Legacy

Chapter 3

The chamber was completely round, with sloping walls that curved into each other, at the centre of which was a round disk that emitted light toward the floor, which in turn had a round pool that seemed to glow with a life of its own. Three great pillars sloped with the walls, jutting out toward the base.

Mae walked around the edge of the room, her boot heels echoing as they struck the smooth stone floor.

"You had better have a very good explanation for calling me back to these lands." She spat.

She was answered by an invisible force throwing her against the wall and holding her there.

"You would be wise to remember who and what it is you are talking to, half-breed." Mae slumped to the floor at the last, the force holding her dissipating.

Mae's mind raced to find a suitable spell, suddenly, letters of fire lit up in her minds eye, she opened her eyes and uttered "quake". The chamber complied, gently, imperceptibly at first, but steadily building in intensity.

"That advice goes both ways spirit, I am not my father, I am a far more dangerous opponent."

With a flick of her hand the shaking stopped and all was quiet within the chamber once more.

A figure appeared in the shaft of light coming from the ceiling, it was the guardian. The figure became clear, it appeared to be a reflection of Mae, but she remembered that the Guardian had no real self image, she appeared as a mirror to those who saw it as themselves only.

"You are indeed powerful young Leander, perhaps even powerful enough for what you will have to face, what we both will have to face. The world is once again changing, there are new enemies abroad."

Mae didn't like the sound of this, but her face remained calm as the Guardian continued, "The Leanders are once again called upon to fight for these lands, even though you may not like it, you are honour bound to do so."

Mae snorted "Honour indeed, so you are telling me that I have to honour the honour less?"

The figure in the light nodded. "You have no choice I'm afraid. Your grandfathers word binds you to this action."

"And if I refuse?" Mae countered

"If you truly did not wish to do this, you would not have answered my call. Moreover, I would not have called you if I thought for a second you would not do this."

Mae looked down at the floor, defeated by an entity that knew her better then she knew herself.

"Who is this new enemy that you would have me slay?" Asked Mae after a while.

"I do not know them, they are new to these lands, their magic is strong, strong enough even to evade my probes. I can only tell you their name, they are the Darkmass. They have attacked mostly non human settlements so far and mostly along the coast without any pattern you discern. I wish I could tell you more. " The figure in the light looked genuinely upset by the last.

"So where do I go from here?" Asked Mae, who had by now consigned herself to her fate.

"You are to go to Fort, you will need allies in this, many many allies. Things have changed there, the lords of old have long since passed beyond. Their sons are a different breed for the most part."

Mae winced at the name of the place, her father had left in shame from there before her birth, but whenever he talked about it, there was always a deeply restrained anger in his voice.

"Why that place? Of all the keeps that populate this land, why that one?"

The figure smiled, "Because you have already met the son of the lord of Fort, do you not think it odd that at that precise time he should become separated from his men? I arranged it to be so. The forests even now will do my bidding."