Echoes of the Past

Chapter Thirty Nine - Part Two

Chapter Thirty Nine: Potions - Part Two

"I did," she said eagerly, her eyes flashing. "I had thought it looked familiar, like I'd seen it before. Didn't I say that? I just had to find the right book. That's the problem with having too many books, it's finding what you need in the right one. I had Den confirm what the book says, too. He called a friend of his, who, by the way, sounds incredible. An old wizard who lives outside of Tyken Town."

"What are the sceptre's origins?" He cast a look into the other room, to the shelf where the real sceptre lay. He could feel the thrum of the lingering power emanating from it.

"It belonged to an ancient Canarrian Red Monk, named Orin Scarten." She paused, likely to allow him to react, although the name meant nothing to him.

Melida shifted closer and pointed to a passage. "You see, Orin Scarten is a famous Red Monk, who was very powerful. And his power is somehow still inside the sceptre. His soul, even, is inside here. Trapped, after all this time."

"Trapped?" The word brought a shiver to Evan.

"So the legends go. Orin crossed paths with a dark god, who trapped him inside his own sceptre."

She turned the page and tapped on an image of an old man in robes. He had messy white hair and a beard to match, and held the golden sceptre that had become so familiar to Evan.

"That's him," Melida said. "He would use the sceptre to channel lightning from the skies. Some called him a lightning god, but he was likely just a master of the magic source. It sounds like it can channel a great many magic's though."

"What kind of man was he? This Orin Scarten?"

"He was a good man. Kind hearted. His real name isn't Orin Scarten. That's just one that was given to this famous Red Monk., whose name was lost over the years. He's named after an old Canarrian children's tale hero, Malold Scartin. And 'Orin' means 'brave' in Canarrian. So his name means 'brave hero'."

"A good man," Evan said thoughtfully. He considered another soul trapped beyond its control. The demon inside him. Why couldn't Evan have become joined with a great soul like this Red Monk instead?

"There is no malevolence in this sceptre." Melida was watching him closely. "And Den also believes it to be mostly safe, but very powerful. He warns against using it, however, but I know you can handle it. If you chose to wield it."

"How would I channel the power?"

"Knowing where the power comes from will help," she said. "You would be calling upon Orin Scarten to assist you, so it is like channelling the sorcery you're used to, but knowing it is an ancient spirit whose power you are using. One passage speaks of summoning Orin's spirit into this world, but I don't know about that."

Using a spirit to help. Evan was familiar with the concept. He wondered how he was getting involved with so many ancient entities, and then wondered if his personal demon, Runn, had somehow played a role in attracting this sceptre. Powerful forces were known to attract each other. Evan told himself that if he were able to overpower one ancient spirit, then he would be able to control the sceptre of another.

It took Evan a moment to say, "I believe I can wield it. We will need all the help we can for the next time we see Jaxx's men."

"Something is bothering you," she said carefully.

Turning away from her, Evan said, "I was targeted by Jaxx's Illusion sorcery. I saw many things, many people, from my homeland. Some that have long passed away. Some very dear to me. I would have lost the fight... I would have been killed, if James had not saved me." He looked up at her. "James showed a great deal of courage during the fight. I had not noticed how much he has progressed. In one moment, it was as though I was looking at a different person."