Deltora's Protector

Chapter 7 – The Death of a Sorceress

Previously on Deltora's Protector:

Harry Potter was tortured for months in a prison known as the Island. During his stay he lost his voice and as such can no longer speak. A rescue attempt was made and while Harry managed to get out, it wasn't in England he returned to. He was washed ashore the western shore of Deltora and taken care of by Verity, the spirit girl of Bone Point Lighthouse. Shortly afterwards he met Steven, Nevets and Queen Bee. He was renamed Aiden and spent a few months recovering at Queen Bee's orchard. One day he snuck away to the City of the Rats and became the owner of a fine bracelet. Aiden joined Steven on his rounds and during his adventures became friends with the Ralads, a Dread Gnome, the Resistance and became an enemy of the Shadow Lord. His adventures have only just begun...

"Happy Birthday Aiden!"

The morning greeting brought a smile to Aiden's face as he stared at the three people before him. He had been home for three weeks and was now finally sixteen years old. Doom had stayed at the Resistance Base north-west of Rithmere for an extra week before making his way east. Apparently the Resistance was suspicious of the Rithmere Games that were held once a year and they wanted to figure out what the Shadow Lord was gaining from interfering with them. The games were still a few months away but Doom explained to him and Dain that it was always best to plan in advance, that way you could predict everything that could happen, and come up with numerous contingency plans for anything that didn't go to plan. Dain had given some ideas to the pre-planning but other than that the other boy had spent his time running through a few sword drills to battle against Ols with.

Doom, once the first steps of planning had been achieved, had announced that he was going to gather information from the Withick Mire base before heading north east and working his way around to Tom's shop and then back to the base. He had no idea how long he would be, but he would be taking his time so that the Shadow Lord didn't get wind of him. He would also be taking Aiden home so that while he was busy Aiden could be kept occupied and he would pick him up on the way back. Everyone was fine with that idea as it seemed that once Aiden got stir crazy, only Doom could either snap him out of it or give him something to do that would occupy him for any length of time.

So that was how Aiden ended up being home, surrounded by Bee, Steven and Nevets on his sixteenth birthday.

"Well birthday boy, today is just for you," Bee stated with a warm smile. "I made all your favourites and unless you really want to you don't have to do any chores today. I only ask that you stay within the orchard boundaries in case those Grey Guards come by again, but otherwise you may do as you wish."

"Take advantage of that little brother," Steven advised. "This is the only day in the whole year that you will be able to get away with it while you're here."

Nevets growled his agreement and soon the two grown men were scrambling for the door as Bee turned to them with a glower. She informed Aiden that there would be cake after dinner, so he should be on time, but otherwise she had some other children to set to work. Aiden laughed silently before grabbing a few apples and heading outside to eat. He wanted to work on his animagus transformation and having the prospect of a whole day to himself was too good to pass up.

In the past three weeks he hadn't had long to study his form, but he was now able to get close enough to study all the little things about his inner animal. For example, while at first glance he looked like a normal-ish red phoenix, the mark on his chest actually suggested otherwise. The mark was circular with seven smaller circles on the same ring. It looked a lot like his bracelet, except where his bracelet had black stones on it; the phoenix had seven different colours circles. In the center of the mark was a lightning bolt, like his scar, and Aiden had sighed upon realising that he would never be free of the accursed mark. One of the phoenix's eyes was slightly bigger than the other as well, and when its wings were outstretched there were small scars visible on the inside of the wings. The beak of the phoenix curved downwards and the tail of the phoenix was a meter long. Each mark and image on the phoenix was important to remember if he ever wanted to be able to transform.

Today he wanted to try and start the change of turning his arm into a wing. Starting out slow he focused mainly on creating feathers on his arm. With no idea how to do it he merely focused his magic and willed it to change the shape of his body. He had to do it alone as the only beings in Deltora that could change their shapes were Ols, and they were servants of the Shadow Lord.

As lunch time came and went, Aiden paused to eat some of the fruit he had brought with him and studied his arm. He had managed to give his arm a slightly reddened appearance, and the small hairs on his arm were definitely a different texture, but other than that there was no change. It took a lot of energy to be able to force his body into a different form. Once he had finished eating though he decided to play his flute so that he didn't stress himself out. It was a lively little tune that had the birds and bees above him dancing through the air in their own styles. Aiden stood from his sitting position to dance around with them, jumping and turning and playing music as he moved.

Then his bracelet exploded.

Bright golden light ignited from his wrist and startled him so much that he dropped to the ground, holding his right wrist as far away from his body as he could. Shouts echoed around the orchard from Steven, Nevets and Bee, but Aiden was too started to pay attention to them. For on his wrist were six black stones, and one gold stone. He knew instantly that it meant the topaz of the Belt of Deltora had been returned to his proper place after sixteen years of absence.

"Aiden! Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Aiden turned to where Steven was coming out of the trees and moved his wrist so that the bracelet could be seen. Steven, with Nevets and Bee behind him, came closer and gazed in wonder at the new stone.

"What does that mean?" Bee asked curiously, her hand over her heart. Aiden pulled some paper and charcoal from his pocket as he never went anywhere without it.

Somewhere, the Belt of Deltora has been found and whoever is in possession of it is after the Great Gems. My bracelet shows the current state of the Belt, so I'll know as soon as another Gem is added to it.

"You'll have to wear those gloves at all times then," Steven observed after reading the paper. "If that thing is going to blind everyone every time a Gem is added it'll be safer if it's covered. Safe for you as well. No one can know what that bracelet means."

"The Resistance is going to be especially dangerous this year," Bee added. "I don't know if you should be going out there."

I can't stay hidden here. This bracelet means something, and I have to be out there to prove my worth. I think that I came here for a reason, and whatever that reason is, what is starting to happen now is it. Please don't keep me here.

Bee and Steven looked at each other, communicating silently. Nevets on the other hand merely lifted Aiden from the ground and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. Aiden knew that they were worried, but he couldn't hide. He had never been able to hide in the past when his friends were in danger; he didn't think that that would change now that he was in a different country.

"You be safe Aiden!" Bee called as he walked away. "If anything happens to you I will hunt you down and grown boy or not I will take you over my knee so that you never do something so reckless again!"

Aiden smiled back and waved. He wasn't going with Steven and Nevets, as they had left for their rounds a few days previously, but his path would be taking him east. With any luck he would meet with Doom, otherwise he would eventually make his way to Rithmere once his business in the east was completed.

He had changed his outfit to one completely black. Against his will he was wearing black boots, and tucked into those boots were black pants. A grey shirt hung loose over his skinny frame, and a black belt kept it close to his body as well as providing a place for his dagger to sit within easy reach. A dark brown cloak hung from his shoulders, covered his backpack, and its hood hid his face in shadows. His red scarf he wore around his right wrist, covering the bracelet, and his hands were hidden underneath black gloves. He knew that no one would recognise him, and if luck would have it the scarf and glove would keep the shine of the bracelet hidden.

His destination was Raladin. He wanted to visit Arath and Sameth again, as well as to demonstrate his progress with his flute. He also wanted to see if they knew who the travellers were who he kept seeing in his dreams. They were clearer now and he could see the three of them, plus one Ralad, before Soldeen and fighting. He had no idea if that was the distant future, or if it had already passed when he arrived. It would give him some clue as to how far into the future he was glimpsing.

His path took him along the Broad River, but as soon as the river started to wind its way north Aiden would break away from it and head east until he recognised his location. Steven had left a compass in his possession, stating that as often as Aiden found himself on his own and lost, it would be better off if he had something to help him navigate. Also in his bag was a crude map of Deltora that Steven had drawn, highlighting all his sale paths and some safe areas where he could hide without fear. Aiden would use them if he had no other choice, but he would be trying the Resistance Bases first as everyone knew him in those places.

One week into his journey he found himself near Raladin, but also surrounded by eleven wolves. He momentarily contemplated his extreme bad luck before running for his life in the clearest direction he could see. It was away from Raladin, but still in an easterly direction. If he could imagine his map properly he was heading north-east and directly between the Lake of Tears and Raladin. He cursed to himself as he continued to run, wolves were fast but these ones were just teasing him.

He leapt out of the trees without looking too much in front of him and crashed into another boy who looked familiar but he couldn't focus on him too much. A shock of energy ran up his arm from his bracelet and he set aside the curiosity as he turned back to the danger behind him. The boy had cried out at his sudden appearance, and his two companions had drawn their weapons. Beside them was a Ralad, so Aiden knew that his brief message would get to them. He scratched in the dirt "run" in the Ralad symbols as it was quicker before standing up and running down the path that the four had been following.

The snarls of the wolves echoed behind him, and soon the sound of running feet from the group he'd stumbled across joined in with all the other sounds of the forest.

"They're just wolves, let's kill them!" the girl from the group was saying.

"Too many, and Manus can't fight," the older man from the group rebutted.

"Who cares? Just run!" the boy Aiden had knocked over declared. And it was in that moment that Aiden remembered who he was. The group behind him was one he had seen in his dreams for the past month since his bracelet had notified him of the sudden claiming of the topaz. And the bracelet had recognised its large partner the second it had come into close contact with it, the Belt of Deltora. He cursed again as he stumbled over some loose rocks, his breath coming in painful gasps. It would hurt, but he needed the wolves to be gone.

He stopped running and spun to face his adversary. The man, the boy, the girl and the Ralad man ran passed him before they noticed that he was no longer running.

"What are you doing?" the man asked. "They'll kill you if you stop!"

The others had stopped as well but Aiden ignored them as his right arm moved back, as if a ball were in his hand ready to be thrown. With one great explosion of breath a ball of red light flew towards the wolves as his hand released it and the powerful stunning spell had all eleven animals out cold on the ground. Aiden sank to his knees, panting, and tried to stay conscious after using all his energy in one go.

"Time to go I think," the boy from the group announced as he lifted Aiden onto his shoulders so that could move quickly. "I'm Lief by the way. What was all that back there?"

Aiden shrugged at him, not able to answer even if he could. His vision darkened and before he even realised it himself, he was unconscious. He never heard the shouts of alarm nor did he feel the tall man lift him so that they could run some more. All he saw and felt was darkness.

The second Aiden awoke he knew that he was in Raladin again. The smells and the feel of the bed beneath him was just as he remembered. He sat up slowly, noticed he was alone, before walking outside where the music was playing. The first thing he noticed was that the three from his dreams were sitting with the Ralads and trying to explain something. Aiden slipped his clothes back on that he noticed were waiting on the end of the bed for him, and walked out where he could greet his friends.

He pulled his flute out and started to play a lively tune that drew attention to him as honey drew bees. The younger ones joined in his tune and soon there were many crowding around him in joy. Sameth was in the crowd and he pulled Aiden into a hug, disrupting his playing, but Aiden hugged him back willingly. It seemed that was a cue though for all the children suddenly leapt on his back in a massive pile up. Once Aiden got them all off he noticed that the three non-Ralads were staring at him in confusion and amusement.

Lief walked over to him and gave him a hand to pull him to his feet, something Aiden took with gratitude. His smile was wide as he turned to see everyone and he lifted his arms high into the air in a grand greeting. The man and the girl, whose names Aiden wanted to learn, joined Lief and the man enquired to his health. Aiden gave him a thumbs-up before sitting on the edge of the fountain so he could draw in the dirt accurately.

Thanks for bringing me here. It's where I wanted to go but the wolves had other ideas. Can I ask your names?

He wrote everything using Ralad symbols, as he had noticed that that was how they were communicating with Arath before he showed up and interrupted everything.

"So you don't speak then?" the man asked as he read aloud what had been written. "My name is Barda, this is Lief and Jasmine. What's yours?"

Aiden's eyes snapped to Jasmine at hearing her name. It could have been a coincidence, but if she was Doom's daughter, he would probably want to know what she looked like. From his recollection of Anna in Doom's memory, he noted that Jasmine did look a lot like her mother, but from the stubborn set of her chin she was also just how her mother predicted, stubborn like her father. Suddenly remembering that he had also been asked a question Aiden scratched his name in the dirt.

"Aiden," Barda read out. "Where are you from Aiden? Aren't you a bit young to be traveling on your own?"

I'm sixteen and I've seen worse than hungry wolves. I hadn't counted on running into anyone so I couldn't evade them like I normally would have

"How would you normally evade wolves?" Jasmine asked after Barda translated. "You seemed to be only running."

I wanted to find a good tree. Not all trees will keep me safe from hungry animals you know. But you guys were there too and I couldn't escape and leave you guys on your own

Jasmine nodded with a smile before reaching up to pet a small animal on her shoulder. Aiden nodded at her before allowing his attention to slip back to the young Ralad children crowding around him. They were demanding he tell them everything since they had last seen him so he decided to attempt it with his flute.

A monotone, two notes repeated one after the other over and over again signified his walking. A tune started up, a happy one, to indicate his meeting of the Masked Ones, and that became even happier when he met Steven and Nevets again. The music turned dark and slow when he got up to the part where he ended up at Dread Mountain and met Gla-Thon, from there the music turned curious with the Resistance. Curious changed to happy as he found his place in the Resistance, and then danger appeared. A calming song played when he got to Tora, and then Steven returned and it was happy. For his birthday he actually played the birthday song. Then there was more walking, more running and the song he played when he announced his presence to the Ralads after waking up.

His fingers were sore and he needed to lick his lips to get feeling back into them after playing for so long, but the children were all ecstatic to have heard him play, and a better quality than he had left them with. Lief, Barda and Jasmine stared at him in amazement, though it was Jasmine who asked him why he couldn't speak. Aiden showed her his neck scar, and she went silent, her face pale in horror.

Arath chose that moment to come up to him and sketch in the dirt what the three travelers wanted to do. They wanted to go to the Lake of Tears. Aiden nodded his understanding before cocking his head to the side in obvious question as to why they wanted to go there. He already knew but he wanted to know what their story was.

"There is something there we need to fight the Shadow Lord," Barda explained. Aiden felt one eyebrow rise at the comment. It was a pretty lame story, as accurate as it was. Anyone who knew anything would be able to guess that they were after one of the Gems.

"Did the Shadow Lord do that to you?" Jasmine suddenly asked, obviously not caring about the current conversation. "Your neck I mean?"

Aiden smirked before shaking his head. He knelt down and wrote a few symbols onto the ground before standing back and letting those around him read it.

The Dark Lord did this to me, and from my perspective your Shadow Lord doesn't hold a candle to the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord is not patient, he takes what he wants, when he wants, and no one is strong enough to stop him.

As Barda finished reading it aloud Jasmine shuddered. Aiden shrugged and went back to where the children were. He knew there was a Gem at the Lake of Tears, but he wanted to see what these three could do, and why they were the ones chosen to restore the Belt of Deltora.

They left shortly afterwards, but Aiden didn't go with them. Not directly in any case, he would follow them at a distance. So it was for the next hour that he played and caught up with all his Ralad friends without any worries at all. They played music and some of the younger children taught him so new tunes that he could use to entertain others with.

However, as always, all good things come to an end and Aiden bid farewell to the Ralads and started the long walk towards the Lake of Tears.

Despite his memory telling him that it had taken three days to get from the Lake of Tears to Raladin, Aiden managed to cut that time in half and arrived the following night. He could hear voices in the distance, so he moved up to the rocks where he could watch what was happening without being seen himself. The Ralad man, Manus, started to play his flute and while everyone was preoccupied with him, only Aiden saw the waters of the lake part and Soldeen rise from its depths.

Soldeen's voice echoed across the flat plain and Aiden knew that the great monster of the lake could see him. He smiled and waved but otherwise didn't move from his position on the rocks. Soldeen demanded that Manus stay with him for eternity in return for its treasure. Aiden frowned at the demand, but admitted that being alone for so long, the sound of something other than nature was very appealing.

Obviously the group below had already been attacked by Soldeen, and were wary, they downright refused to allow Manus to stay, despite the Ralad man walking towards Soldeen quite calm. Negotiations soon became a battle and Lief was sent flying into the water. Soldeen swam after him while the others on the shore called out in despair. A gold light filled the lake, cutting off their cries and Lief returned to the surface hanging off Soldeen's side. From what Aiden could guess, the Belt of Deltora was pressed against Soldeen's side and the magic from the Belt had cleared his mind and allowed him to be more agreeable in handing over the Gem it was guiding.

A pale pink stone was in Lief's hand, and while it seemed like a victory, the hairs on the back of Aiden's neck were standing on end signifying that something wasn't right. He crouched down lower on the rocks so that he couldn't be seen and pulled his cloak up over his head as an extra precaution. The very air around them crackled with magic and Aiden was positive that his black hair was standing on end with all the static the magic was causing.

A pale thin woman appeared directly in front of him as if she had apparated there. Her dress dragged on the ground and her long grey hair swept passed her hips without care. Her fingers were long and thin, with bright red nail polish coating the nails, and on her right pinky was a small red ring. Aiden could feel the power gathering in that area and guessed that she used the ring the same way he used the bracelet. She hadn't noticed him behind her, and he planned on keeping the element of surprise.

Aiden slowly forced himself to his knees without making a sound and then he rocked back on his feet so that he was crouched and ready to spring. All he needed was the right moment to move. He pulled off his gloves and let them sit on the ground where they wouldn't be in the way. The witch used her magic to strike at Soldeen, in turn forcing Lief back into the water and the pink Gem falling from his hand. Within seconds the witch demonstrated that she was powerful by knocking back everyone with seemingly no effort. Aiden had noticed a force field around her body when she cast her spells, but that protection wasn't on her right hand.

As Lief, Barda, Jasmine and Manus crowded around each other in one convenient place, Aiden made his move. The witch lifted her hand to cast her spell, but instead of the rush of power that she normally felt, a rush of burning heat descended on her from her hand to the rest of the body. In front of her was a figure shrouded in black, with eyes the colour of an emerald, and she felt fear. Her scream echoed across the plain as her arm shriveled away to nothing.

Aiden lifted his right hand to her face, and as if he were gently caressing it, his finger trailed across the skin and his protective magic, left behind from his mother, end the life of the ancient creature before him. Her ring fell into his left hand as her arm turned to ash and he stepped back to watch his work unfold. The witch lasted mere seconds against him, but that was only because she hadn't been expecting him.

He lifted the ring so that he could inspect it before swapping it to his right hand and focusing his magic into destroying it completely. The flash of red light was all the proof that the witch was dead, and all her enchantments with her.

The Lake of Tears went still as if the land was holding its breath, before life started to appear again. The lake became a green garden, the dead rocks and trees came back to life, a small creek of pure clean water began to flow through the land and flowers sprouted everywhere. In moments the Lake of Tears was no more and a small paradise had sprung up in its place. The small animals became young people, whilst the rock in the center of the lake and Soldeen returned to their previous form of two beautiful beings with tanned skin and sun-kissed blonde hair. The woman who was the rock held a bright red gem in her hands and the man who was Soldeen had his arm wrapped around her lovingly.

Everyone was looking up at him, and Aiden knew that they couldn't recognise him from the distance they were at. He wanted to keep it that way. He stepped back away from the scene before retreating to another rock formation where he could still see what was happening, grabbing his gloves on the way. He knew what was about to happen before those below did and he raised his right arm at the same time that the second Gem was placed in the Belt of Deltora.

Ruby red light sprung forth from his wrist and once again he was the center of attention. He waved once the light was gone before turning and running back the way he had come from. His job was done.

Aiden trotted along at his own pace, whistling to himself as he moved. The land around him was coming to life as animals were returning, trees were sprouting leaves and the bushes along the side of the road were flourishing with healthy green leaves. There was still a long way to go, but the influence of the witch had ended and the land could now try to recover.

He was heading north along the Golden Way, in the hopes of meeting Doom, and had been travelling in the same direction for two days. He knew Doom intended to come the long way round following the Mountain Road before heading south along the Golden Way and then west to Rithmere. Aiden only hoped that he hadn't missed the man.

"What are you doing on your own?"

Aiden stopped walking and turned to the side where the man he was looking for was reclining on the side of the road. He grinned and went to sit next to the man, his feet tired from walking. Doom slung an arm across his shoulders and repeated the question, this time with more force. Aiden twisted in his grip and managed to place his hand on Doom's forehead again.

I learnt something good

"Did you now? Was it worth being on your own for?"

Yep! Did you find your daughter?

"I found our old house, but no one has been living there for a while," Doom admitted. "What does that have to do with what you found?"

I think I found her. She looks like a younger version of Anna, but she has this stubborn set of her jaw that's identical to yours. And, her name is Jasmine.

"You found her?" Doom repeated in shock. "Where was she? When was this?"

Raladin. She won't be there now but I have an idea of where she and her friends are going.

"Where?"

Possibly to the City of the Rats, after that she'll go further west but I don't know what's particularly dangerous west of the City of the Rats.

"Why would it be danger that she's looking for?"

To rebuild the Belt of Deltora of course.

Next up in Deltora's Protector:

Chapter 8 - The Rithmere Games