Chapter 6
Many children rushed into the main palace, as unnecessary doors and windows were shuttered and bolted. The underground labyrinth of the city's systems now had roving guards; regular and reserve. Those who had the ability helped others who did not, and those who had no one were given shelter within the palace, given that they assisted with caring for the children. In the Temple of the Faiths, the caretakers moved quickly bringing in the believers, allowing anyone who needed it a place to stay. The city as a whole was slowly becoming a stronghold within a fortress its people caring for everything and everyone, not hesitating to report even the slightest fear.
"Maeve, make certain we have enough food."
"Already done, my Queen." Maeve moved swiftly, herding the children into the large meeting room while Alya rushed towards others who were gathering bedding. She grabbed armfuls, which was no long an odd things for the people of Avalon to see when a war was brewing. She moved back into the meeting hall and started to make the makeshift beds that lined the walls; guards standing ready on either end.
"Aron?" Alya walked up to the broken man, his head hanging low. "You have no forewarning, you can't expect to stop everything." She crouched down in front of him. "Now we have to keep these people safe." Aron looked at her, taking a deep breath and expelling the air, "Can you keep them from getting in here?"
"I will look at what can be done, M'Lady."
"Good. Now go, find it." She moved enough for Aron to rush into planning. She knew it would allow him to stop dwelling on the vision and start working for something. She turned to look out of the portal in one of the shuttered windows to see 2 legions riding out with their Generals, while another legion worked from within, bringing those who were outside the grounds to the palace. And yet another legion was scouring the underground, noticing every nook and corner of every possible area within the labyrinth.
"Anything you need from me, Lady Alya?" Haldir moved up towards her right.
"Yes, please stay with Aron. He's very disturbed that he did not have the vision when someone could have stopped it." She looked to him and smiled.
"I think there would have been more dead had he."
"Most likely, but you cannot tell him these things. He will always think the opposite."
Haldir nodded and bowed, exiting the room passed people who were working diligently on the room to help sustain the people. None of them certain of how long they would have to remain, none of them caring; only the thoughts of what might occur filling their minds and making them sick to the thought.
Aron's Shop
In the back reaches of the palace a door remained ajar, inside a frantic Aron moved around his books, searching for something. The room was nearly a disaster; books and parchments strewn across the floor, maps of varying types lay amongst them and in the corner was a mortar and pestle which was the only thing that appeared pristine.
Haldir moved in slowly, not making a sound, "Haldir, could you move over to the left, there is a bench." His nose stayed pointed into a book which he'd removed from the ground.
"Did you ever consider cleaning?" Haldir moved an item from the bench, unsure of what it was.
"Yes, once. Couldn't find anything. Lady Alya allows this, I clean on occasion, but it interferes with my work." Aron stopped for a moment and looked up. "You like her don't you?"
"Queen Alya? Yes, she is likable."
Aron smiled with a slight laugh, "No, I mean you are attracted to her."
"I had not considered it. She is not an Elf."
"So only Elves are attracted to other Elves? I'd thought there was a King in your world of Men that was married…no, in love with an Elf."
Haldir smiled, "Yes, Aragorn, but he is no King."
"If they listen he will be." Aron's nose went back to his book, "My question is still unanswered, Haldir."
"No, I said I had not considered it."
"Consider it." He glanced over before moving to several small boxes that lined the wall of his room.
"Why? I had assumed that she did not want to give up rule to anyone."
"Who said she would give up rule?" He placed several items on the table that was bare. "There is a law, only those chosen to rule can rule. All others who attempt it die by their own hand after madness sets in."
"You've seen this?"
"Once or twice. After they took power the old caretakers…I think they are called Stewards in your world. Anyway the old caretakers attempted to regain power, one of them claiming to be King. Within a short time he showed signs of it, then he sliced his own throat." Haldir sat listening as Aron worked. "So, have you considered it?"
"Leave Haldir alone." Alya moved in. "Find anything?"
"Yes, M'Lady. I believe I have, but it will only work if thrown directly at them." Aron smiled at his accomplishment.
"So we have to let them enter, in order to use it." She scoffed. "There has to be another way."
"No M'Lady." He looked as if he'd failed.
"Ok, then make as much as you can and we'll find some deployment system." She looked at the room. "Dear God, how you find anything." She shook her head. "How about something that will make the children not be noticed by the enemy."
"I thought of that. I'm still looking into it."
"I figured. Carry on, Aron. You are doing well." She walked to the door, stopping before she exited. "And leave Haldir alone."
The two smiled at each other, Alya moving swiftly down the long hallway and into the candlelit darkness.
Ruins of Empheron
The guards rode through the night, coming across a few small homes outside the grand city, they lay dormant, almost eerily. "Check them." Navarre ordered, looking over the landscape, the city held an energy which spoke of the events that had occurred. His eyes seeing what most men could not, saw a body that was not human, lying splayed out in the field nearby. "Gostine, take Morel and Tobare, check out the field." He pointed toward the body. "Carefully though."
The three men rode out, torches lit before them, as they came upon the body they noticed how sickly it looked, it held no hair and had arms and legs that seemed disjointed. "Turn it over" Gostine ordered, holding the point of his blade toward the creature. "Careful, it may be a trick."
"Do they have that kind of intelligence?" Morel smiled and turned it. "Dead." He uttered pointing to a wound that ran the length of its chest.
"Hope whoever killed it got away."
"Most don't Tobare. Unfortunately." Gostine looked it over. "Morel, head back and tell Lord Navarre of our find, ask him his orders for the carcass.
The soldier bowed and rushed away. Coming back in a short period of time, "Sir, he said we must take it back for burning."
"Good. Tie its ankles and give me the rope. Then follow behind, if it moves, hack it to pieces. Burning it whole or at a piece at a time won't matter." He watched as they followed his order, before directing the horse back to his battalion, the two men following behind. "Here's the body sir."
Navarre nodded, but the same question everyone else was thinking came to him as well, 'Where was the enemy?' "Tobare, stay behind with four others and burn the body, then head up to Empheron when it's complete."
"Yes, Sir." Tobare called forward four men and sent them to gather wood and kindling, while he cleared a place for the body which was already showing signs of decay.
Within the Walls
Navarre and his men rode into the gates of the grand city, looking in several directions, expecting an attack which would never come. "Spread out, no one goes anywhere alone and bring back any survivors or bodies that you find." The men did as ordered spreading out amongst the city streets, some to the right, other riders in the center and still more to the left; even spread out they rode almost in unison seeking out anyone or anything that would assist them in their quest.
There were pools and smears of blood in the streets and on the walls outside the homes and buildings, but no signs of life. The men were spooked, but didn't falter in their assignments; at each building a group of men went inside only to find no one to greet them. Just blood and bits of flesh, the energy was apparent throughout the city and it made each man more and more apprehensive as the day went on into night.
They'd only half finished when the sun started to set, "Light the torches." Navarre shouted, which resonated through the ranks like an echo. Soon torches which cut through the darkness and kept the shadows at bay were lit and men were ready to continue.
They finally reached the palace; a large gothic castle which stood in the middle of the massive city was their final search point. Every man dismounted, swords drawn with more than half moving up towards the walls of the castle, leaving just a small contingency outside while they made their way in.
Blood once again covered nearly everything, this time it was mixed with armor of men they'd known for ages, it made them more apprehensive and more determined to find survivors or the enemy. They moved room to room, locking any access from the underground as they made their way up through the turrets and in through the halls. Soon they reached what used to hold the horn of the city; the alarm which would have warned the townspeople for miles, it was battered and covered with deep gouges.
"No bodies, Sir." A man answered in a whisper.
"Are you afraid of the enemy?" Navarre spoke normally.
"No, Sir." The man's voice rose. "I am not!"
"Good." Navarre turned to the men. "Go out and ready yourselves for the underground. The plan is still in effect; find survivors and kill the enemy."
"YES SIR!" The men made there way back out, Navarre following behind them.
They weaved to the different entrances throughout the town, figuring to enter at the exact same moment, unaware of what waited for them below. They moved in seamless unison filing down into the murky darkness, finding the bodies lining the walls and blocking the escape route of their enemy; an unusual act for this type of animal. The bodies were in various states of being devoured, making more than a few of the soldiers vomit at the sight and smell.
"Enough of that." Navarre looked over towards a few. "Move out, seek out the enemy. When we move back out we'll douse them with the fluid and ignite them here."
"In the underground?" A man questioned.
"You want to carry out every body here?" Navarre shot him a glance. "Burn them and we might get the enemy. Burn them here and they go together, better than most get some days." The man nodded, embarrassed. "Good, now go."
They walked in as far as they could and when they reached the blocked tunnel they doused the bodies in a flammable liquid, turning to leave and dousing more on the way out. It was a long process because it was everyone within the kingdom, but it had to be done.
"Ride hard and fast to Avalon, tell the Queen what we found, and what we didn't." A rider bowed at Navarre's order, running up and leaving as he was commanded. "Everyone out, give me the torch."
"No Sir, I wish to do it. If there is any of the enemy here, then attacking me won't harm the legion." A younger man offered, smiling at Navarre as he nodded, handing him a torch.
"Out. Now!" Navarre followed them up. "Don't be long." He exited without another word, climbing the stairs and hearing the bodies ignite behind him. He got to the top of the stairway and turned, waiting for the soldier to follow which didn't take long.
"It's done Sir."
"No it isn't." He exited through the door and turned, "We must say prayers for those who died." He bowed his head, a thing he'd learned from the humans around him, each man doing the same, speaking to an unknown ear in silence. The smell of the burning dead filling the air around them, wafting outward from the Kingdom that was now dead while in the distance a ride made his way to his home, passing those who dwell beneath the earth.
An Ally From Afar
Gandalf went into the catacombs of a darkened realm, hoping to find his way to what he must become, when the call came out of thin air. He was needed, his strength, his magic, his ability was needed; the innocent depended on it. The children and women of a world he'd never seen needed him, that's the call that came from another Wizard who was in above his head, a man who would become his successor, the one he would take over training. He followed his vision, his heart and mind and fell into the abyss that would take him to what he was meant to be.
Avalon
Aron gasped, waking from the floor, Haldir standing over him. "Are you well?"
"The grey one heard me."
"Gandalf?"
"Y…yes. He heard me." Aron sat up and rushed out, coming back to grab his bag of potion. "Hurry." He rushed back out followed by his friend.
"I don't understand."
"I don't have the power to stop them. Julian died before I learned enough and I'm fumbling around things blindly. I never know if something I do will kill those I care for, but he heard me and he will help." Aron stopped, "I hope."
"If it is Gandalf then he will." Haldir spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
Aron nodded and rushed through the halls, stopping at his Queens door, "She's not there, Wizard." Taen spoke, "She's with the others downstairs." Aron nodded and rushed down, now followed by both Haldir and Taen.
"She is strange." Haldir spoke.
"What? Why do you say?"
"Most nobles don't act as she does. She cares for her people, more than her own comfort."
"More than her own life." Taen said proudly, smiling as Haldir nodded.
Dwellers
They kept digging ferociously and every one that faltered was taken over by another, heading towards a common goal. Covered in dirt and blood their talons sprayed blood from all the rocks they encountered, but it didn't stop them, the thought of devouring flesh was all that drove them in their deed. Suddenly they stopped, in unison, looking up and around like frightened animals; a bright light which filled the tunnel, blinding them and making them howl in pain; a deafening noise that curdled the blood were anyone to hear it. Within moments they all collapsed, none of them moving, all of them dead and then blinding light disappeared as was the unknown person who created it; their bodies lay motionless, their master inflamed by the one who did it and looking for revenge. He now had another enemy to destroy, as of late, he was gaining many.
Avalon
Aron stopped before entering the library, Alya seeing him at the doorway.
"Aron?" She rushed out. "What's wrong?" She was genuinely worried.
"They are dead."
"What? Who? What are you speaking of?" She was becoming frantic.
"My petssssss." The disembodied voice came out from thin air making Alya spin around, drawing her knife. Haldir moving in passed her to defend, followed by Taen.
"This is a good thing." She whispered.
That is when all hell broke loose, everything in the room went flying; chess pieces thrown into stone walls and actually drilling into them. Then books were flying into the air and around the room violently. Then the table blew up, sending Haldir to rush her and move her out of the room for safety; Taen still watching the amazing attack before Aron pulled him out. Alya pressed into the wall outside her own library, Haldir covering her, she could only look up at him, in shock of the events.
When everything died down, Haldir moved back, "My apologies, M'Lady." She smiled at him and banished her original thoughts.
"Thank you, Haldir. I owe you."
"No. You are well, that is enough." He moved back to the open door, followed by the others, inside the room was destroyed.
She composed herself and joined them, the event being witnessed by Jora, who smiled at it. "No, no, no, no, no, Jora. Not spells, if it's meant to happen it will." She left the area so as not to be noticed.
"What was that?" Taen was disturbed.
"The Evil." Alya walked in passed them, trying to figure out how to clean up.
"I'll get some men to help." Taen left.
"What was this about Aron?"
"The Dwellers are dead. I asked, I think I asked for Gandalf's help and he did. He made them die, underground. They were heading here and he stopped them."
"You're certain?"
"If it was Gandalf then they are dead." Haldir spoke with certainty.
"How?"
"I don't know. I just felt his power and them die. The fact that the Evil showed up and destroyed everything…well…it proves it."
Alya looked around, "Yes, he wouldn't throw a temper tantrum if something wasn't wrong with his plans for us." She glanced at Haldir, then back to Aron. "Is he becoming what we need him to be?"
"Yes, this journey was part of his sacrifice, it will allow him to become." Aron looked off into nothing.
Alya nodded, looking at the mess. "So much for my game." She smiled, since she was loosing.
"You will have to teach me this game. This Chess."
"Oh no, I have one Elf already beating me. I don't need another."
"It teaches…humility."
"Then I would have to beat you, Elf." She winked and smiled holding back a laugh especially when he looks at her strangely, almost as if to say, 'not possible'.
Several men moved in passed them and began cleaning up the mess, just as a breathless soldier moved in. "My Queen." He bowed.
"Yes."
"Lord Navarre ordered me to ride swiftly."
"Speak, please."
"None survived and the enemy may be on their way here." He was still bowed.
"Good, thank you. However, they are dead. Send a rider to our legions in the North, have them come home. Tell them a mutual friend dispatched the Dwellers to assist us. They are dead, by Aron's word." She looked to the Wizard who smiled proudly.