Chapter 3

Evil's Presence

All of the next day was spent cleaning the city. Decorations were taken down, trash was picked up, and the left over food was distributed amongst the people. It was a very exhausting day for everyone, so Lief and his friends and family were very tired that night. Surprisingly, it was the energetic children who went out first. They were found, all huddled together under one of the palace trees, fast asleep. So, they had a quick dinner and were sent to bed.

Lief and Jasmine had invited Barda, Lindal, their children, and Gla-thon to stay the night in the forge with them. As the adults sat around the dinner table, the servants at the palace prepared their dinner, which was being provided by the people. After the food was prepared, it was loaded up on a wagon and sent to the forge.

Lief decided that the guards who guarded the forge, upon the peoples demand, should have dinner with them. Soon, as they ate their fill, the group began to play a game somewhat similar to charades. With the guards inside and all of them thoroughly enjoying the game, no one saw the hooded figure softly entering the yard.

The intruder walked up next to one of the windows of the forge that had light coming out of it. Since it was a warm night the window was open, and a gale of laughter came floating out of it. The hooded figure peered inside and saw the whole group with their backs turned to him, watching Jasmine mimic her father.

Excellent, he thought, now I can continue unnoticed. He put his hand inside his cloak and pulled out a jar. Inside it was a black and green speckled lizard. The poor creature was terrified, vainly trying to scramble up the sides of the jar. The man invaded its mind, using his power to bring it under his control. When, at last, the lizard just sat there, the man reached inside and took it out. Carefully, he set it on the windowsill. Using his mind to control it, the man sent the lizard scurrying up to the rafters.

The lizard hurried along the rafters until it was just above where Lief sat at the table. It positioned itself right above his goblet. The lizard opened its mouth wide, but quickly shut it again as Jasmine came and sat down next to Lief. Once all of those in the room had their eyes looking the other way, it opened its mouth again. It let a glob of its spit fall into the water in the goblet. The spit mixed in with the water immediately, making it unnoticeable. Its job now done, the lizard quickly scurried back to the cloaked figure by the windowsill.

The man watched eagerly as the King brought the goblet to his lips, completely unaware of the amethyst's warning. He drank the remainder of the water in the goblet, and turned back to the group. At first, nothing happened. Then, suddenly his skin turned paper white and he broke out in a cold sweat. There was a loud crash as Lief fell from his seat, shuddering violently.

Everyone in the room yelled out his name as they rushed to his side. Jasmine just knelt next to him, watching. Her mind had completely frozen. Then, a memory struck her. She quickly grabbed Lief's hand and pressed against the emerald. Lief suddenly turned over and vomited on the floor, then he just lay still, asleep. Jasmine checked his pulse and then let relief flood her mind.

Gla-thon bent down and picked up Lief's goblet. She inspected the inside of it, finding some sort of white powder on it. Satisfied, she set the goblet down on the table and turned to the rest of the group. She hesitated when she saw Jasmine, holding Lief's hand like her life depended on it. Jasmine looked up, and her eyes met Gla-thon's. She knows, the gnome thought

Gla-thon cleared her throat and spoke to the room in general, "It seems that Lief was poisoned by something in his water."

Everyone exchanged nervous glances before Barda stood up. "Well, we're not doing Lief any good just standing around and letting him lay on the floor. He needs to be in a nice, warm bed." With that, Barda picked Lief up and followed Jasmine into their bedroom.

Outside, watching the unfolding events, the cloaked assassin was twisting his hands back in forth, wringing some invisible creature. He had a look of fury on his face and began to search for something to take his anger out on. He looked down as the lizard passed by his foot. The man bent down, grabbed the lizard, and threw it into the air. In one swift moment, he drew his sword and cut the poor reptile clean in two before it hit the ground.

The cloaked man cleaned his sword on the grass and sulked back into the trees. His anger and evil permeated from him, sickening the plants around him. He stopped and spoke aloud as if to himself, "If the Queen finds out what happened here, I will know what to burn down." Then, he continued on, thinking up another plan.

Lief woke up the next afternoon with a splitting headache. He opened his eyes and blinked a few times as the room swam before him. When his eyes had finally focused, he looked around. He was in his bedroom at the forge, which was lit by sunshine coming in through two open windows.

He looked to his left and found Jasmine sitting in a chair right beside him, asleep. Disturbed by the noise he made moving around, Jasmine's eyes slowly opened. Upon seeing Lief awake, she smiled.

"What happened?" Lief asked.

Jasmine hesitated a moment before answering, "You were poisoned." Then her eyes began to tear up and she suddenly flung herself into his arms. "I-I'm so glad that you a-are okay L-Lief," she cried, "I was s-so worried."

Lief smiled as he stroked her hair. "Shh. It's alright Jasmine, I'm fine. Everything is going to be okay," he comforted her.

At that moment, the door opened and a pile of children fell into the room. At first they just stared and Lief and Jasmine, shocked that they had been discovered. Then, Lief and Jasmine began to laugh as their three children leapt up and charged forward.

"Daddy!"

They leapt up onto the bed, joining their parents. Barda and Lindal came and herded their kids from the room. Then, Barda and Gla-thon came and joined them.

"How are you feeling?" Barda asked.

"I'm fine," Lief answered. Then, he turned to Gla-thon, "I'm sorry that we didn't get to leave today, Gla-thon. I'll rearrange for us to leave tomorrow."

Jasmine and Gla-thon stared at Lief, shocked. Barda just looked confused. "You're still planning on going King Lief?" Gla-thon asked.

"Of course I am! It's my duty, and I'm sure that the assassin wanted to stop me from going there."

"Where are you planning on going, Lief?" Barda asked.

"Dread Mountain."

"And you didn't bother to invite me?" Barda yelled, startling everyone. "You finally decide to go on another adventure and didn't see if I might have wanted to go?"

"I'm sorry, Barda," Lief said, "Do you want to go with us to Dread Mountain?"

"I'd have to ok it with Lindal, but of course I want to go!"

"You'd have to check what with me?" Lindal asked as she walked into the room.

"Lief and Jasmine are heading for Dread Mountain. I wanted to see if it was ok with you if I go. I want to make sure you and the children will be ok."

Lindal sighed, "Yes it's ok. I know how much you missed journeying with them. I'm surprised at you, Lief. You're letting Jasmine come too?"

"Oh believe me, he wasn't going to let me at first," Jasmine told her, "but I managed to convince him otherwise."

Meanwhile, in a grove of trees miles away, the assassin was putting his next plot into action. He closed his eyes and allowed black smoke to flow from him into the ground at his feet. When he opened his eyes, the smoke was coming back out of the ground, forming itself into the shape of a woman.

The shadowy form began to solidify, her hair, skin, and clothing becoming visible. The woman stared around her in amazement for a moment. She looked at her surroundings and examined her own body in unbelief. Then, she looked up at the smiling man in front of her. In his eyes, she saw an evil so great, it caused even her to shiver. Finally, the question that had been on her mind fell from her lips.

"How?"

"The reason I have revived you," the man said, "is because I have a mission for you, witch Theagan."

After having said goodbye to their family members and the people of Del, Lief, Jasmine, Barda, Gla-thon, and their guards began the journey to Dread Mountain. Lief tried to plot the shortest course possible, with the troop passing through as few villages as they could. The troops first few days were pleasant, with good weather. It was on the fifth day, as they passed through a small forest, that Lief's fears were confirmed.

They had been in the forest for most of the day, and the troop had been extremely quiet since lunch, an uneasy presence had drifted over them. After an hour or two of absolutely no sound except that of the horses, Jasmine rode up and whispered to Lief.

"Lief, the trees are saying that we are being followed by a man in a black hood. He could be the assassin."

"I think he is," Lief whispered back. He quickly showed Jasmine the ruby, which had paled greatly. "It's been like that since right before lunch." Lief said.

"What is it you two?" Barda asked as he rode up to them.

"We're being followed," Lief answered.

The troop continued their trip in silence. Everyone sighed with relief when finally, nearing time for them to stop for camp, they left the forest. But no sooner had they left it than they found an injured Kin lying on the road.