Legends of Amacia Rise of the Caverias

“How’re you doing back there?” Argus called to them as they flew.

“We’re good,” Hanna answered as Argus climbed higher.

“You just as well relax. It’s going to take a while to get there. Enjoy the scenery,” Argus told them. It wasn’t long before they were soaring a mile and three-quarters high over the Cimmerian Highlands. Every so often, Argus would flap his wings to maintain the altitude and speed. Both Hanna and Nathanael absorbed their surroundings. Rugged, snowcapped peaks stretched in all directions. A river flowed through the mountains below them from Acheron. Argus turned a little more to the west and they flew over leagues of mountains.

After a couple of hours of flight time, Hanna looked to the west and saw a lake in the midst of the mountains with the ruins of a city on its northern shore. “Argus, what’s that place where the lake is to our left?” she asked.

Argus glanced and said, “That’s Midgard, Hanna. We’re now over the eastern parts of the wastes of Azrael. About five leagues farther west is the legendary city of Asgard.”

Hanna immediately remembered the ancient Norse myths. She looked on the city of Midgard with a new insight. “They weren’t just myth, Nathanael,” Hanna commented.

Nathanael grinned, saying, “Apparently not.”

“Midgard and Asgard were once the homes of a great race of men,” Argus declared, “They were great fighters and workers of metals, stone and wood. Their craftsmanship was world renowned. They possessed the secrets of the furnace, hammer, and chisel. Great weapons of war were fashioned at their hands as well as the mighty fortresses that litter these lands like so much dung. Their domain stretched from the western parts of Frygia, including Syracuse south to the steppes of Zaraphath and west into the wastes of Azrael. Their kingdom prospered greatly until that fateful day when the Emperor waged his war on the world. They allied themselves against the Emperor and paid dearly for standing against him. The Emperor’s legions swept over their lands like an unholy flood, slaughtering and destroying everything they encountered. The people fled to Asgard for a last stand, and as ten legions of the Emperor’s army lay siege to the city, the Almighty Ancient of Days turned our world upside down in the Kragonar. The Emperor’s troops were destroyed, as were those who were under siege in Asgard. It was said all of them perished in the city when the Kragonar was unleashed.”

“What was their name?” Nathanael asked.

“They were called the Ilmarinen,” Argus replied as they moved away from Midgard. “Their resistance and last stand in Asgard are the roots of many great epics. The Ilmarinen fought with just as much skill and heart as they did when they were building and creating. They were truly a great people. Only a handful of their race remains scattered throughout the caverns.”

They flew on for another hour when Hanna began to notice the terrain was changing. The mountains were getting smaller and the air was getting hotter. Suddenly, she saw just ahead of them the mountains abruptly ended and a vast desert began with colossal sand dunes stretching off into the distance. The dunes were hundreds of feet high and were almost scarlet in color. Hanna glanced at Nathanael with a look of intense awe and gratification. The color immediately peaked her curiosity and Hanna asked, “Argus, where are we now?”

“This is the Dune Sea in the eastern portion of the wastes,” Argus replied, “This vast sea of sand and ever changing dunes stretch from the foot of the Avernian Mountains on the east to the lost city of Caveria some sixty leagues to the southwest of here. This sea of sand is very dangerous, constantly moving, and filled with sand traps and great beasts.”

“Why does the sand look like blood?” Hanna asked.

“These are the Fields of Blood where the Emperor’s legions met their doom when they attacked the city of Asgard,” Argus replied. “Deep beneath these sands are the remains of an army. The sands are red because of a peculiar noxious red dust that fell in this area during the Kragonar. The dust and red sands fell from the sky, mixing with the regular sands. The red sands are poisonous, and can kill any who attempt to cross them on foot. This part of the Dune Sea is the most bleak and dangerous. Not a living thing stays here, not even the great beasts that roam this savage land. Anything that enters the red sands of the Fields of Blood on foot dies in three hours regardless of whether they manage to escape or not. This whole region is cursed because of the red sands that fell from the sky during the Kragonar.”

“Sounds like this place may have been contaminated by a biological agent,” Hanna suggested. “What do you think, Nathanael?”

Nathanael shrugged his shoulder a little and said, “May have very well been. It could be that the rogue planet that was the hammer of the Almighty may have poisoned this region, or maybe the Emperor’s legions had something with them that is causing this strange phenomenon. What do you know about it, Argus?”

“Just what I’ve told you,” Argus answered, “I wasn’t a particular witness to the fall of Asgard and the poisoning of the sands here. I was very young at the time and deeply involved with the destruction of the Cadre at Acheron. What I know came from my brethren that protected this area. What I do remember though is that when the Kragonar occurred, I was in Acheron. I recall looking toward Midgard and Asgard and remember seeing a bright flash and burning scarlet cloud descending from the sky in that direction. As I remember, only one of my kin escaped it with a handful of the Ilmarinen he managed to spirit away. They and he told me what happened and after that, the Ilmarinen vanished into the hills with their guardian, who was injured in the escape. I never saw them or him again.”

“Well, it seems that I am still very much in the dark about much of the history of this land,” Hanna commented as they soared over the desert.

Argus shifted to a more southerly course and said, “Don’t fret about it. You can’t possibly learn thousands of cycles of history in the short time you have been here. In time, you will learn what happened to the peoples and places of this great realm.”

Hanna nodded and they flew on. A couple of hours later, the Fields of Blood ended and the Dune Sea stretched before them; an endless sea of quartz sand with mountainous dunes. Off in the distance, solitary buttes rose out of the dunes like old wrecked ships and to the east, a mountain wall rose with snows crowning the higher peaks. The hot arid wind blew harshly on them, even at the height they were flying. Hanna and Nathanael sipped on their canteens of water and nibbled on some of their food supply as they rode on, conversing very little as they sat on Argus’ back, speaking only when something would attract their attention. Four hours into the desert, they began to see huge pteronadons gliding on the thermals near the mountains to the east. The Dune Sea began to all look the same to them at this point. Fatigue began to set in on Hanna and Nathanael noticed it. Argus could tell it too so he turned to the west toward a particularly large butte approximately ten leagues away. Both Hanna’s and Nathanael’s lips had begun to chap in the dry desert wind. Hanna’s head began to swim just a little with the weariness of the flight. Nathanael latched onto Hanna and held her like a father would a child while riding a horse.

“How are you doing?” Nathanael asked Hanna.

“Very tired...we’ve been flying so long that I’m woozy,” Hanna replied wearily. She rubbed the side of her face and called to Argus, “Argus, can we stop for a while? I’ve got to get on some solid ground.”

Argus snorted a little, replying, “I’ve already anticipated your request. Do you see the butte just ahead?”

Hanna saw it and replied, “Yeah.”

“Well, that is where we’ll spend the night,” Argus said authoritatively. “It’s not wise to be out in the wastes of Azrael after dark. Many of the great beasts hunt after dark.”

Hanna patted Argus on the back and said gratefully, “Thank you.” She watched the butte as they approached in the dimming daylight. At first, it appeared like just any ordinary butte. But as they approached it, Hanna saw what she thought were ruins on top of the tower of rock. She nudged Nathanael and pointed, asking, “Am I seeing that or is it a mirage?”

Nathanael looked and said, “If it’s a mirage, then I’m seeing it too.”

As they closed on the tower, it was obvious that the ruins of a massive fortress sat on top of the butte. All that remained was partially destroyed walls and a few ruined buildings inside the walls. “What is this place?” Hanna asked as Argus began to circle the ruins.

“This was once the watchtower of Ezra Karac,” Argus answered, “It was an outpost on the way to Caveria. Believe it or not, the Dune Sea and the Wastes of Azrael were once a fertile plain long ago in the 1st Age.” The draken swooped in and lighted inside the wall like a bird coming in for a landing. He slowly lay down to let Hanna and Nathanael off. Nathanael slid off first, and then helped Hanna off Argus’ back. He carried her to a four-foot cube of stone thrown down from the walls, sitting Hanna down on it.

Being woozy with her equilibrium off, Hanna propped herself up with her arms as she looked around. “God, it feels good to be on solid ground again,” she murmured, “I forgot how extended flight time can wear on you.”

“I hear you,” Nathanael replied. “I was beginning to get a bit weary myself. By the way, how’re you feeling, Hanna?”

“Like I’ve been awake for days,” she replied, “...and my hips and legs are completely numb from sitting so long. But what we’ve seen today has been worth it. I had no idea of the beauty of this savage land.”

“It does have its own beauty,” Argus agreed; scanning their surroundings in the dimming light, “But it’s also wrought with great perils too, same as the thorns on a rose. That’s why you need to find some cover. The great flyers hunt at night and may mistake you for a tasty morsel.” Argus walked around as Nathanael started to search the ruins. “Be careful were you go, Nathanael; these ruins are very old, and some of these buildings may not be safe to enter,” Argus warned.

As Hanna looked around, a strange sensation chased down her spine, making her shiver. A puzzled look crossed her face that Nathanael noticed. “What is it, Hanna?” Nathanael asked. “What’s wrong?”

“This place is very strange,” Hanna replied softly as she looked around. “I have the distinct feeling I’ve been here before...maybe in another life or something. It’s really weird.”

“No one has set foot in these ruins since the Kragonar,” Argus declared. “You and Nathanael are the first people to see this place since the Ancient of Days buried this land.”

“Are you going to be okay, Hanna?” Nathanael asked.

“Yeah,” Hanna answered distantly. “It’s nothing to worry about. I’m just having an extreme bout of déjà vu. That’s all.”

“Very well,” Nathanael stated as he resumed his search of the ruins.

As they searched, Hanna heard what sounded like running water coming from one of the buildings as she sat on the block of stone. “Hey. Do you guys hear that?” she asked.

Both Argus and Nathanael stopped and listened. “Yes, I hear it. Sounds like water,” Nathanael replied.

Argus smelled the air and said, “It is water. It’s coming from the keep.” Nathanael picked up Hanna and they all moved toward the largest of the structures. As they approached it, the sound and smell grew stronger.

“There’s definitely water here,” Nathanael said. “I can smell it now. The question is whether it is any good or not.”

They approached a great gaping hole in the side of the keep and stopped, looking in. All they could see was darkness inside the hole as the daylight slowly faded to almost twilight. “Oh, man, this is really strange,” Hanna murmured ominously. “I know this place.”

“How so?” Nathanael queried, sensing Hanna’s roiling emotions about the location.

“I’m not sure,” Hanna admitted, “But I just remembered dreaming about Leila Karac’s ghost haunting this place.”

Argus’ eyebrow rose. “You know of Leila Karac?” he asked.

“Yes,” Hanna stated as they looked into the cavity, “...but only in dreams. The last one I had was while I was in my coma. Leila called to me at Acheron and I flew to this place. In fact, I stood right here where we are and saw her ghost and a giant skeleton come out of the keep. They told me to remember my promise to her, whatever it was. They also told me to beware because her resting place somewhere inside this fortress had become a nest of alien creatures. That’s when I saw a bunch of those giant spiders like we encountered at Tiamat crawling down the keep towards me. One of them actually attacked me, but the dream ended before it could eat me. It scared me to death.”

“I remember you telling me about the dream,” Nathanael stated. “I didn’t think much of it at the time because I thought it was the fever talking. But now, I’m not so sure.”

“Would you share the dream with me, Hanna?” Argus requested.

“Sure,” Hanna stated. “Maybe you can help me make sense of it. Every time I remember it and those spiders, I shudder. Let me touch Argus, Nathanael.” Nathanael carried Hanna to Argus, allowing her to touch Argus on the side of the face.

Argus invaded Hanna’s mind, seeing the memory of the dream and the spiders. An ominous growl rumbled from deep within him as he saw the giant spiders. Breaking contact with Hanna, he declared, “That was indeed Leila Karac, Hanna. I remember her because she was my friend. Unfortunately, I also remember the spiders you saw. They’re not of this world and are extraordinarily dangerous. The Emperor had FATE bring them here to assist in his war, but they proved most difficult to control.”

“Do you remember what they were called?” Nathanael asked. “We encountered a large nest of those spiders in Tiamat, which proved most difficult to exterminate.”

“The name Triaskus Xenocerius comes to mind,” Argus replied. “But I cannot be certain since it’s been over twelve thousand cycles since those spiders have been seen by anyone. By the very fact you’ve actually encountered them in Tiamat is very disconcerting. It means there may still be pockets of those fell creatures still alive on the surface. They must be eradicated wherever they’re found, otherwise they may be the doom of humanity. They will spread like a virus until they’ve overrun this planet.”

“I knew those things were bad news,” Hanna crowed. “I knew it the moment I looked into that monster’s eyes and saw it kill Keshi before we could blink. I never realized something that big could move that fast.”

“The Triaskus Xenocerius were known to be exceptionally fast and efficient hunters,” Argus reported. “They’re known to set traps as well as run down prey. You were most fortunate to have destroyed the nest without major casualties. Are you sure there weren’t any other nests?”

“As far as we know there aren’t,” Hanna stated. “But we’ve only explored a small fraction of Tiamat. It’s possible that there could be other nests in areas we haven’t seen or opened. As of the time I left to come to this savage land, we’d stopped outward exploration so we could secure and study the areas we’d already opened in detail. All of those routes into the outer areas have massive doors that we haven’t unlocked yet. I left strict instructions for them not to open any new areas until I returned.”

“That was a good idea,” Argus agreed. “If the passages are secure, then any nest should be contained. However, your dream worries me since it shows an active spider presence in this place. Before you go into the keep, I should look inside first just to be safe.”

“Of course,” Hanna stated as Argus moved toward the hole in the keep wall. Nathanael stepped aside to allow Argus access.

As Argus peered into the darkness of the gap, Nathanael announced, “There’s a peculiar scent in the air, Argus. Do you smell it?”

“Yes,” Argus replied, searching the darkness of the hole. “It’s a faint odor that seems vaguely familiar, but I can’t place what it is.”

“The last time I caught this scent was in that spider’s nest at Tiamat,” Nathanael declared grimly. “But this time, it’s very faint. If the spiders are truly here, then I don’t think they’ve come out into the open in quite some time.”

“I agree. It’s all clear,” Argus stated as he pulled his head out of the hole. “I didn’t see anything in there to indicate the spiders have been active here in quite some time. All I saw is the evidence of the last battle to take place here.”

“What about the water?” Hanna asked.

“The smell of water is strong inside the building, but that’s about it,” Argus stated. “I saw the remains of some fountains, but they appear to have not worked since the 1st Age. Most likely, the water lies somewhere deeper in the keep.”

“That sounds logical,” Hanna agreed as the peculiar odor Argus and Nathanael mentioned tickled her nose. “It’s probably down in the base of this fortress, most likely where that strange smell is coming from. The water may be contaminated, which could account for the strange odor you’re smelling.”

“Could be,” Argus conceded. “Still, we should be careful here. Even if the spiders are not here, there are many other hazards that could cause you trouble. For now, I would suggest getting inside. Night is falling quickly and the beasts are coming out looking for food.”

“Good call,” Hanna replied while looking around on the ground. She saw a large stick of dead wood near the hole. “There’s something we can use for a torch, Nathanael,” she announced, pointing to the stick. “Sit me down next to the wall and get it.”

“I see it,” Nathanael replied, having seen it a half second after Hanna spotted the stick. He sat Hanna down by the wall and retrieved the stick. He held it up to Argus and said, “A little fire if you please, my friend.” Argus snorted a tiny fireball onto the stick, turning it into an instant torch. “Thank you,” Nathanael said as he drew his executioner’s blade. “I’ll be right back, Hanna.”

“Okay,” Hanna replied as Nathanael entered the hole in the wall. “Be careful.”

A couple minutes later, Hanna noticed an increased amount of light coming from the hole. Nathanael appeared moments later without the torch, his blade sheathed, and his pack missing. “The room is secure,” he announced, “I also found a few torches left on the wall and lit them to give us extra light. Let’s get inside now where I left our supplies.”

“A good idea,” Argus replied, “The fliers are starting to come out in greater numbers now. I can hear them. It’s better that you not be in the open while they’re hunting.”

Nathanael picked up Hanna and carried her into the keep while Argus remained just outside the hole; guarding it. Nathanael stopped just inside the hole so she could see the room. It appeared to be a banquet hall of some kind over ninety feet long by fifty feet wide with several torches burning around the perimeter of the room. The ceiling was domed, complete with flying buttresses soaring at least fifty feet high. Great holes dotted the ceiling, but the load-bearing members of the roof remained structurally sound. In the center of the room sat a huge wooden table that looked like it belonged in the halls of Valhalla with the northern gods. The enormous table spanned ten feet wide and fifty feet long, standing nearly four feet off the floor. Portions of the table lay crushed under debris that had rained from the broken places in the ceiling. There were strange types of dishware scattered everywhere, from mugs to plates to pots. Knives and forks lay scattered amongst the dishes. Dozens of great chairs lay scattered over the floor, some of which sat crushed or shattered by falling debris. Several small fountain bases lay scattered throughout the room, some of which lay crushed under ceiling debris. Millennia of dust, sand, and age tarnished and coated everything in the room.

Hanna glanced at Nathanael with a smile and said, “Valhalla isn’t what it used to be, is it?”

“No, ma’am,” Nathanael replied, grinning broadly as they slowly moved into the room. Almost immediately upon their entering the great hall, they saw the eroded bones of giant men lying amidst the rubble. Nathanael saw them and approached the closest one. “Hanna, take a look at this. We’ve got giants here,” he declared.

“Let’s take a closer look,” Hanna suggested and Nathanael squatted down with Hanna to examine the twelve-foot long skeleton that lay partially crushed under the falling roof. A great stone had fallen and crushed its chest and arm. Nathanael and Hanna immediately noticed the skull was cut off from just above the eyes up.

“Someone finished this guy off after the roof fell on him,” Nathanael said, “The top of his head is cut clean off.”

Hanna looked at it and her belly soured. “Let’s look around some more,” she ordered, “Maybe these remains can tell us what happened here.”

“Right,” Nathanael replied, standing up cradling Hanna in his arms. They began to wander around, making note of the conditions of the other skeletons. Some skeletons were in pieces on the floor; some were crushed under the falling roof while others sat bound in the chairs with chains. Many had their skulls split or their heads removed completely. Hanna began to become increasingly uneasy about the place she was in as Nathanael carried her from skeleton to skeleton. Argus watched Hanna carefully as Nathanael carried her around.

“Okay, Nathanael,” Hanna murmured gloomily, “I’ve seen about all I want to see.”

“Are you okay?” Nathanael asked, noticing her suddenly change in mood.

“I’m not sure,” Hanna admitted, “But I do know a massacre when I see one; and that’s what we have here. I’ll give you two guesses on who did this and the first doesn’t count.”

“You think the Emperor did this, don’t you?” Nathanael asked as he cradled Hanna gently.

“I do,” Hanna replied in a stern cold tone, “This is the type of brutality he’s capable of, but these people have been dead for a very long time.” Argus watched with growing interest as he saw how Hanna dealt with the facts before her. Hanna abruptly looked to the head of the table and saw that the biggest chair was still sitting there in one piece with its occupant. She felt drawn to it. “Let’s take a closer look at the big man sitting at the head of the table, Nathanael,” she ordered. Nathanael carried Hanna to the head of the table to examine the giant skeleton sitting in the chair.

“My word,” Nathanael murmured as they stood next to the chair, “This guy is huge and seems to have been the last one standing in this place.”

Hanna stared at the skeleton, noticing he wasn’t like his fallen comrades. He was sitting upright and seemed to have no damage to him. The great warrior sat in his armor and had an ornate helmet on his head that looked much like a samurai’s helmet. He sat there, looking out of the hole in the wall as if he were expecting something. This skeleton stood twelve feet six inches in height and at his right hand was an enormous sword where the blade alone spanned five and a half feet. The handle and hilt itself spanned nearly two feet. The countless ages of dust and tarnish had coated the sword thickly. The great warrior’s hand lay heavily upon the pummel of it with the point down on the floor and the sword leaning against the chair.

Hanna stared at the great warrior with intense curiosity. “You’re right. It appears that this fellow was the last man standing,” she murmured as she looked at the armor. She suddenly saw several punctures in the breastplate and added, “He may have been the last man standing, but it looks like he didn’t stand for too long afterwards. Look at the punctures in his chest armor. He took some major hits before winning the fight here.” Hanna paused a moment and reached out and gently touched the skeleton’s armored arm. A flash vision of the dream with Leila and her skeletal companion hit Hanna so hard she gasped.

“What is it?” Nathanael asked, seeing her reaction.

“It’s him,” Hanna breathed. “This is the skeleton that came out of the keep with Leila in the dream. I can’t believe what I’m seeing here. It’s him, right down to the sword, helmet, and the locations of punctures in his armor, but who is he? I swear I know this guy, but that’s impossible. This guy has been dead for twelve thousand years or more. It’s very strange. Argus; who was this poor, lost giant warrior?”

Argus looked in and said, “He was the great warrior for whom this place is named: Ezra Karac, prince of Caveria and the head general of its armies. Not much is known about him or the events that transpired here. It’s said Ezra Karac did what no other general was able to do: fight the Emperor’s legions to a stalemate. He wasn’t able to beat them, but neither was the Emperor able to destroy him. It’s said that when the Emperor’s legions finally overran this fortress, Ezra and his people fought to the last man with Ezra killing the top general of the invaders in this very room. Without their general, the Emperor’s forces broke ranks and had to withdraw. The victory cost him dearly. He lost all of his men and his own life after the fight.”

Hanna looked at the giant and her blood burned within her as if she knew that Ezra was her kin. The sword called to her. “Nathanael, take me around to the sword,” she ordered. “I wish to touch it.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Nathanael asked, “You don’t want to anger the ghosts of this place.”

“This Ezra Karac is giving me a strange feeling, like I know him,” Hanna declared, “I do not mean to desecrate his resting place. There’s something about the sword that’s calling to me. Trust me.”

“Okay,” Nathanael replied, taking Hanna around the chair to the sword. “But if these bones come to life and try to kill us, I’m going to say I told you so.”

“He’s not going to rise from the dead and kill me,” Hanna declared, “...not if I do this with the proper respect to him and his clan. I know well the dangers of angering the ancient dead.” Once Nathanael had her within reach of the Ezra’s sword, Hanna looked into the skull face of Ezra Karac and saluted the mighty man of war by placing her right fist over her heart. “Ezra Karac, mighty man of valor and general of the armies of Caveria, I do pay homage to you and in no way mean any disrespect to you. Please lend me your sword that I may make the Emperor pay for his crimes against you and the rest of your valiant defenders who stood against the Emperor’s evil in the 1st Age. Let me be the vehicle of your vengeance against the Emperor so that you may finally rest in peace.” The empty eye sockets of Ezra gazed into eternity as Hanna reached out and gently opened the skeletal hand so she could get to the sword. Then grasping the sword by the handle, she slowly pulled it away from the chair, letting it pivot on the sword point resting on the floor. Hanna felt a jolt run up her arms as she latched onto the handle. The strength in her arms doubled in an instant. “Oh, my word,” Hanna breathed, suddenly lifting the sword up a couple of inches, “What a strange blade! It’s so light I can lift it in my reduced condition.” A cold chill raced down her spine as she held the sword by the handle just off the floor. A barrage of images assaulted Hanna’s mind as if the sword were relaying an ancient message from the General himself. Tears suddenly dripped onto her cheeks as she saw a ghostly face appear briefly on Ezra’s skull that smiled at her and nodded. A gasp escaped her lips upon seeing the specter, and then an eerie peace swept over her. “Thank you, my friend,” Hanna murmured, “You have my word that I will use this mighty weapon in the name of justice and peace. Nathanael, let’s go back to the entrance.”

Nathanael carried Hanna back to the entrance where his pack lay and had her prop the sword against the wall before gently sitting her down next to the pack. He then handed the sword to Hanna. “I’m going to gather some firewood, Hanna,” he declared, “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Hanna replied distantly as she cleaned the giant sword with her hand. Nathanael stepped out in search of firewood. Hanna took the sword by the handle and eyed its crusty edges as its point sat on the floor in front of her. Without thinking, she willed her arms to move and slammed the blade down on the stone floor repeatedly. The corrosion, tarnish, and crusted dirt peeled off the blade in great scales. The sound of the blade hammering on the stone echoed through the hall while Ezra’s skull gaze looked on in the flickering light of the torches. Within a few moments, the sword was clean...its blade gleaming in the torchlight. “My God,” Hanna breathed as she examined the ancient weapon, “It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen such an exquisite blade in all my life.” Intricate engravings covered the blade’s 66-inch length from point to hilt along with several blood grooves. The six inches closest to the hilt were made so someone could use that part of the blade as a handle similar to a hand-and-a-half sword. The hilt was an ornate carved draken with its wings and claws forming a double hilt. The draken was carved and engraved in the most minute of detail and was a flaming red in color with a handle over eighteen inches long and a draken-head pummel weighing the end of it. Hanna immediately noticed that the metal was an alloy that she’d never seen before. Moreover, its light weight intrigued her, as did its mysterious ability to increase the strength in her arms. She wanted to use it, but merely swung it back and forth sideways in front of her, getting a feel for the huge blade. “Amazing,” she murmured as Nathanael brought in a large armful of deadwood for the fire, “This blade is so light. How can such a huge sword be so light? Moreover, it seems to strengthen me somehow so I can handle it, making my arms tingle slightly. Nathanael, take a look at this blade and tell me what you think.”

Nathanael piled the wood just inside the entrance hole and walked over to Hanna. She handed the blade to him and he examined it. “Interesting,” he murmured, carefully feeling the edge of the sword, “it’s so light and the edge is still extremely sharp...very curious. It’s also made of a metal unknown to me and the artistry and detail of the weapon is very advanced.” He stepped away from Hanna and practiced with it for a few moments. “The balance is excellent too,” he commented as he stopped practicing and looked at the blade. “But there’s something very strange with this blade. I can sense a power of some kind associated with this blade. It’s making my hands tingle, just like the scepter does. And your observation about it strengthening you is not just a figment of your imagination. I can feel it empowering me too as I hold it. It’s absolutely bizarre. I’m wondering if the same guys who created the scepter made this sword.” Nathanael handed the blade back to Hanna.

“That never occurred to me,” Hanna replied as she sat it in her lap. “We may have another device on our hands in the form of this sword. I have the distinct feeling that this blade has a history I can only dream of. Argus, do you what this sword really is?” Hanna removed her glove and touched the bare blade with bare skin. Her eyes grew wide as she felt the same strange energy emanating from the sword that she felt from Shadizar Kahn’s scepter. Even more, skin contact with the sword caused the strength in her arms to jump threefold. “It has the same energy signature as the Kahn’s scepter and is giving me an energy boost as I speak. Can you explain this, Argus?” she asked.

“Yes, I can, but we can talk of that later,” Argus answered. “First, Nathanael must finish gathering wood for your fire so you can eat and replenish your strength.”

Hanna nodded, knowing that Argus was right. “Okay,” she murmured, putting the glove back on and sitting the sword aside. “Besides, it is getting a little cold. I wish I could help.”

Nathanael smiled warmly, saying, “Don’t worry about it. I knew what I was in for when I came on this trip. Getting firewood is nothing. I’m just happy there’s enough of it around to make a fire.” With that, he went for more firewood. Minutes later, he returned with enough firewood to have a fire and keep it going for a while. Once Nathanael set up the campfire, Argus ignited it with a short burst from his flame breath. Argus then promptly blocked the entrance with his body. Nathanael broke out the rations and made dinner over the fire. As they sat eating, the sound of running water still intrigued them, but they didn’t investigate. The strange lingering scent Nathanael and Argus noticed outside continued to permeate everything inside the keep, putting both Hanna and Nathanael on edge.

After eating her ration for the night, Hanna turned her attention once again to the great blade. Argus saw her looking at the strange glyphs on the blade and said, “You’re right about that blade, my friend. That blade was a special gift of the Ilmarinen to the King of Caveria. Legend has it that it was forged in a magical furnace and never has to be sharpened. It always keeps a keen edge on its blade. The king gave it to his son Ezra when he became general. Legend also has it that it can slice through stone like a hot knife through butter. But that may be an embellishment on the chronicler’s part.”

“That’s very interesting,” Hanna replied as she looked intensely at the glyphs on the blade.

“You seem preoccupied by the writing on the sword,” Nathanael commented.

Hanna looked up at Nathanael, saying, “I’ve seen this writing before and it’s not the Stone Language.”

“Where have you seen it?” Nathanael asked.

Hanna sat the sword in her lap again. “On the Relic and the Artifact,” she declared. “If you will pull them out of your pack, I’m sure we can find out for sure.”

“Okay,” Nathanael stated, fishing through his pack. Seconds later, he pulled out the Relic and Artifact. Both were glowing softly. When he sat down in front of Hanna, the Relic started shining like a lamp, especially the strange glyphs. “Oh, my,” Nathanael murmured, noticing the sword blade glowing too, “The sword is glowing too. What do you make of that?”

“Let me see the Relic,” Hanna ordered. Nathanael handed the Relic to her and she brought it close to the sword. The sword blade and engravings responded by blazing as if they’d just come out of the forge. Hanna’s eyebrows rose dramatically as she deliberately moved the Relic away from the sword. Both the Relic and sword glows dimmed significantly. When she brought them back together, the items blazed. “This is very interesting,” she chimed with delight. “The Relic and Sword know each other like my amulet know the Relic. But that’s beside the point right now. Let me see if the writing is the same. You look too, Nathanael. I want to be sure about this.”

They both looked at the writing on the sword and Relic intensely. “I know I can’t read it,” Nathanael admitted, “...but these markings are very similar. I’d wager that this is the same language, whatever it is.”

“I agree,” Hanna agreed, “This is definitely the same language. If it isn’t, it’s from the same language family. Argus, have you seen anything like this? Show him the Relic, Nathanael.”

Nathanael took the Relic from Hanna and walked over to Argus, holding it up for the draken. “What do you think, Argus?” Nathanael asked. “Ever seen anything like this before?”

Argus gazed at it and said, “A truly bizarre item it is. I don’t believe I have ever seen anything quite like it. I have seen items that are similar to it with the ancient tongue etched on to them, but not with this alien tongue. I can’t say that I’ve actually seen one this big either.”

“What about the sword?” Hanna called out; holding the sword up so Argus could see the writing. “Is the writing on the sword same as what’s on the Relic in Nathanael’s hand?”

“Bring it here,” Argus ordered. Nathanael retrieved the sword and held it in one hand while holding the Relic in the other. Argus compared the two writing forms and declared, “I must concur with your analysis. These two items seem to have the same style of alien writing on them, which baffles me. Why would the Ilmarinen engrave this alien language on the sword they gave to the King of Caveria? What’s its function? What does it say?”

Hanna leaned back and chuckled. “Looks like I found something even you don’t know, my draken friend,” she chimed wearily, “We have more questions than answers. I hope that we’ll find some answers eventually. There’s one question I believe you should know though. Are Enoch and Kida real or are they a figment of my imagination?”

Argus looked at Hanna with a wry smile and asked, “What do you think?”

Hanna smiled slightly as she answered, “I think they are. I know they are.”

Argus smiled without answering the question, saying after a pause, “Your answers will come soon enough. Now sleep. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Hanna didn’t like to be chided like that, but took it in stride. “Okay, Argus,” she murmured. “I’ve waited this long. A little longer won’t hurt me. Besides, I’m too tired to argue about it.”

Argus smiled at Hanna as Nathanael handed her the sword. He put the Relic back in his pack, after which he rolled out the bedroll for Hanna. “I’m going to check the perimeter again, Hanna,” Nathanael stated after rolling his bedroll out next to Hanna. Hanna nodded as she leaned back against the wall, pulling the blankets around her. She watched Nathanael check the perimeter, becoming increasingly drowsy. Before he returned, Hanna fell dead asleep with Ezra’s sword lying at her side.

Nathanael walked back up, seeing Hanna snoring softly as she sat with her chin on her chest and the blankets pulled around her. He smiled warmly, sitting down next to her.

“You should keep her close to you physically,” Argus suggested, “The nights in the Dune Sea can get very cold. Your body heat will help to keep her from getting a chill.”

“I had that in mind,” Nathanael stated, gently slipping his arm around Hanna and pulling her close. He pulled his blankets up and let her lean on his torso. “Sleep well, my friend,” he whispered to Hanna. “Tomorrow, we meet our destiny.” A soft purr rumbled out of Nathanael that soon had him sound asleep under the bony gaze of Ezra Karac.