The Emerald Legend (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Shrieking Wraith

The two men breathed deeply as they looked upon the swinging bridge they had just miraculously conquered. Korvon looked towards Cal with a cat-like stare. "Why did the golem not slay you?" he asked, sparing no small talk.

Cal turned to him confused. "If I knew, believe me, I would tell you without question," he said watching the steam rise from the blazing river below.

"Do you take me for a fool?" Korvon said and drew his sword. Cal watched the tip of the blade rise to his neck.

"Your Highness," Calhūn spoke softly.

"Do not spit your lies to me, Peasant." Korvon pressed his sword closer. "Tell me why you did not perish," he said with a dark expression.

Cal looked down upon his person and then back to his oppressor. "Before the golem was about to slay me, a glow came from this," he said and slowly pulled back the fabric of his tunic to reveal a ring threaded through a chain.

Korvon looked upon the trinket with furrowed brows. "A common ring?" the prince asked with disbelief.

"It was crafted by Amalia's hand," Calhūn spoke honestly. "You expect a nobleman like myself to believe such tales?" Korvon laughed.

"You saw the Lady Emere'thael," Calhūn said. "There is not a difference. There are fairies and magic and demons. We've both seen them. So what is so unbelievable about Amalia enchanting my ring?"

"If that were so, then she would be a sorcerer. Sorcery is an illegal practice."
"I did not say she did it with her own knowledge. Perhaps she unknowingly enchanted it and somehow that repelled the golem."
"She would still be a sorceress," Korvon said in a hushed voice.

"Aye, and so was the ascended wizard who assisted your grandfather in the great battle." Cal looked down at the prince's sword. "Not all people use sorcery for evil."

Korvon lowered his sword.

"You're right," he said, which shocked Cal. "Besides, we made an oath to Solis." Cal knew that if Korvon was loyal to anything in the world, it was his family and Solis.

"Aye. We have," Cal replied. "We should keep on."

Korvon watched as Calhūn walked past him and towards the charred tree that laid on this fiery ledge. Calhūn pressed his foot against the trunk of a fallen tree and peeled a branch from its whole. He turned towards the river of fire, then back to Korvon. "Care to give me a hand?" he asked, gesturing towards the dangerous slope he intended to scale so he could light the log and use it as a torch.

Korvon sighed deeply as he moved to stand next to Calhūn and the ledge leading down into the lava. Cal held out his arm, gesturing for the prince to take it. Korvon reached out and took Calhūn's wrist.

Cal leaned back and slid slowly down the dirt slope to a small ledge below. Their grip became sweaty and slippery, and just as Calhūn was about to step onto the ledge, their hands slipped from each other's grasps.

Calhūn jolted down and slammed hard into the rocky ledge below. With his impact, the edge of the rock broke and fell into the flowing river of fire. Calhūn leaned back and pressed himself firmly against the dirt wall behind him.

Korvon became wide-eyed as Calhūn breathed deeply and looked down into the flowing river of lava. He held his hand over the river and felt the powerful heat shooting off it.

He drew his hand back and gripped onto the charred log he planned to use as a torch. He slipped down onto his knees and slowly leaned the branch over into the flames. Before it could even touch the lava, the tip of it burst with fire.