a half's ride away. The two brothers Julian and Gabriel had volunteered to stay behind and clear up the mess from the nights events then catch up with them later Baldor had to admire the brothers courage after all they weren't very experienced.
….
Julian and Gabriel were busy shovelling the dirt into the hole when they heard the hooves approaching a horse was coming galloping down the dirt track towards them, Julian ran to the edge of the clearing and shouted to the horseman thinking it was one of the group returning.
"ho what's the problem a wheel come of the wagon" he shouted waving his arms.
Gabriel heard the twang of rope, the whistling of something moving through the air and a thud as it hit its target looking up he saw with revulsion Julian turn looking with dead eyes at the arrow protruding from his chest.
The scream died in his throat as he saw Julian try to speak but only blood came pouring out of his mouth, Julian began to fall and Gabriel rushed to catch his brother in his arms and knelt there cradling his brothers lifeless body.
The world disappeared to Gabriel he was barely aware as thirty horseman galloped into the clearing closing a tight circle around the two brothers, the soldiers pointed their spears and swords at Gabriel making sure he had no room to swing the sword at his hip but he was to distraught to even look up. The soldiers were clearly from the royal army they are dressed in some of the finest battle dress that Gabriel had ever seen and they had the kings crest on their breast plates a vine strangling a rose. Three of the soldiers parted and a white stallion trotted through the gap and stopped before him towering above the hunched youth sat on its back was a strong jawed soldier wearing a much finer armour than the others he was clearly the commander by the broad sword on his hip.
The commander hopped down of his horse and barked to Gabriel "you were here when the meteorite fell now tell me boy where has it gone what did you do with it…..speak now before you end up like your friend"
Gabriel said nothing so the commander indicated for a soldier from the outer ranks to come forward when he was beside the commander Gabriel recognised him as the soldier who had without mercy shot Julian, Gabriel anger began to bubble to the surface beads of sweat began run down his forehead. The soldier drew another arrow from his quiver nooked it and pointed the arrow directly at Gabriel's face
"now tell me where is the meteor… this is your last chance or you will die like your friend" said the commander.
That was it for Gabriel he could feel his anger and hate uncoiling like a snake within him he could not contain himself he physically began to shake, the commander sensing something moved over to is horse.
Giving in Gabriel screamed "he was my brother!" the scream carried on so long going to ultrasonic.
The soldiers dropped their swords to cover their ears, the horses whined and bucked of their riders some but not all were able to hold on. The soldier with the bow stood over Gabriel seemed unable to move all the power of his anger was directed at this particular murderer, the mans whole body shook with sonic vibrations the arrow he had drawn shattered. The splinters from the arrow scratched his face and arms causing him to yell in pain, the commander seemed to be in no rush to aid his man and was not covering his ears like the others even though Gabriel was still screaming finally after loosing so much blood that is streaming out of his eyes and ears the soldier convulsed and fell to the ground dead.
At this moment before he could kill anyone else the commander pulled out a leather pouch from his saddle bags slipped a syringe from within the folds, walking right up to Gabriel and injected him in the neck pumping a faint yellow liquid into his blood stream Gabriel stopped screaming and collapsed. Once it was safe the commander pulled a set of plugs out of his ears and called over his soldiers.
"get over here you lousy curs we've work to do gather the horses and strap this one to the back of one" he said nudging Gabriel with his steel boot.
"yes commander Ryder" said the officers who were nearest and started organising the rest of the men.
One of Ryder's first officers sergeant Randall asked for a quiet word Ryder obliged. "sir if I may how did you know to wear those plugs and why did you allow him to kill our man"
Ryder considered running him through with his sword for being so impertinent but thought other wise "I had to test him Randall but that is between me and his majesty now these boys could not have come from afar there is a small settlement to the east of here about a two day ride clean up here and we will set off"
Randall gave out the instructions to the men who immediately gathered the horses into a formation and prepared to set off, one of them doused Julian's body in oil and set it alight. The horses set off on the road with Gabriel's body strapped to a horse and leaving Julian's body to smoulder in the distance behind them.
…