Part 30

Not Alone

Altanion's Realm

A roar sounded through the lair filled with anguish, then turned into a bitter, empty yet cruel laughter. Finally after numerous days and hours of searching, he finally found what he had been wanting all this time. The spell he had found in the book, allowed him to be restored to his full strength and grant him immune to most spells, but like everything it came with a price. In order for him to do this he had to sacrifice a part of himself, and he had eagerly preceded the ritual, that was not yet complete but almost, now Cammi would have a hard time defeating him. He was sure now that he was going to win, after all what chance did Cammi have he scoffed, he was practically immortal, unless you count one thing that could destroy him, but he dare not mention it, and didn't think Cammi would willingly give up his life, to leave his friends and family behind.

The sword he knew of which the angels kept though he very rarely mentioned it, was the only thing that could kill him, since the sword itself was made of light and possessed many magical power. If struck by it, he would burn, as if on fire, and die a slow and most painful death, one he hoped to give Cammi. Yet as a master of a realm himself much like Godrin he thought with disgust at the name he also knew Cammi could only use the sword if he was willing to die, which he very much doubted he was, he was to sentimental and weak to do such a thing. With this in mind and the sword the only thing able to kill him that Cammi would not be able to use he was almost assured victory.

Now was the time he could avenge Tarquan he thought, as well as rule over the world as he had intended to do many years ago had it not been for Derrum interfering. Why Tarquan did have his ambitions to rule over the world and failed miserably, it made him realise just how alone he was.

Thumbing through the book, he knew he still needed a few more hours to complete the ritual, and decided that soon he and his loathed enemy should meet again, for the last time, and then they shall see in the end, who shall rise and come out as the victor.

Gummadoon Interior

Sat in the council, they discussed many topics preparing for the upcoming battle, a battle they hadn't since the war with the humans over six hundred years ago, only this one was much more intense, and only one gummi had the power to defeat that evil.

They in the middle of discussing what protection they should use on the castle to protect them from Altanion should he for whatever reason want to attack, suddenly came to an abrupt halt, when Cammi who half through a sentence suggesting a spell they could use, froze, falling out of his chair, his father Sir Plucki catching him before he hit the floor.

Looking into his son's face he saw Cammi's face had gone a deathly pale, his eyes wide, and he seemed to be staring into space.

"Cammi!" he shook him, trying to bring him back to reality, but receiving no response, and he heard someone leave to go and retrieve a medic.

Cammi's mind

"Cammi" a voice whispered.

"Altanion" Cammi spat "What do you want?"

"Your life" he replied darkly then continued. "I tire of these games, Cammi. Too long have you been fooling around, now I've come to end it?"

"How very thoughtful of you" Cammi muttered darkly.

"Meet me at the white cliffs southwest of here, tomorrow at noon, then we shall see who will come out alive, for there will only be one" snarled Altanion, and Cammi could hear him growl in his mind.

"And if I refuse" spoke Cammi.

"You won't refuse, not if you want your family and friends to suffer. Remember Cammi, I've done it before, I can easily do it again, but they may not be so fortunate to live" he smiled with glee.

Sighing in defeat, Cammi saw no other way out "I have no choice do I".

"You never had a choice to begin with".

Back in Council

"CAMMI!" his father called shaking him, hoping for a response from Cammi.

Cammi came to suddenly the glazed and far off look in his eyes disappearing instantly.

"Oh, sorry" Cammi said lifting himself into his chair his father by his side just in case a relapse occurred.

"What happened Cammi?" everyone seemed to ask suddenly at once.

They noticed he looked tired and weighed down, but his eyes rose to meet them as he voiced much stronger than he felt, "Altanion has forced the final confrontation"

Silence fell heavily in the room there was not a sound save the beating of ones heart in there own ears. A whole five minutes passed as everyone seemed to adjust to the information, they had known this day would come, they just didn't want it yet, not ever in fact, but at last it had come.

"When? Where?" asked Sir Plucki finally breaking the silence.

"The cliffs south of here at midday tomorrow" he answered weakly.

"Tomorrow" some murmured in shock as Cammi abruptly rose and left.

"Cammi, wait?" said Meloni.

Cammi stopped in the doorway and turned his head slightly, his eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill over and course down his cheeks. His eyes were sad and old, wizened beyond years. No this was not Cammi they knew and loved, but Derrum old and wise grieving that one so young should face such evil.

Meloni opened her mouth to speak but no words came out as Cammi her only son walked away.

"Let him go" she heard the soft words in her ear and strong arms embraced her.

"It shouldn't be this way" she whispered turning in his embrace. "He's not ready"

"He's as ready as he can be, he's trained extensively, the ancient knight has awoken in him and Lalaith helps guide and power him, there is no more to be done" Plucki answered.

"But he's so scared and alone" Meloni said sobbing into his tunic.

"No, not alone" Plucki answered soothing and stroking her hair.

Night fell and there was no sign of Cammi, he'd not been seen or spoken to anyone it appeared as Sir Plucki looked for him. It was late and he wished to speak, maybe comfort Cammi in some way before he retired for the night. He'd searched high and low for hours and asked every gummi he came across, but still his search proved fruitless. He currently now sat on the edge of one of Gummadoon's many fountains contemplating that if Cammi didn't want to be found then he wouldn't be until he was ready to reveal himself. It was during his musing he the sudden presence of another next to him and saw Cammi materialise next to him.

"Hello, father" said Cammi.

"Good evening, Cammi" Plucki answered.

Silence fell, not unpleasant as Cammi gazed into the presently still waters of the fountain his father looking on. It remained this way for several minutes before Cammi eventually looked up and voiced his question.

"How did you cope, father?" asked Cammi. "With your battle against Zorlock, the Aerials, the Spinister and the Humans. How did you cope?"

"Magic and weapons can see you through most times Cammi" he started.

He was unsure how to answer. Oh, sure he could tell him each tale and there defeats but this was not really what Cammi needed to hear of what he truly wanted to know, what he did want was to know whether there was anything else.

"It in times like these when everything seems so destined to fail just remember, there's always hope and faith"

"Hope……faith" Cammi repeated unsurely.

"You can only win if you have hope for a brighter day and better tomorrow Cammi and to see these days renewed and peaceful. You can only win if you have faith in yourself"

Silence fell again, both lost in their thoughts, when Cammi seemingly smiled.

"That comforts me much" Cammi replied, breaking the silence.

His father seemed to smile at this, happy that he had comforted his son, and turned to see Cammi staring into space.

"We should go in" he spoke at length, snapping Cammi out of his trance.

"Yes, we should" replied Cammi, and the two stood, and left the fountains to return home, together.

Creeping and lurking in the shadows, she followed Cammi, determined not to let him out of her sight. She was sick of not being able to help him, and she'll be damned if she had to stay at the castle…no she had decided long ago now, she was going to help him, never mind what the other gummies thought.

She wasn't going to sit here, twiddling her thumbs, anticipating an answer to who won, she wanted to be there, on the battlefield helping him.

Watching him close the door behind him, she waited a moment, before going back to her room, and she silently crept back, hoping that she wouldn't be caught.

Morning came to quickly for everyone's liking since they knew that in a few hours, the battle was going to take place, and everyone gathered round in the courtyard, near the stables to see Cammi and a few of the knights off, as they didn't know whether they would ever see them again.

Breaking away from his mother's embrace, Cammi mounted his unicorn beside his father, tears in his eyes, and he took one last glance at his family, smiling weakly at them, hoping to reassure them, before tearing his eyes away from them, and disappearing through the gate along with a few other knights following him, and they set there course for the white cliffs.

She watched them leave through the gates, and waited for them to disappear out of sight, before leaving herself. She had heard that they were going to the white cliff, not that she knew where it was, but having eavesdropped on the Council's conversation, she had a rough idea to where it was and beside she could always follow their tracks. Glancing sideways to make sure no one saw her, she ran into the stables to prepare herself.

A few hours passed with the small group of knights and Cammi travelling, when they finally arrived at their destination, they dismounted their unicorns. Looking at the sky, Cammi estimated they had an hour before we was due to meet Altanion, plenty of time for him to hide his friends.

When the hour was nearly up, Cammi sighed frustrated, since there wasn't anywhere the knights could hide whilst being safe at the same time, so he had asked that they wait by the shore, where the rest of his family would be later, to determine who would come out the victor in the end, and he watched as they left, and disappeared out of sight.

Sighing again in defeat, he tried to think positive and remember his father's words, to have faith and hope, and felt the familiar tug in his mind as Lalaith comforted him, and again, when Derrum seemed to appear.

Hearing the familiar clap of someone appearing behind him, Cammi turned slowly, his eyes suddenly old and wise, and filled with hate.

TBC…

Plz R&R!