The Lost Eight by Duron Crejaro (libby ebook reader .txt) 📖

the city loomed high before them, thick and imposing. Amlily was one of the oldest cities on the continent, dating back to before the Thrynmore civil war. Enormous towers lined its walls, upon which sat huge ballista and catapults. Amlily had always been one of the few cities that had never fallen to invaders. The massive iron portcullis stood closed in the fading light of the late afternoon. The three could plainly see several of the city guard standing in the observatory above the gate. They peered down at the three suspiciously from their perch.

 

"Who goes there?" The apparent leader of the troop yelled down at them loudly.

 

Elris motioned his companions to keep silent. Desoil had covered himself in an over large hooded cloak, figuring the sight of a Broslak might be detrimental to their entry especially one as extraordinary looking as he. Creolis ignored Elris and stepped forward. "I'm a Kynnorian knight, traveling to Thyrinn from the north. We seek lodgings for the evening, and a hot meal."

 

"Don't see many knights through here, but it doesn't matter." came a brisk response. "King Yelon has decreed no one enters after the evening bell has tolled."

 

"And why is that?" He queried, finding it odd that a city of this size would close its gate to travelers. It’s not like the watch could not handle a few rough characters should they enter the city.

 

"We've been overrun by a deluge of refugees. Claiming they come from Kynnory, and that the city has been ransacked by an army of unknown origin. The king is taking no chances with the safety of his people."

 

   Creolis perked up immensely at this, his thoughts immediately going to his family, "Good sir, my family is from Kynnory, and it is true they have been attacked. Please allow us entrance that I might look for news of them."

 

"Unlikely even if the bell hadn't tolled. Your friends look suspicious, like the cloaked creatures that supposedly attacked Kynnory. You could easily have stolen that armor. Now off with you, before we turn our crossbows on you." retorted the overly wary guardsmen.

 

Creolis frowned, he desperately wanted in the city now. Without the watch allowing it, he saw little chance of it happening. Elris glared at Creolis for his rashness, wanting nothing more then to smack him upside his head for his simple mindedness. "I told you to be silent. I could have gotten us entry. As it stands now they’re more likely to shoot us. Come, we will make camp for now, and I will enter the city alone."

 

"Alone?" Even Desoil seemed unsympathetic to the idea, "And how will you do that? We all heard they’ve closed the gates for tonight, and you’ve been seen already, even without us with you they’re likely to shoot first."

 

"You two forget I've been traversing these lands for a lifetime. I know secret ways that few have dreamt of. I will go; the loremaster is an old friend, and are highly respected in Amlily. If a request is made by the Loremaster that we be granted access, then it will be so." Without having any other viable option, the other two agreed. The three moved off some distance from the city's walls, making camp near a small grove of trees a slight way off the main road. While Creolis and Desoil made themselves as comfortable as possible, Elris turned south, leaving his companions to sit and wait.

 

He followed the river’s edge in the waning light of the evening. Once he felt he was close enough to the walls of the city, he huddled quietly within the reeds along its banks. He waited, obscured from sight until twilight had faded into the full grip of darkness. He moved again, wading silently into the cold waters of the Reastro. Always a strong swimmer, he made short work of the distance to the walls that plunged into the icy depths of the river. With a hand upon the wall, he waded slowly along its course. Eventually he found what he was looking for, a small notch in the stone. He smiled remembering when she had placed it there. With as large of a breath as he could muster, he dove. Using the wall as a guide, he swam down into the darkness. It opened up into a large circular tunnel. Swimming with urgency now he traveled the short length of the passage to the iron grating that fed into the city aqueducts, his precious supply of air running dangerously low. It had been ages since he had been forced to enter the city in this way. Mutely he sent out a prayer that the grating had not been replaced. Much to his lungs relief, the opening was still there. Within heartbeats that felt like an eternity, he was through the small gap and frantically kicking his way to the surface. He burst forth as calmly as he could, his lungs burning, an intense need for air nearly overpowering.

 

Swiftly he surveyed his surroundings, gliding to the edge of the aquifer. He threw himself over the edge landing with a wet smack on the brick street below. The drop was not far, but he wanted to get out of sight quickly lest he raise anyone’s suspicion. At this hour, the streets were becoming deserted. Normally it would not be so, but the refugees and rumors of attacks had the citizens on edge. His memory was long lived, though it had been many years since he had visited Amlily. He deftly ducked through the city. The king’s palace sat some distance from the river, a tall imposing figure atop the hillside in the distance. The trader’s guilds and living quarters dotted the area freely. The only mark upon the city that remained ever constant was the Loremaster. It was not quite a guild, nor was it the ruling class of the city. It was essentially a library, a portal to ancient times. In Amlily, the loremaster kept the secrets of ages past, things that were beyond remembering by everyone else. People did not quite understand it, but they accepted it, needed it, a reservoir of knowledge to be called upon when needed.

 

He stood upon the entrance, his nervousness apparent on his face. Usually his nerves were firm, but in this instance after so many years had passed, he was uncertain of the reception he would receive. He rang the bell loudly, and stood waiting, almost fidgeting. A young man answered the door, his plain robes giving nothing away. "May I help you sir? Visiting hours are from nine until three."

 

"The tempest has risen, fate hath chosen, I seek that which has been lost. Pray that I find it." Elris replied, speaking a secret phrase no one except him would know. The young man’s skin grew visibly pale. He had been trained to know his expected response all his life. Though from the look on his face, Elris doubted he ever predicted it would really happen. He stuttered in response, the training leaving him. He gave a low bow and retreated quickly into the building. A few minutes later, a younger woman appeared. A warm smile adorned her face as she invited him in. He followed her anxiously, as she led him through the musty corridors of the library. Finally, they came to a large set of old double doors. She motioned to them, knowing her presence would not be needed inside.

 

He thrust open the doors quietly and stepped inside. The room opened into a huge chamber. It was lined wall to wall in books. Nothing but shelves upon shelves upon shelves of books. The room itself was spotless as far as Elris could tell. Though obviously some of the books were ancient, and the room smelled musty with age, it had been kept meticulously clean. Small oil lamps dotted the room, giving a low eerie light throughout the room. Up above Elris noted a huge glass skylight, which allowed the room to be filled with the warm natural light of the sun during the day. At the center of the room was a small ornate couch, decorated with many soft velvet pillows in a myriad of colors. Near this were several small sitting chairs and a rather large oaken table, covered with several volumes of books. In one of the chairs lounged a figure, thumbing through one of the volumes. She was tall, unusually so, gilded in a deep violet gown that hugged her curves, covering everything yet leaving little to the imagination giving her a rather young appearance. He could not be sure though, her entire head was covered in a large veil that matched her outfit. The only thing visible, her strange pale yellow eyes, some said to be a product of living life in the seclusion of books. She continued perusing the book without looking up, "It's been a long time Elris."

 

Elris plopped down in a nearby chair, showing no etiquette, talking as if to an old friend. "Yes, it has. Then again you know what I've been up to."

 

"But of course. So what is it that brings you to see me?" She never paused her reading, eyes darting back and forth along the pages.

 

He sighed a bit at this, sitting up a little straighter so he could look right at her piercing yellow eyes, hoping to gain their attention. "The Lost Eight. You know Belladria has found at least one. They are beginning to surface.” He paused briefly to see if this garnered a response, then continued when he received none. “I have discovered one as well. The Crown of Elia."

 

   The book slipped from her hand, making a dull thud as it hit the floor. Her intense yellow eyes staring at him as if she thought this was a dream. "You have it here? With you now?" The excitement was easy to hear in her musical voice.

 

With a slight shake of his head, "No, of course not. You know it would be nothing more then a useless clump of metal to me." He let the silence carry a moment, "It has chosen a bearer."

 

"Who?" She had shifted forward as he spoke, sitting now on the edge of her seat. Animatedly her eyes scanned him, urging him to divulge what he knew.

 

"I wouldn't have believed it myself, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. A Broslak albino, reborn is the Silver One." He answered with a strange conviction to his voice, willing her to believe him.

 

"Truly?" her voice was almost a whisper now, her mind struggling to process what she was being told.

 

"Yes, and I have selected the one that is to be the guardian. A Kynnorian knight, His Adrari is untested, but powerful." It came out as an emotionless statement that he expected to be taken for granted by her.

 

"Oh by Renad, we've waited so long." she looked away a moment, eyes holding sadness, "So very long."

 

"And now we seem to be running out of time. Belladria has mobilized her armies. I’m sure you know of the refugees even now flooding into Amlily. We have been traveling for the better part of two moons already and she has likely conquered much of the Kynnory city-state by now."

 

"And what would you have me do? I have already been pressuring the King to prepare the city for war, but he seems doubtful of the true danger we face." She assured him of her ever-vigilant efforts in their cause.

 

"I need what we don't have. Time. First, you must use your influence to gain my friends entry to the city. There are things," he trailed off a bit considering his words, "They need to be made aware of, but do not give them to much, only enough."

 

A laugh echoed in the room, cold crisp and almost seductive, "But of course, I have not lost my touch Elris. I must warn you though, Belladria has agents even here. They will know of your coming."

 

"It can't be helped. Later we will