When The Crow Calls

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Dawn was breaking on the Enchanted Orb. A tall hooded figure dressed all in black, stared out of a large glassless window, from the turret he could see for miles across the barren desolate rock lands that surrounded his castle, geezers angrily belched out their sulphurous fumes. Below was one of the few trees that grew here, as with all the trees in this place, no leaves were ever born from its branches, it was like a skeleton with its arms reaching out wildly in the fierce winds. The crows which in habituated its sterile branches squawked wildly as he looked down upon them, eagerly anticipating the scraps of meat which he occasionally threw down. Geezers continued to belch out their sulphurous smelling flames of fire, the smoke rolled over the boulders and rocks strewn haphazardly in the castles grounds.
A squawk emanated from behind the figure who continued to look out into the distance, something in the horizon had caught his dark, beady eye, a terrible smirk flicked across his ashen face.
"Yes I hear you my beauty, it looks like your friend is coming home to join us too" he said without turning away from the window.
The crow hopped off the chair on which it had been perched and onto the shoulder of the figure, then using its beak and feet in turn continued to scramble down his arm and onto the waiting deathly pale hand.
"Much sooner than I had imagined my pet........... much sooner" he opened his hand and fed the crow a tiny slither of meat. The crow hungrily gobbled it down in an instant then hopped back to the chair on which it had been perched.
The crow which he had seen in the distance now flapped vigorously and landed softly on to the stone window sill, it instantly broke into a series of loud squawks.
"Come here my beauty........come" the figure offered his boney hand to the crow, the crow, hopped on, then snatched the waiting morsel of meat, flicking it eagerly down its throat.
Tied around its scrawny leg, a small leather pouch. The tall shadowy figure gently stroked its back feathers.
"it seems you have something for me my little beauty.........I do hope so for yours and your new friend's sake............ I do hope so" He untied the pouch string and removed the small parcel from inside.
His hands trembling he slowly, carefully, unfolded the parcel of parchment. After all these years of searching, here it actually was, his first piece of the puzzle.
He had accidentally discovered a secret, the Spell of Time, nearly fifty years earlier from a drunken traveller whom he had encountered whilst travelling around the Orb. The traveller had told him the fanciful tale of Danda Fragus. An Ataleeian wizard who five thousand years earlier had created a spell, a spell that could suspend time. It also had the incredible power to be able to alter the seasons, turning winter into summer and spring into autumn.
He told of how the five Lords of the Orb had heard the rumour of this spell and arranged a meeting with the wizard. Each Lord having recognised the importance and power of this incantation and the power it could wield for whom ever held it. For the first time in living memory, the five Lords met in one place.
The Lords plan was simplicity itself, they would poison Danda and keep the spell for themselves, they lured him to the meeting by each offering large portions of land and gold, the only clause was that he had to bring the spell written down with him so they could see it work for themselves.
Danda did exactly what was asked believing his wizardary powers would protect him from any wrong doing, This was Danda's undoing, trusting in his own magic for protection he entered the meeting room with his spell written in parchment tucked in to his tunic pocket. After only his second sip of wine Danda dropped down life less.
He continued on with his tale between drinking his seemingly bottomless supply of ale, a plan was devised between the Lords. Each was to have an equal piece parchment, each told to look after it in any way they saw fit.
The loose lipped traveller told the young man all he knew of the tale leaving no detail unspoken, throwing fresh branches onto the open fire in the interludes of his tale. His words wove wonderful dramatic pictures in the young man's mind leaving him thirsty for more. Was it true? He had to find out!. He had to have this spell, he could use it to resurrect his family name. The reason he was cast out in the cold to travel in the first place, it wouldn't just be the Lord of the county that paid the price it would be the Orb and all those who lived on it.
The first man to pay the high price was the drunken traveller. He waited for the man to fall into a deep slumber, then he silently, gently, slipped his sharp blade between his shoulder blades.
It would be the first murder of many in his quest for the spell, for the first time that he could remember his life had a meaning, it had a purpose, he now wasn't just travelling anywhere, he was going somewhere.
After fifty years and several murders spread over thousands of miles, the first piece of the first part of parchment was in his hand he could barely contain his excitement.
It was just like he had imagined, torn and battered at the edges, the words written in a strange blue ink.
"Well my pets the quest has finally started........this is the first step...the first step of many" the man turned round and picked up the crow that was roosting on the back of a chair. Over in the corner of the room lay several wicker cages.
"it's your turn now my little beauty" he said as he placed the crow gently into one of the cages.