CHAPTER TWO: THE RULER'S COUSIN
The wizened old man sat in his armchair slowly stroking his long white beard and staring thoughtfully into the open fire.
It would be only hours now before he would at last see his son again. Then he, Dravas, could begin teaching Darius, equipping him with all of the knowledge and wisdom that, some day, he would need to take over from him as Master Elementalist and ruler of all Zanafiar.
His eyes flickered upwards and rested on the golden sceptre that lay in the gold-encrusted glass case mounted on the wall and, sighing, he wondered what life would have been like without the responsibility of being its keeper. Sometimes…just sometimes…he wished, if only for a moment, that he wasn’t blessed … or cursed … with this legacy. It was such an honour to be Master Elementalist and Keeper of the Sceptre. It made him the most powerful being in the land, not to mention ruler of Zanafiar. And yet it was a responsibility that had been the cause of the most tragic time of his life: the death of his wife, Arrianne, and the loss of his son, Darius.
Hundreds of years earlier Dravas’ ancestor, Rufius, had been the Head of the Council of The Elements, a powerful group of elementalists who, between them, governed and ruled Zanafiar fairly and wisely.
These six elementalists were the first in Zanafiar with the ability to summon and control elemental creatures – earth, water, fire, nature or air. Rufius was a particularly powerful elementalist and was able to summon and control not only all of the elementals, but also healing spirits from the Realm of The Dead and reflective beings from the Plane of Light.
Each of the elementalists on the council had taken an oath never to abuse their powers. To enable future generations to benefit from their abilities, they enlisted the help of a sorcerer and each had their power transferred into a jewel, thus creating seven powerful elemental gems, which after their deaths could be handed down to each of their descendants.
There were seven gems in all. The council elementalists created the five elemental gems –earth, water, fire, nature and air. A further two additional gems were created by Rufius. The reflective gem gave its user the ability to summon a glass imp from the Plane of Light. These imps were able to deflect many spells and weapons that were being aimed at the holder of the gem. The white necromantic gem gave its user the ability to summon various healing spirits from the Realm of the Dead.
Each of the jewels was powerful when used alone, and could summon fairly strong elementals depending on the user’s ability. But when used in conjunction with the others, the extent of power and control over the elements was much greater. Together, the gems could summon even king elementals, giving the user ultimate power and control. The reflective gem, when used with the others, was able to summon Reflector, a being from the Plane of Light, who could deflect any spell or weapon away from the holder of the gems. The power of the white necromantic gem, when used alongside the other six jewels, was so great that it could summon the White Necromancer, a spirit princess from the Realm of The Dead, who was able, in some cases, to grant the gift of life.
However, the power contained within these stones bred greed, and, in time, the five council elementalists became consumed and corrupted. They began to misuse the gems for their own benefit, even summoning elemental creatures to fight amongst themselves.
Rufius, a good and fair ruler, had then decided that it was too dangerous to leave such powers with those that were so easily corruptible. He stripped the five council members of their responsibilities and became the lone keeper of the gems.
Alone, Rufius continued to rule Zanafiar fairly and wisely. He encrusted the gems into the handle of his own golden sceptre, which served as a portal for the combined power of the seven stones. From then on, it became known as The Sceptre of Zanafiar. Protected by many powerful elemental forces, it was handed down over the years to the first-born of his direct descendants, who each took over as Master Elementalist, ruler of Zanafiar and Keeper of The Sceptre.
Dravas, like his ancestors before him, had inherited this legacy and had been a good, fair and powerful ruler. But he had an enemy – a dark elementalist named Meerol, a descendant of one of the disgraced council members. Meerol had tried to lay claim on the sceptre and had even tried to steal it, unaware that it was protected by very powerful elemental forces and could not be touched by anyone other than its rightful keeper. The only way the sceptre could be used by another was if the rightful keeper willingly gave it, or if its keeper died or disappeared, in which case the protective elemental forces would be broken.
Meerol’s plans to steal the sceptre had failed, but the evil elementalist had not given up there. She sent her armies of followers to capture Arrianne, Dravas’ beautiful dalkien wife, and held her to ransom, threatening to kill her if the sceptre was not handed over to her. But by the time Dravas found out, it was too late. Meerol and her armies had already cruelly thrown Arrianne into the acid Devil’s Sea, taking the most precious thing in his life. With no body to resurrect, not even the power of the white necromantic stone could bring his wife back.
Dravas was left alone to take care of their newborn baby, Darius, who was only a few days old. Grief-stricken, he swore that he would never allow anything to happen to his son.
Using the power of the sceptre, he banished Meerol to the Dark Fortress on the island of Necron, which was surrounded by the deadly sea that had taken Arrianne’s life. He called upon the king air elemental to keep the dark elementalist imprisoned, so that if she ever tried to escape, powerful air elementals would immediately appear and cast her into the Devil’s Sea. But he knew that Meerol had followers and he could not take any risks where the safety of his son was concerned.
It was then that he had decided that Darius would have to be sent away for his own safety, at least until he was of age to begin learning to summon and control the elements properly to protect himself. With a heavy heart, he had summoned the king air elemental once more, and commanded it to create a gateway to send Darius into another world …the human world.
Dravas wiped away a single tear that had trickled down his face as he remembered the tragedy that had taken place fourteen years earlier, when his family had been torn apart.
“Dravas. Dravas.”
A voice broke through his thoughts and he turned to face the tall figure that approached him. It was his cousin, Caveros.
“Ah, Caveros. Please, sit down.”
Caveros gave him a slightly wary smile and, pushing back his jet-black hair, which had a streak of silver running through it near the front, sat down in an armchair next to him.
“You seem deep in thought,” he said, looking enquiringly at Dravas.
“Yes, Caveros, I was. I was thinking about Darius. He has been in the human world for fourteen years now, and it is time for him to return to me to start learning so he can claim his inheritance.”
“Yes, I know. You must be overjoyed.” Caveros smiled thinly and then narrowed his piercing emerald eyes. “But do you think it is safe for him to return here? I mean, what if – ”
“He must return to Zanafiar now. I have waited long enough already to be reunited with him. The reason I asked you here today was because I need your help.”
“Help?” Caveros looked surprised. “Of course, I’ll help you in any way I can but I do not have the power that you do, Dravas, so I’m not sure I can be of much assistance.”
Dravas couldn’t help chuckling. “Yes, I realise your abilities are, er – shall we say, limited? Why, I don’t think I can remember you ever managing to cast a spell correctly, even when you were studying sorcery and conjuration in the village.” He chuckled again, but then his face took on a serious expression. “However, ability or no ability, you are my cousin – my own flesh and blood – and I would trust you with my own life. This is why I need your help.”
Caveros frowned, clearly unsure as to what kind of help the elementalist was referring to.
“It is the elemental sceptre, Caveros.” Dravas sighed. “As you know, it cannot be taken out of Zanafiar, and should its keeper leave Zanafiar, the forces that protect it will break and then anybody could take it. This poses a great problem for me.” He looked earnestly at his cousin, whose eyes had now swivelled in the direction of the sceptre.
“What can I do to help?”
“I wish to leave Zanafiar to fetch Darius back to this world. I do not know how long I will be gone – it may be minutes, it may be hours, it may be days. But however long it is, I cannot risk leaving the sceptre here unprotected.” Dravas stood up and placed a hand on Caveros’ shoulder. “You are like a brother to me, Caveros, and you are the only one I can trust to protect the sceptre whilst I am gone. Would you be willing to do this?”
Caveros’ eyes widened in obvious amazement.
“Of course! Of course I‘ll help you. You know you can trust me, Dravas,” he gasped, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Good, good. That is a great weight off my shoulders.” Dravas walked over to the case that held the sceptre, his white cloak swishing around his ankles.
The case sprang open as soon as his fingers touched it, and he removed it from within. Then he walked back towards Caveros, whose gaze was fixed firmly on the sceptre.
“I have already called upon the air elementals. They have recreated the gateway – the rip through the dimension, which I sent Darius through so many years ago – to take me to where my son is. When I bring him home, you will return the sceptre to me and I can begin to teach Darius all that he needs to know to succeed as my heir and as its keeper. Until then…” Dravas sighed and slowly extended the sceptre towards his cousin, who stood up, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Until then, I give this to you with my blessing.” As Dravas finished these last words, the sceptre rose up and floated a few inches above his hands.
Caveros immediately stepped forward and seized it, gasping in amazement.
“I can touch it, Dravas! I am now the Keeper of The Sceptre and Master Elementalist!” He laughed wildly as he held the jewel-encrusted staff of office.
“Only until I return, Caveros. You must give it back to me when I return,” Dravas prompted.
“Yes, yes, of course, only until you return,” said Caveros, the sparkle of the gems reflecting in his eyes.
“Thank you. I know you will not let me down. Now, I must go and bring back my son.”
Dravas left the room, and entered one of doorways on the opposite side of the hallway. His stomach was churning with nerves at the thought of seeing his son again after so many years. What would he look like? What would he think when he, Dravas, suddenly appeared? His mind raced with thoughts as he walked towards a patch of mist in the middle of the room. Then something suddenly occurred to him. He had to ensure that Caveros remained at the castle with the sceptre until he returned with Darius. His son would not be able to re-enter Zanafiar without the presence of the king air elemental – after all it was the power of this elemental that had enabled him to leave Zanafiar as a baby.
“I’d better go and speak to Caveros,” he muttered, as he looked longingly at the misty gateway before him, knowing that his long lost son was waiting on the other side.
Learn about Zanafiar at http://renocharlton.com/learn-about-z...
It would be only hours now before he would at last see his son again. Then he, Dravas, could begin teaching Darius, equipping him with all of the knowledge and wisdom that, some day, he would need to take over from him as Master Elementalist and ruler of all Zanafiar.
His eyes flickered upwards and rested on the golden sceptre that lay in the gold-encrusted glass case mounted on the wall and, sighing, he wondered what life would have been like without the responsibility of being its keeper. Sometimes…just sometimes…he wished, if only for a moment, that he wasn’t blessed … or cursed … with this legacy. It was such an honour to be Master Elementalist and Keeper of the Sceptre. It made him the most powerful being in the land, not to mention ruler of Zanafiar. And yet it was a responsibility that had been the cause of the most tragic time of his life: the death of his wife, Arrianne, and the loss of his son, Darius.
Hundreds of years earlier Dravas’ ancestor, Rufius, had been the Head of the Council of The Elements, a powerful group of elementalists who, between them, governed and ruled Zanafiar fairly and wisely.
These six elementalists were the first in Zanafiar with the ability to summon and control elemental creatures – earth, water, fire, nature or air. Rufius was a particularly powerful elementalist and was able to summon and control not only all of the elementals, but also healing spirits from the Realm of The Dead and reflective beings from the Plane of Light.
Each of the elementalists on the council had taken an oath never to abuse their powers. To enable future generations to benefit from their abilities, they enlisted the help of a sorcerer and each had their power transferred into a jewel, thus creating seven powerful elemental gems, which after their deaths could be handed down to each of their descendants.
There were seven gems in all. The council elementalists created the five elemental gems –earth, water, fire, nature and air. A further two additional gems were created by Rufius. The reflective gem gave its user the ability to summon a glass imp from the Plane of Light. These imps were able to deflect many spells and weapons that were being aimed at the holder of the gem. The white necromantic gem gave its user the ability to summon various healing spirits from the Realm of the Dead.
Each of the jewels was powerful when used alone, and could summon fairly strong elementals depending on the user’s ability. But when used in conjunction with the others, the extent of power and control over the elements was much greater. Together, the gems could summon even king elementals, giving the user ultimate power and control. The reflective gem, when used with the others, was able to summon Reflector, a being from the Plane of Light, who could deflect any spell or weapon away from the holder of the gems. The power of the white necromantic gem, when used alongside the other six jewels, was so great that it could summon the White Necromancer, a spirit princess from the Realm of The Dead, who was able, in some cases, to grant the gift of life.
However, the power contained within these stones bred greed, and, in time, the five council elementalists became consumed and corrupted. They began to misuse the gems for their own benefit, even summoning elemental creatures to fight amongst themselves.
Rufius, a good and fair ruler, had then decided that it was too dangerous to leave such powers with those that were so easily corruptible. He stripped the five council members of their responsibilities and became the lone keeper of the gems.
Alone, Rufius continued to rule Zanafiar fairly and wisely. He encrusted the gems into the handle of his own golden sceptre, which served as a portal for the combined power of the seven stones. From then on, it became known as The Sceptre of Zanafiar. Protected by many powerful elemental forces, it was handed down over the years to the first-born of his direct descendants, who each took over as Master Elementalist, ruler of Zanafiar and Keeper of The Sceptre.
Dravas, like his ancestors before him, had inherited this legacy and had been a good, fair and powerful ruler. But he had an enemy – a dark elementalist named Meerol, a descendant of one of the disgraced council members. Meerol had tried to lay claim on the sceptre and had even tried to steal it, unaware that it was protected by very powerful elemental forces and could not be touched by anyone other than its rightful keeper. The only way the sceptre could be used by another was if the rightful keeper willingly gave it, or if its keeper died or disappeared, in which case the protective elemental forces would be broken.
Meerol’s plans to steal the sceptre had failed, but the evil elementalist had not given up there. She sent her armies of followers to capture Arrianne, Dravas’ beautiful dalkien wife, and held her to ransom, threatening to kill her if the sceptre was not handed over to her. But by the time Dravas found out, it was too late. Meerol and her armies had already cruelly thrown Arrianne into the acid Devil’s Sea, taking the most precious thing in his life. With no body to resurrect, not even the power of the white necromantic stone could bring his wife back.
Dravas was left alone to take care of their newborn baby, Darius, who was only a few days old. Grief-stricken, he swore that he would never allow anything to happen to his son.
Using the power of the sceptre, he banished Meerol to the Dark Fortress on the island of Necron, which was surrounded by the deadly sea that had taken Arrianne’s life. He called upon the king air elemental to keep the dark elementalist imprisoned, so that if she ever tried to escape, powerful air elementals would immediately appear and cast her into the Devil’s Sea. But he knew that Meerol had followers and he could not take any risks where the safety of his son was concerned.
It was then that he had decided that Darius would have to be sent away for his own safety, at least until he was of age to begin learning to summon and control the elements properly to protect himself. With a heavy heart, he had summoned the king air elemental once more, and commanded it to create a gateway to send Darius into another world …the human world.
Dravas wiped away a single tear that had trickled down his face as he remembered the tragedy that had taken place fourteen years earlier, when his family had been torn apart.
“Dravas. Dravas.”
A voice broke through his thoughts and he turned to face the tall figure that approached him. It was his cousin, Caveros.
“Ah, Caveros. Please, sit down.”
Caveros gave him a slightly wary smile and, pushing back his jet-black hair, which had a streak of silver running through it near the front, sat down in an armchair next to him.
“You seem deep in thought,” he said, looking enquiringly at Dravas.
“Yes, Caveros, I was. I was thinking about Darius. He has been in the human world for fourteen years now, and it is time for him to return to me to start learning so he can claim his inheritance.”
“Yes, I know. You must be overjoyed.” Caveros smiled thinly and then narrowed his piercing emerald eyes. “But do you think it is safe for him to return here? I mean, what if – ”
“He must return to Zanafiar now. I have waited long enough already to be reunited with him. The reason I asked you here today was because I need your help.”
“Help?” Caveros looked surprised. “Of course, I’ll help you in any way I can but I do not have the power that you do, Dravas, so I’m not sure I can be of much assistance.”
Dravas couldn’t help chuckling. “Yes, I realise your abilities are, er – shall we say, limited? Why, I don’t think I can remember you ever managing to cast a spell correctly, even when you were studying sorcery and conjuration in the village.” He chuckled again, but then his face took on a serious expression. “However, ability or no ability, you are my cousin – my own flesh and blood – and I would trust you with my own life. This is why I need your help.”
Caveros frowned, clearly unsure as to what kind of help the elementalist was referring to.
“It is the elemental sceptre, Caveros.” Dravas sighed. “As you know, it cannot be taken out of Zanafiar, and should its keeper leave Zanafiar, the forces that protect it will break and then anybody could take it. This poses a great problem for me.” He looked earnestly at his cousin, whose eyes had now swivelled in the direction of the sceptre.
“What can I do to help?”
“I wish to leave Zanafiar to fetch Darius back to this world. I do not know how long I will be gone – it may be minutes, it may be hours, it may be days. But however long it is, I cannot risk leaving the sceptre here unprotected.” Dravas stood up and placed a hand on Caveros’ shoulder. “You are like a brother to me, Caveros, and you are the only one I can trust to protect the sceptre whilst I am gone. Would you be willing to do this?”
Caveros’ eyes widened in obvious amazement.
“Of course! Of course I‘ll help you. You know you can trust me, Dravas,” he gasped, his eyes shining with excitement.
“Good, good. That is a great weight off my shoulders.” Dravas walked over to the case that held the sceptre, his white cloak swishing around his ankles.
The case sprang open as soon as his fingers touched it, and he removed it from within. Then he walked back towards Caveros, whose gaze was fixed firmly on the sceptre.
“I have already called upon the air elementals. They have recreated the gateway – the rip through the dimension, which I sent Darius through so many years ago – to take me to where my son is. When I bring him home, you will return the sceptre to me and I can begin to teach Darius all that he needs to know to succeed as my heir and as its keeper. Until then…” Dravas sighed and slowly extended the sceptre towards his cousin, who stood up, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. “Until then, I give this to you with my blessing.” As Dravas finished these last words, the sceptre rose up and floated a few inches above his hands.
Caveros immediately stepped forward and seized it, gasping in amazement.
“I can touch it, Dravas! I am now the Keeper of The Sceptre and Master Elementalist!” He laughed wildly as he held the jewel-encrusted staff of office.
“Only until I return, Caveros. You must give it back to me when I return,” Dravas prompted.
“Yes, yes, of course, only until you return,” said Caveros, the sparkle of the gems reflecting in his eyes.
“Thank you. I know you will not let me down. Now, I must go and bring back my son.”
Dravas left the room, and entered one of doorways on the opposite side of the hallway. His stomach was churning with nerves at the thought of seeing his son again after so many years. What would he look like? What would he think when he, Dravas, suddenly appeared? His mind raced with thoughts as he walked towards a patch of mist in the middle of the room. Then something suddenly occurred to him. He had to ensure that Caveros remained at the castle with the sceptre until he returned with Darius. His son would not be able to re-enter Zanafiar without the presence of the king air elemental – after all it was the power of this elemental that had enabled him to leave Zanafiar as a baby.
“I’d better go and speak to Caveros,” he muttered, as he looked longingly at the misty gateway before him, knowing that his long lost son was waiting on the other side.
Learn about Zanafiar at http://renocharlton.com/learn-about-z...
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