The Legend Of The Seven Crystals - The One Crystal -6

Prologue

Above the planet Meridia, dark skies swirl with reds and blues that obscure its two suns, the air filled with wave after wave of thunder. Random, frequent lightning strikes the ground, and a forest burns in the distance. Auroras appear on the horizon, as a cold wind sweeps through harsh and merciless. On the seash.o.r.e, high waves crash with a volume that rivals that of the thunder, and the few flying creatures attempting to take to the air find navigating almost impossible, the smaller ones crashing to the ground in sudden downdrafts.

Amid such widespread chaos, all inhabitants of the land, both instinctive and intelligent, huddle deep in their shelters. The dragons can still maneuver, but most of them remain on the ground, making air transport less accessible to those foolhardy enough to try it. The few people who have no choice but to travel must instead ride mammals or walk to reach their destinations.

Despite these uncommon, terrifying circ.u.mstances, no one is shocked, only resigned. The annals of Meridia's history contained details of how and why the same had occurred seven thousand years ago and would happen again in another seven thousand years.

Meridia has seven kingdoms: human, elf, tikbalang, enkanto, dwarf, ogre, and nymph. They all speak the same language, Geihazi. On this wild day as nature thrashes about in the throes of the impending event that will determine the planet's continued survival, representatives of these seven kingdoms are among the few who must brave the terrifying elements, some of whom have reached their destination, but others who still travel toward the same goal – The Portal.

On the Central Plains of the planet's single continent is a highlands area called Nipos, where stands a circular platform that houses the Portal Beam. Unlike much of Meridia, this spot in the center of the highlands formed at the same time as the planet itself. The Beam is an umbilical cord that enables Meridia to be charged with life-giving energy called epta.

Epta is what generates the magma in the inner core of Meridia, which in turn creates the magnetic field of the planet. Without epta, Meridia would perish. And every seven thousand years, Meridia's supply of epta reaches the point of total depletion.

Miroh, the life-sustaining sister planet of Meridia, is rich in epta. It travels on an elliptical path around their two suns, and every seven thousand years this...o...b..t brings Miroh close enough to Meridia to be visible to the naked eye as a large object in the sky. During the two planets' proximity Meridia can be charged with epta from Miroh, but for this to occur, seven mystical crystals need to be combined as one in The Portal to activate the Portal Beam that reaches from Meridia's Portal to the portal on Miroh.

According to legend, these crystals had been a single object called the One Crystal. The Crystal had been a natural part of The Portal, untouched by any, essential to all. But one day that all changed; to keep Meridia safe, the Crystal had been split into seven parts and distributed among the seven kingdoms for safekeeping.

On this dark, forbidding day, these parts will be reunited and Meridia will survive another seven thousand years – unless something unforeseen occurs…

*******

Leaving the shelter of the forestlands was not a normal thing for the elves to do. But when the elders announced the coming chaos as the seven-thousand-year cycle came to its end, its monarch, King Spartas, resigned himself to the inevitable. As guardian of the Elf Kingdom's crystal, he would have to travel to the Palace of Nipos. Never having been there himself, he only knew from the tales of travelers that it had been built at the apex of the Nipos highlands, and was magnificent.

As a youth, Spartas had heard many tales, but few about the Palace. During his third year as King, however, a human merchant had arrived in the Forest of Fulgrom with his a.s.sistant and several others in a caravan. They sought shelter as they traveled to a market town on the far side of the eastern forest. The elves ruled both east and west forestlands, and rarely entertained outsiders, but were cordial and helpful when they had no choice but to give shelter and aid.

This merchant, whose name Spartas no longer recalled, had been a jovial sort, full of stories and a shrewd sense of what might be of interest for purchase by an elf king. But Spartas had proven a difficult customer on that count; it wasn't until the merchant mentioned the Palace at Nipos that the king found a reason to listen.

"Tell me more of this place, merchant," he had said, sitting back in his chair.

The human had smiled. "Ah, Your Majesty, it is a wondrous place indeed!" He'd reached out to grab a handful of berries from the bowl on a table that had been beside him, and nibbled quickly on one before continuing. "As you must surely know, Nipos is part of the Human Kingdom."

Spartas waved a hand, impatient. "Of course. Go on."

"Yes, well, they built a thick wall around the area where The Portal is located. But such a wall! The thickness of it is several feet and it's made of black stones carried there across the Central Plains from the vast lands between the upper and lower rivers of the east. Now this wall has a main gate located on the north side, with a lesser one on the east, west, and south.

"Within the walls, one can find every kind of establishment imaginable, and a grand market in the center." The merchant had paused, eyes shining, no doubt thinking of the profit he had made there, Spartas told himself.

"But what of this palace?" the King urged in a gentle but insistent tone.

"Ah, yes! On the very top of the highland, perched on its rocky crest, they built the Palace of Nipos. Naturally, it soon became the capital and business district of the humans."

"Sounds impressive. More wine?" The King raised the crystal decanter left by his servant.

"Why yes, Your Majesty – thank you!" Without waiting for the King to finish pouring, the merchant had continued his tale. "So large is this capital city that two main roads had to be constructed inside the main gate on the north, and between these roads, there is even a lake! Eventually the roads join and terminate at the Grand Steps." He had stopped and taken a deep sip of the wine.

"And what are these 'grand steps' of which you speak?" Spartas had been torn between amus.e.m.e.nt at the merchant's dramatic way of speaking, and irritation at how long it was taking the man to get to the point.

"Why, they are a ma.s.sive flight of stairs one must climb to reach the pinnacle of the highlands and then to the Palace of Nipos where the royal family lives."

"Yes, I believe the current monarch there has a wife and an infant daughter."

"Right you are, Your Highness!"

"Hmm. By any chance did you get to go into the palace itself, or were you only able to see it from a distance? The truth, now." Spartas had raised an eyebrow.

Bobbing his head and grinning, the merchant had taken a final gulp, put his goblet down, and said, "I can barely find the words to…yes, Your Greatness, I did get to go inside! I was there during one of the many festivals they hold there, during which merchants are permitted to enter the palace and present their best and finest to the King and Queen. And ah, what a majestic place it is! All the walls are made from precious stones, inside and out – colorful stones, too, like rubies, emeralds, and amethyst. The part I couldn't go into, of course, were its towers. Three there are, so tall their spired roofs seem to touch the clouds."

Spartas had nodded, pursing his lips. "Sounds like an amazing sight."

"It was. They're in the very center of Nipos and the tallest faces the north gate, the second tallest faces the eastern gate, and the third tower, the shortest one, looks out on the south gate. And in the middle of those towers you can see a wide circular platform where The Portal and the Portal Beam are."

This was the part of the palace that would be of greatest importance to King Spartas, and was his destination when he eventually set out on his journey through Meridia's turbulent weather.

"During the day," the merchant had informed him, "the walls around the palace were shining from the rays of the two suns. At night, the place is like a well-lit watchtower, especially during the full phase of the two moons."

Thinking back on this discussion, Spartas gave a short laugh as he stared out at the roiling skies. "I doubt those walls are shining now," he murmured.

The King's historian had taught him how the human monarchy had ruled peacefully in Nipos for thousands of years. But that had been before the building of its glorious palace on the site of The Portal. The other races, upon learning of its construction, had begun to feel threatened. Everyone knew that whoever possessed the One Crystal could control the rest of their world. That had been the start of a series of events culminating in the splitting and distribution of the Crystal among the seven kingdoms.

But now that time had come for those sparkling shards to be reunited, and King Spartas, reluctant but determined, prepared himself to bring his to Nipos to help save his world.

*******

Of all the servants in King Spartas' employ, the son of his former Chief Steward was the one the elf king trusted the most. Masori was his name, and while he was fairly young, he had been instilled with a great deal of his father's wisdom. Before the Steward was forced into retirement by an injury, he, his wife, and their son lived in the apartments located next to the King's chambers. Because of this, young Masori had been witness to many of the inner workings of the monarchy, and had grown to love Spartas like a second father, while at the same time respecting him as King. No doubt existed in the King's mind that Masori's loyalty was unshakable, and that the young knight – for so he had trained to be – would gladly lay down his life for his monarch.

When it came time to leave for Nipos, Spartas announced at a council of the Elders that Masori would accompany him on his trip.

"Surely only one young knight at your side is insufficient for such a long journey!" one of the Elders had protested.

"Under normal circ.u.mstances I would agree, my friend, but because of the perilous conditions, I wish to endanger as few as possible. Besides, with the storms raging like they are, I doubt many robbers will be out on the road. Masori is a capable fighter, and his company will be sufficient."

And so they had finally set out on foot, the King refusing to risk the lives of the royal horses, and knowing something as flimsy as a carriage would soon be blown over by the heavy winds, or become mired in the mud made deeper than usual by the constant downpours.

Four days of steady travel had brought them at last to the Central Plains. They had made camp for the night in the questionable shelter of a small tree and some boulders – it was the best they could find – and in the morning set out on the final stretch of this pilgrimage.

It was late in the afternoon when the two elves had at last reached the highlands. They followed a well-worn track leading to the vast walls of the Palace, and upon pa.s.sing through the Northern Gate, were at last able to walk on solid, smooth surface of one of the main roads leading to Palace itself and the Great Steps.

"Highness," said Masori, wiping mud from his armor and adjusting the sword at his waist. This done, he pointed upward.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Look, sire. The clouds have moved away for a moment – we can see our sister planet, Miroh! And I it looks much bigger here, bigger even than when we were crossing the Central Plains."

"Yes, and not at all as it looked in the deep forest where we can't see the whole thing."

Masori sighed and smiled. "Ah, yes, she's beautiful. The life savior of our Meridia. I wish the sky wasn't so stormy, but part of the reason, of course, is because Miroh is so close."

"Indeed," replied the King, rubbing a hand over his face. He was fair of skin and handsome, but the elements had made that delicate skin feel tight one minute, waterlogged the next. His long, black hair, usually well tended and clean, hung in strings to his shoulders, leaving trails of dampness on his red cape. The characteristic pointed ears were red at the tips, and he pulled up his hood, wishing he had a warm knitted hat like those worn by some of the other races in the winter.

The royal garments covering his toned, medium build looked more disreputable than n.o.ble at the moment. He shook his head, glancing down at his woeful appearance, but then reminded himself that he was the guardian of the elf crystal. That was all that mattered just then, not his appearance. Together with his knight and friend Masori, he had successfully traveled across the continent, surly a cause for more grat.i.tude that regret at the wear and tear on his clothing.

As they walked, they stared around at the sights of Nipos. Even as chaos surrounded Meridia, everything here seemed to be business as usual. The market was crowded with traders and vendors. Shouting was everywhere; sellers were haggling with potential buyers; women milled around the various produce stands, pointing at this and that, picking up a piece of fruit, or sniffing a large vegetable.

But despite this appearance of normalcy, the air tingled with a sense of expectation, something Spartas and his companion felt keenly. This wasn't merely a part of the end times, but the awaited day itself. The Guardians of the crystals from the seven kingdoms of Meridia were gathering. The time had finally come to combine their crystals and charge their planet with epta.
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Masori spoke again, this time having to raise his voice as the wind began to whistle through the streets at a higher pitch. "Highness, may we go to the market for a moment? I wish to buy something."

"Isn't this an odd time for you to go shopping, Masori?"

"I promise it won't take long. There are some swords there that I can't find in our own market, and who knows what might happen with all the seven races in one spot?"

"And where will you carry all these swords, my friend?"

"I only need one – it's a particular kind, and I can buy a double scabbard with which to wear both swords at my back."

King Spartas agreed, laughing, but appreciating his servant's foresight, and the elves left the road to enter the crowded market.

Masori soon found the sword he was looking for. "See Highness? I told you it wouldn't take long. Here is the sword." The weapon he held up was of obvious quality, its hilt simple but strong, the blade unadorned yet lovely in the workmanship that had produced its sharp edges.

"Excellent, Masori, but we should go now."

As they turned to retrace their steps to the main road, Masori grabbed the King's arm, pulling him to one side as he shouted, "Highness! Look out!"

Spartas turned in time to see a young dragon lose control of its flight, its downward trajectory bringing it straight toward the King.