Messenger

PART XII

Explosions erupted, and shattered the rocks into a millions pieces, and split the landscape in two. The purple clouds above, rumbled loudly, and shot beams of lightening, exploding the boulders below.

More beams of lightening, and varies other spells shot out of Altanion's ghostly hand, and continued to destroy of what was left of this realm. He was infuriated, with himself, but most of all, Cammi. He should of known that Cammi would try to do something like this, but on the other hand perhaps not.

Cammi was powerful, he could give him that, but not that powerful enough, let alone smart enough to of learnt now the most secretly hidden spells of the ancients. Surely the most famous knight of all times in the past did not know of these spells, that he was for sure, so it only left him two solutions.

Firstly, he began to suspect whether Cammi, had found one of the three ancient books, which contained not only spells, but many secrets.

Secondly, which he feared above all, was that someone more powerful with more knowledge was helping him, or worse training him. And to learn these kind of spell, left only one race, which he dared not mention.

Another thing, which bothered him, was when did Cammi learn to become so crafty, let alone have enough guts to be poking around in his mind.

Feeling his blood boil, even though he was a spirit, he felt that vengeance was defiantly needed here. He still intended to get revenge on Cammi for killing Tarquan, and to take Cammi's life, before then draining and soaking up all his powers, making him ten times more stronger than before.

But here no could wait no longer, after that which Cammi had done, he needed to get vengeance, and he knew exactly how. Several times now he had tried to kill Cammi or tempt him into join him, but Cammi would have none of it, so now he had come up with the perfect way of killing him.

The only way to kill him, was to break him down, hurting him emotionally, knowing that Cammi was an emotional gummi, who cared about the life of other's, he would just have to take out someone who he was close to.

In a whiff of smoke, a strange crystal ball appeared into Altanion's hand, and looking into it, the strange and most wondrous colours began to swirl in the ball, before making Cammi appear, apparently being lectured by someone.

Hmmm, now how could time have possibly been more perfect? With a loud cackle, and swirl of ghostly robes, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Meanwhile however, Cammi stood before the Council, head bowed, and hands behind his back, listening to his mothers lecture. By now, the gummies thought that Cammi would be passed that age of being lectured, but every time he proved them wrong, but now he had to face this in front of the whole Council, geez she couldn't of chose a better time.

"Look, it's not my fault, it was accident, all that I remember is falling to sleep, and then suddenly appearing in my enemies mind" said Cammi clearly frustrated, and wanting nothing more than to end this lecture.

His mother seemed to take the hint, and backed down as more important matters were at hand, like Altanion's plans on attacking the castle.

Cammi had told them about Altanion's plan on attacking the castle and draining him of his powers, before killing him, so now they needed to come with some sort of protection to protect the castle. Cammi had considered telling them about the book he found in the library but felt it was wise to stay quiet, knowing if he told them, he would be a dead bear. He also much preferred to be in his room right now, reading this book he found, feeling his curiosity growing as to what this book might contain, perhaps this book might have something that could protect them from the likes of Altanion.

His hand then disappeared into his side pocket, where he then felt an electric shock pass through him, as his fingers slightly grazed the cover of the book. He suddenly felt more eager, and anxious for the meeting to end, the anxiety in him increasing just to dash to his room. Hearing Councillor Berryboum announce that the meeting was over, everyone turned when they heard the doors suddenly swing open on its hinges and Cammi, was nowhere to be seen.

Riding through the forest at a brisk pace, Stanney continued to nudge his unicorn further, in hope to get back to Gummadoon as quick as possible, to help aid his friend, Cammi in his research.

Tightening his hold on the scroll within his cloak, Stanney's mind wondered back to when he was in the library back in Gummi Glen.

Flashback

Stacking yet another book down, he sighed. When was he ever going to get through these books?

True these libraries weren't as big as the one's in Gummadoon, but still it was very time consuming, and extremely boring, how do the Councillor cope with going through this research each day, don't they ever find it boring?

His mind kept recalling, and replaying on Cammi's words when he awoke once again, just escaping death "It is a book, so pure, and holy, that a silver light radiants off it, and was given to the legendary knight in the past by Luinil, a guardian angel"

Stanney had laughed at Cammi's last words telling him that the guardian didn't exist now, instead died out a long time ago, and now remained as fairytales.

Standing up from the desk, he picked up the stack of books off the floor, and stumbling slightly at the weight of them, he knocked a few books off the shelf behind him, before then beginning to return the books to their correct place. Finishing returning the books to their formal place, Stanney headed towards the books, which he had knocked off the shelf.

Gathering them up, he outstretched his hand to collect the final book, which he noticed looked a bit odd. Instead of a normal brown old cover backed on the book, this one had a backing of a navy blue, and looked to be moving and acting like the midnight sky, dotted with stars. By looking at it, he could tell it was enchanted, but like everyone else, curiosity over took him, and grasping the book he opened it, to reveal something he least expected, a diary dated back in the times of the ancient and legendary knight.

End of Flashback

A frown appeared on Stanney's face, remembering the flashback, what a fool he had been. He just assumed that the guardian angels were a fairytale, but now he wasn't too sure after reading the diary.

Flashback

Dear Diary,

Year 589

I stand alone, ready to thrive and strike him down. I'm alone, but still I continue, for I still see good, and yet hope for the future.

I don't understand how this came to be, I only want to bring peace to the world, and put an end to all the pain, misery, and grief, but it seems I've been left alone to fight this war.

People I see in my dreams cowering in fear, and screaming out in agony, as they are tortured.

I can't bear to see them tortured and treated the way they are. I must help them, free them from their prison, and eternal torture.

I stand my ground, ready. Sword in hand, a gift from a young lady, called Lalaith, before she mysteriously disappeared.

I wondered about her for a long time, and remembered every detail of her.

She's tall around 5.9 and has hair, gold as the sun.

And her eyes, midnight blue, the most unusually eye colour, I've ever seen. Their dark and mysterious like her being yet if you should look closely they would show her age and wisdom of many centuries past. Her dress is plain and simple usually a long white dress with no shoes or in bright, shining silver armour with a white soothing glow which make her look the angel she is.

She's a guardian who watches over the gummi kind with many others. Although, I fear that in time and probably very soon they shall be forgotten as she and the others of her ancient being leave the world for the time of silence, which I feel is soon to follow.

My recent dreams that are unprovoked by nightmares of what could be show me that one day Lalaith will come again to end this war of darkness and end the reign of silence so that peace may be restored. Although I cannot be sure of what form she will take as she has two forms both human and her true angel form.   

I'm the only one left now, all the other's have been slaughtered, but I feel that, that I'm no longer alone, someone is with me, and watching over me, I can feel it, helping to guide me along.

End of Flashback

Stanney eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, as he held the copy of the book in his hand. Whoever this girl was, was evidently important to the knight.

Riding faster than before, Stanney failed to notice, the sudden slight colour change in the sky, and follow him wherever he went.

Everything remained calm, with no disturbances.

That was until suddenly the pace of the wind increased, creating some sort of storm. The sun became blocked, hidden behind grey clouds.

Clouds rolling by, rumbled and responded violently, with beams of lightening shooting from the sky, and making impact with the ground.

Some however made impact with the trees, snapping them in two, and the rocks, shattering them into pieces.

A young girl then appeared out of the middle of nowhere, and raising her hands in the sky, calmed the storm, until everything returned back to normal.

Then brushing a strand of her golden hair out of the way, she let her midnight eyes scan over the area, and then quickly jumping into the trees above, she heard voices approaching, before trotting into the area, where she stood just only moments ago.

Looking down from where she hid, she smiled, seeing a few knights mounted on unicorns trotting into the area.

Stanney stared around, momentarily confused. It was just how Cammi had described it, the wind, the sky and the storm shaking the earth in its ultimate rage.

Dismissing it for now, he decided that he would discuss this later with Cammi, and nudging his unicorn further, he continued to ride on, knowing he was not far from the castle of Gummadoon.

However, his journey was intervened, when his unicorn abruptly stopped, sending him forth out of his saddle, and hitting the tree in front with a smack. Momentarily dazed, he watched as his unicorn stood on its hind legs, its front legs kicking, before then bolting off in another direction, leaving him on his own.

Orders and calls were heard throughout the forest, as a small group of knights patrolling the forest, caught onto the young girl, what they assumed as spying on them.

Now chasing after the girl, they noticed that she was very agile for a human. Throwing ropes at the girl, she managed to dodge a few by climbing up tress and jumping from one to another. Her bare feet allowed her to use her skill in nimbly climbing up the trees until eventually she was caught, two ropes tying securely round her, enabling her from running any further. She had thought that greeting them, they would have recognised her, and greeted her back, but obviously found that she was badly mistaken. Struggling against the ropes, she struggled even more so when they kneeled down by her side and gagged her.

Now placed on a unicorn, she thought it was pointless to struggle, knowing where they were taking her. Course it was where she was wanted to go to, but not like this, as the sight of Gummadoon appeared before her.

Coming back to reality, Stanney groaned, and rubbed the back of his head where he hit the tree.

Standing up, though very slowly, since on one or two occasions he felt his legs give way before him.

However when he heard evil, shivering cold laughter fill his ears, he was immediately alerted, and standing in fighting stances, he awaited for whomever to approach, knowing he was near.

His injuries forgotten, Stanney saw some sort of mist approaching, but he was no fool, he knew that the mist was Altanion.

Circling round Stanney, the mist continued to go in circles round him, and the trees, till finally all the mist began to gather together, revealing Altanion in his true form.

"At last, we meet," said Altanion.

"Fortunately, I can't say the same" replied Stanney, receiving a grim look from Altanion, as well as an invisible blast, which pierced him in the shoulder blade, drawing blood.

"So, you think you're so smart" said Altanion, clearly annoyed at Stanney's arrogance.

Stanney chuckled, at Altanion's reply receiving yet again, another disapproving glance from him.

From the information and description of Altanion that Cammi had told him, he thought that there was more to him, but in reality he was nothing more, than a ghost, with magical abilities.

Of course, he would not voice out his opinion, only a fool would.

Everyone knew, that appearance did not always count, it was the person within, and although he was a daring gummi, he dared not push it with this Spirit. He himself knew that he was lucky to be alive still, knowing that Altanion if he so wished could kill him on the spot.

Frozen still, he tried not to show his fear, though he guessed that Altanion could probably sense it, just stayed quiet.

"I'm not afraid of you" replied Stanney.

In reply, he saw why Cammi was disgusted with Altanion's attempts at smiling, geez Cammi was right, Altanion did need smiling lesson, if that's what he called smiling.

However before he had time to react, he felt sudden several blows, battering him. Cutting, scraping, and embedding deeply into him, Stanney soon became a bloody mess. With blood flowing freely from his wounds, Stanney started to become light-headed, but he refused to back down.

"Such bravery, for a weak being" said Altanion, and with that he sent one final blast at Stanney, this one slightly more powerful, as it hit him, fair and square in the chest, knocking him off his feet, and flat on his back.

"AH!" screamed Stanney, feeling his chest burning, making it hard for him to breathe.

"You will deliver a message for me, to Cammi" said Altanion.

Stanney wanted nothing more to stand up, and show him a piece of his mind, but he felt his conscious slipping, and decided that it was better to listen this message that he wanted delivered, besides it might prove useful to them.

Now in a cell, she wanted nothing more than to find Cammi, but seemed that would have to wait. Wandering around her cell clearly bored, she waited, for their leader to come, having listened on their conversation.

Waiting around for a good half hour, she then finally heard footsteps, coming down the stairs, though there seemed to be more than one gummi by her reckoning.

Standing up, waiting to greet whomever it was, she saw two gummies appear. Studying them both she smiled upon seeing Cammi, and that he looked to be in deep concentration studying her, though she didn't say anything to draw any attention.

The other one she couldn't guess, except that she knew it was his guardian, and had recently now heard was his father, Sir Plucki, hearing one of the knights greet him.

Standing in front of the iron bars, her arms folded, she stared at the two, knowing that a line of questions were in order.

Cammi however seemed to be identifying this new person before him. He didn't know what it was, but seeing this human before him, made something inside him stir, he felt for sure that he had seen her before, but who was she. Closing his eyes, as more memories came to him, he suddenly remembered who that girl was many years ago.

"Who are you?" asked Cammi, before his father managed to ask.

"Lalaith" replied the girl smiling, knowing that would jog a few memories in Cammi's mind.

"A spy" one of the knights replied.

"And why may I ask where you got that impression from?" asked Lalaith obviously not too happy about the situation.

"You were in the trees above us, spying on us" he replied.

"Oh, so you call it spying now because I simply greeted you" replied Lalaith slightly amused.

"Greeted you" Cammi mimicked her words before turning to the knight guarding the cell, confused, who nodded at Cammi.

"Why would you want to greet him?" asked Cammi, somewhat sudden curious.

"I didn't know it was illegal now to greet someone" replied Lalaith.

Cammi lips curved upwards at her response, could she be, no she couldn't. Shaking his head sideways, he tried to receive some answer, but they never came instead he looked over towards his father.

"I think its time we leave the prisoner be" his father replied.

Cammi merely nodded, and upon leaving he found himself turning to look back at her, catching one more glance at her, before disappearing round the corner and up the stairs.

Now upstairs, and walking along the corridor behind his father, Cammi felt his mind wandering back to the girl. What was it in there, that he felt he could some what trust her? Of course feeling that in there he didn't want to raise suspicions, and kept quite.

Though he felt he could trust her, he didn't feel like it was worth risking it, just in case she was a normal girl, with the same name and who happened to be of an exact spitting image of the girl he once knew.

Passing a guard, Cammi thoughts on the girl vanished for the time being, when he stopped in mid track and stepping back to face the knight on duty, Cammi asked

"Did you see Stanney while you were out" Cammi asked, knowing that this knight had been out on the last patrol, and that Stanney should be back by now.

"Sorry, lad" he replied.

Cammi nodded in understanding, and carried on walking, though this time he headed towards the stables instead of going to his room.

Now as much as he would love to sitting down and continuing reading that mysterious book again, he began to distinctly worry about Stanney. He should of return well over two hours ago, and yet still he had not returned. He didn't know why, but felt a strange sense of foreboding, and running into the stables, he quickly saddle his unicorn, but was stopped by his father.

"Where you going, Cammi?" he asked.

"To find Stanney, he's missing" replied Cammi.

"I'm afraid I can't let you go, Cammi, remember you have to stay in within these walls" his father replied.

"Fine, I go speak with the Council, but there no way I'm leaving my friend out there" replied Cammi dismounting his unicorn, and heading towards the Councillor's Tower.

Sir Plucki placed Cammi's unicorn back in its stable, knowing that Cammi would be back later. He was also slightly bothered by the tone of voice Cammi used on him, and he wasn't having it, maybe some point today, he would mention it to him. Yes sure Stanney was Cammi's friend, but there was no need to take it out on others, even he knew that.

(IN COUNCILLORS TOWER)

"Mother" shouted Cammi, as he saw his mother in view, talking to one or two Councillor when he entered the tower.

"Yes, Cammi" his mother replied, and immediately sensed that something was a missed, seeing Cammi this distraught about something.

"Stanney's missing," he said.

"He wanting to go in the forest, to search for him" a voice behind him said.

Turning Cammi saw his father, standing there, and he felt his heart sink further, knowing that his mother was bound to disagree.

"No" replied his mother.

"But… he's my friend" said Cammi, showing puppy eyes at his mother.

"No, going out of these wall, would then make you the perfect target for Altanion to attack you" replied.

"But… can't I take someone with me, so I'm not at least alone" replied Cammi, staring at his mother "After all if you found your friend was missing wouldn't you try to do the same thing"

Meloni didn't answer, merely stood there considering her answer, when Cammi heard his father beside him say

"I'll go with him, Meloni, make sure that no harm comes to him"

Cammi then turned to his mother, almost fearing her answer, but seeing her nod, he then ran from the Tower, and headed for the stables, not daring to stay behind in case she changed her mind.

Mounting his unicorn, he awaited for his father to ready his unicorn. Once ready, Cammi didn't wait another minute before bolting out the stables, and out the gates, his father close behind as the two of the entered the forest, and headed first towards the Glen.

Opening his eyes from the darkness, Stanney felt himself aflame. Everywhere, all over him, his body was burning. He found it a miracle that he was still alive, as he tried to move any part of his body, only to find himself too sore to move, and his muscles aching.

Feeling something wet on his forehead, he knew it was not sweat, and mustering up all the strength he still had him yet, he managed to raise his left arm, if only slightly, but it was enough, to wipe the blood off his forehead, before then dropping by his side again, limp.

He felt like all the life and energy had been drained from him, when his ears picked up someone in the distant calling him. Listening intensively he could hear that it was Cammi, and his father Sir Plucki.

Wanting to eagerly respond, he found that he couldn't, his consciousness slipping again.

Not wanting to go unconscious again, he once again gathered up his strength, though one last time, before then shouting out

"CAMMI"

Said were the words, he gave in, as he slipped unconscious yet again.

Meanwhile however Cammi and Sir Plucki, heard Stanney's cry, and headed in the direction it came from. Riding as fast as they could, though Cammi rode like a mad-gummi, nudging his unicorn harder and faster, they arrived at the scene, where Cammi tried not to gasp at the sight of Stanney.

Dripping with blood from head to foot, Cammi swung his leg over off his saddle, and slowing his unicorn down to a halt, he jumped off, where he then raced over and held Stanney's still form, his father close behind him.

Feeling his pulse, he found one, and was grateful that he was only knocked out, though he would surely like to know how all this happened, but within he knew what it was that caused it, he was only thankful that his friend was still alive and in one piece.

Holding Stanney carefully while his father went to retrieve a blanket from his backpack, and wrapping Stanney in it, his father then took Stanney from his arms, and heaved him onto his unicorn. Cammi could see the point why his father did this, as you couldn't really say that Stanney was light.

Mounting up again on his unicorn, Cammi felt anger surge through him, knowing that Altanion had harmed Stanney, as he turned to look at his father and Stanney again, before then taking the reins in his hand, and setting off back home to Gummadoon.

Whilst riding back home to Gummadoon though, Cammi's mind was somewhere, and quietly he whispered to himself, to quiet for his father to hear

"The war begins, so be it"

End of Part XII

Part XIII coming soon!