Sword of Stars

Chapter Fifteen. Revelations.

“This should be the place.” Garek muttered, holding the map up and letting the midday light the parchment. After heading east towards the marker they had finally made it to the spot. Now the problem was figuring how to get underground. “Any ideas Cess?”

Cecil took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “You can start digging boy, I’m heading to the shade of that tree over yonder.” After stuffing his handkerchief away in his coat pocket he put his hand on the hilt of his sword and made his way over to the cool shade of the large tree. “Maybe the sword is the key. Try putting it in the ground.” He called over his shoulder with a cackle.

Garek shrugged and drew the Sword of Prophecy with a resounding hiss. He looked at Aeryn and the twins and they stepped back behind him. Gripping the hilt in both hands he lifted the sword above his head and with a roar of power rammed the blade into the soft earth, going to his knees to drive it further.

Nothing happened.

“Didn’t think so.” Garek said as he pulled the sword out of the ground and wiped the dirty blade on the grass. He heard a hearty laugh coming from the direction of the tree.

A distant rumbling sounded before the earth moved violently beneath him.

“Are you kidding me!?” yelled Garek as he stumbled. Aeryn yelped as she struggled to keep her balance.

“Dyn, stop that!” Garek heard Ryn yell. He turned to see Dyn on one knee, both hands flat on the grassy ground, his eyes glowing. Gradually earthquake stopped as the glow faded from Dyn’s eyes and he stood up with a wide grin on his face.

“How could I resist?” The rhetorical question was thick with amusement.

Garek shook his head and sighed while Aeryn shoot the boy a dirty look. “Dyn, this is serious. The Lord Caster trusted you to help us to the best of your abilities. Let’s leave the pranks out of it from now on, alright?” Garek had to keep his frustration in check. They had been travelling for days and they were all tired.

“Yes father.” Dyn snorted. He turned his back and grabbed Ryn’s arm, pulling her away with his head close to hers, whispering.

Garek looked around, surveying the landscape. Hills were the only thing visible on the horizon; otherwise it was just a massive grassy plain. A few big trees sprouted up in random places where birds chirped away in. They flew overhead looking for food from within the earth that they could swoop down and gobble up in piercing beaks.

“Garek,” Dyn called standing a few meters away, “those big rocks over there, could they be anything?” he pointed towards a cluster of jagged rocks jutting from the earth.

“They certainly seem out of place.” Aeryn said as she flicked a stray strand of hair away that blew onto her face.

“Hmm…” Garek looked at the jagged shaped that sprouted from the ground. “Strange indeed.” He turned to Cecil in the distance. “Cecil! We are going to investigate those rocks! Come on!”

“Race ya!” Dyn challenged Ryn and he took off in a sprint. Ryn yelled in protest before breaking into a sprint. After she caught up they began pushing and tripping each other, all the while being consumed by hilarity.

“Sometimes it’s hard to believe that they are only ten.” Said Aeryn as she walked beside Garek. “One minute they act like mature adults while the next they are brats as they should be. It’s hard to figure them out.”

“Child Casters have it pretty hard.” Garek explained. “They are taken from their parents at birth then taken to the tower to grow up and learn to master Heterochromancy. So you can understand how their demeanour can change from perfectly mature to childlike almost instantly.”