The Children of Kishar - 8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It had been over a week since the group had lead the Revolt of Nifelhiem, as it was now being called. The stories, were found much to Jeremy’s amusement and Andrew’s chagrin, that Jeremy and his group were barely mentioned, indeed, at best as a side role and that the whole of the revolt had been a popular one, led by several nobles to place Crown Prince Rudolf on the throne as Helkar, a new title to fit a male on the throne of the Hel.

Fritz Boctmann and around 16 other members of the Black Guard had joined Jeremy and his group when they left the country, including a young man they met once before, Roderick Snyder. Though the men all looked a bit glum and depressed they all had willingly sworn loyalty to Jeremy almost as soon as they heard of the proclamation from the new Helkar. Though at the moment only Boctmann, Roderick and two others marched up the mountainside with Jeremy’s group.

Madronac had begun, and Jeremy promises of a traditional Elfin Party had not come about, instead the group had spent the last two days looking Evaeleon. Old stories told that it was somewhere near the source of the Danu river, however the twin’s grandmother had told them that it was actually near the town of Feoreburg in the southern part of the State of Vorarlburg in Austria, between the Rhine and the Danube both of which where once under Tuatha control.

The group had searched the lower areas around Feoreburg valley, but had found nothing, and then Jeremy realized that it was most likely in an isolated frozen area of the mountainside south of the Town near the ruins of Rothenstien Castle.

It was a place that the villagers told them to be wary of. As Rothenstien Castle was supposedly haunted by the Robber Baron who built it and proceeded to go insane, massacring his entire staff before hanging himself in the twelfth century.

The group walked slowly up the old pathway into the isolated dead valley that held the burg the castle stood in front of.

Around them as they walked the upper path swirled gray specters, telling them to leave the path and return to Feoreburg and the land of the living.

Then group entered the ancient castle courtyard, The ancient thing though crumbling and partially destroyed, was completely encircled by buildings and walls, except for two ends, the front entrance to the castle, and an exit to the gully behind it.

The mists parted and before them stood a being dressed in dark tattered clothing, that though once royal in color and form had long lost it‘s grace. This being was no ghost, and resembled more a zombie from human movies.

The creature looked at them through hollow eyes that had long lost their life and humanity. “This Castle, and the land beyond belong to me and no other…Leave here now.”

Jeremy smirked looking at the creature before him, “Lord Rothen I presume.”

The zombie looked at Jeremy, “I was long ago Rothen, Baron and Lord of the Empire, I ruled this land during the time when no man took the throne, and you are he whom was prophesied by the gate, descended from the Witch whom once came to expel me, and from the very being whom cursed me, and my servants in the first place. It is you whom will free us or you and those whom follow you will die.”

Jeremy frowned, “I see…. How…”

Rothen laughed harshly, “If you don’t know, then who does…and you die.”

Jeremy sighed, closing his eyes, “I feared you’d say that…. And sadly I probably do…” He pulled off his coat and threw it back to Andrew, rolling up his sleeves.

Andrew frowned walking behind him, “you’re not planning to do what I think you are…are you…?”

Jeremy just gave his twin an annoyed look as he pulled out a small pocketknife.

The Mage-lord plunged the knife into the flesh of his palm slicing a ways downward. Then pulling the now bloody knife back out, Jeremy drew a pentagram into the air. “I call upon the five spirits that protect my clan. Hear my voice and answer my call, I am the Blue Phoenix of the West, Jeremy alt Danu. By my blood that signifies me, and my voice that I am, in the Winds, and in the Earth, in the Flames and in the Waters.”

Jeremy’s voice, sounding at first forlorn and weak, gained strength and power causing the air to ripple around him with each word he spoke, a great pentagram glowing of blue energy formed beneath him as his blood formed a similar one from the knife edge in front of him.

“And finally through Life itself…. I Break now the seal upon this place and free it’s inhabitants from it’s curse, I hold that their sins are repented by their protection of my lands and my people, by my blood and bones, by my magic and my soul, I free these beings from their torments, may they travel to the Far Country in peace.”

The Green-eyed mage flung out his hand and the blood in the pentagram glowed a deep crimson flying at the Robber Baron, along with blood from his self inflicted wound as well, causing Jeremy to gasp in pain as he swayed dizzily for a moment before falling backwards, his face going pale.

Andrew moved quickly taking a hold his brother supporting the mage lord, “you knew better then to use that spell, it requires your very life energy to complete.”

Jeremy smiled, laughing weakly, “it was required, and hey at least it didn‘t kill me,” His face displaying a rogue smirk as he looked into the blue-eyed twin’s eyes.

The old corpse of a Baron looked shocked for a moment as the energy and blood flew at him. But when it hit Rothen, the old Baron smiled, whispering simply, “thank you Lord of Evaeleon….” there was a look of contentment and hope as the zombie lord’s body disintegrated, and the mist evaporated entirely, revealing the midday sun.

Jeremy smiled, slowly pulling himself out of his twin’s grip as he basked in the sunlight, “one sin and problem solved, now let us be on our way…”

….

Far to the north in the city of Edinburgh, the old and now frail lord Hienrich Boctmann sat in a hotel room surrounded by those few guards and people whom were still loyal to him. He looked out at the city before him with a sigh and a frown. “Franz, tell Herr Mac Ailpinn, his services have been Excellent so far, and give this message to Herr Eric of England…” He said, handing a letter to the young-looking humanoid standing next to him.

The young man bowed flouridly and ran hurriedly out of the hotel room.

Hienrich sighed growling, “bloody Kobolds, I bet he’ll be gone for hours wandering the city lost in a daze, or helping some old woman with her butter.”

Hienrich sat in the chair for several moments, before he heard a loud crackling sound as if wood was being splintered and torn behind him. The former mage-lord turned towards the sound along with the other 3 men still in the room, just as the door flew off it’s hinges to reveal a dark figure cloaked in black energy that hid all but it’s glowing red eyes. An inky black mist flowed out from around the creature into the room.

Hienrich paled visibly at the sight of it, though the other three men whom stood around him sprung into action, attacking the creature. Pulling out guns, and flourishing soul-stealing magic, to use upon it.

The creature just batted the bullets and magic aside as if it didn’t exist. Moving lighting fast it took hold one of the closest man, and snapping his neck before dropping him.

The hand that came out was green, filled with filth, dark slime oozing off of it, and even as the man’s neck was breaking the man seemed to rot. The creature similarly launched the other soul seeker across the room with it’s other hand.

As the man hit the wall he screamed his chest burning with bubble black ooze, as the rot ate into his flesh, cloths, and within seconds ate through the man’s ribcage and hitting his heart, killing him.

The final defender pulled off a couple more shots at the creature, speaking to Hienrich with concern “You need to get out of here sir.”

Hienrich frowned slowly standing up looking into the eyes of the being before him, there was no fear in the old lords eyes, just despair and a fierce pride. “There is no escape for me Johiem. Cease fire, go to the bathroom lock the door behind you. This will be over quickly…. Never mind my fate.”

The guard Johiem, nodded his head with a despairing sigh, “as you wish Lord Boctmann.” He backed into the bathroom, holding his pistol on the creature until he was behind the door, where he locked himself in as Hienrich commanded, though Johiem doubted his master’s or even his own survival.

The Creature looked at Hienrich, it’s eyes glowing menacingly as it’s voice came out in a hiss, “So Hienrich you have accepted your fate. You have failed me at one thing you needed to do which was to kill the Children of Kishar that entered the territory of the southern empire, and you failed, you failed to stop the Blue Phoenix like I asked of you, you even failed to hold the country under darkness’s thumb, as the Hel asked of you. You know what they used to do in Japan when one failed as utterly as you have…. It is something I was particularly fond of, clean no messy trail…”

Hienrich nodded, “As I thought, you’ve come to take my life, milord…. So be it….” the old man walked up to the Dark being, and ripped open his shirt, tearing the buttons. “I am ready for death, and have been since they stole my power.”

The creature smirked, it’s smile plainly visible beneath it’s dark cowl. “Well since you are so ready for death mortal. I have a better proposition, a final mission you might say.” The creature stroked Hienrich’s face with a clawed hand almost lovingly. With it’s other hand it placed shinning reddish-black gem against the man’s naked chest.

The Gem shot out tendrils imbedding itself into the old dark elf, showing almost vein like formations on his chest radiating out from it.

Old Hienrich screamed in pain, and sudden terror as his humanity and body was destroyed. Great black tentacle like protrusions shot out of his back, each one dripping sticky black ooze, then skin formed between them. His hands grew into claws, and two great horns shot painfully out from his forehead, curling backwards. His body bulking upward, and outward. His height reaching well over 9 feet as his legs arched backwards becoming more like that of an animal, and a whip-like tail shot out from the old man‘s rear tearing though his pants. Hienrich regained his youthful appearance and his eyes turned black and red, power radiating off of him, as he took on a more demonic form.

Hienrich bowed on one knee, growling. “Thank you milord Nergal, for one last chance. What are your wishes…?”

The being called Nergal smirked, “go now to Evaeleon, it is near the city of Feoreburg, and old Rothenstien Castle. Go now, destroy the Child of Kishar, and the Twin descendants of the Tuatha De.”

Hienrich grinned, “yess…my lord…” Laughing manically, which turned into a bull’s bellow as his new dark energy flowed off of him turning him into a very large bull made of black energy.

The creature that was once Hienrich Boctmann rampaged out of the building shattering the large window as it flew across the sky. Hooves leaving burning marks in the building and the air as it ran southeast, towards the mainland.

The inrush of air seemed to blow the hood off of the being revealing the grinning face of a man with a golden lion’s mane, and a cat ears. Nurgal’s eyes glowed red, as his face spread into a grin that seemed to have no malice. “Hienrich whether or not you destroy the Blue Phoenix, the power I gave you will kill you within two days, thereby ending my problem, one way or another…” the God laughed, a black hollow sound as dark energy shot out around him before, as he seemed to disappear from existence.

As the dark bull that was Hienrich ran across the sky, mages and humans alike could feel his anger, hatred and terrible power. In the Mage-Council of Britain, the ancient Lord Gael called an immediate end to the council’s daily meeting, a meeting that Lady Morrigan was conspicuous in her absence, while Lady Bridget seemed distracted, though Lord Eric seemed to have a bemused look on his face.

….

Jeremy and his group walked through the back gate of the crumbling fortress that was Rothenstien Castle and up a rock and stone trail passing through a long valley. The group walked steadily through the barren, muddy, and cold landscape until they reached what seemed to be then end of the valley.

Then suddenly, there was a tone in the air, almost as the sound of a chime; a visible ripple appeared around them, forming a huge latticework gate with a singular seal in the center. Glowing blue words appeared in the air, written in an ancient dialect similar to Irish.

That, which fell, only to rise from the Ashes
That which shines a bright Azure
That which comes out of the West,
With pure feathers and a song.
The door is shut
Your Blood and Soul is the Key
In Twilight under sun and moon
To Danu’s Home at last you have come

Andrew laughed, “So Evaeleon does exist after all.” Then he frowned, “are you sure grandmother didn’t just name you that so that you could open the gate…. And claim Evaeleon as yours, thus bringing glory to her lineage….”

Jeremy nodded, “I doubt that, she may be politically aware, but she isn’t that mean.” he pushed open his wounded hand to cause it to bleed again. Holding the hand out going through the glowing letters, touching the center seal on the gate, as he spoke again aloud. “I am Jeremy Ó Séaghdha alt Danu. The Blue Phoenix of the West, I am here to solve the riddle of the Door and free Evaeleon from her slumber.”

A melodious voice spoke into the air around him, “by your blood, I see the soul of the incarnate, welcome home my descendant, the Blue Phoenix of the West, Lord of Evaeleon.” There was audible clicking sound as the lock opened, and the doors swung wide.

The ancient city revealed it’s self to the world, at last awakening out of its dreams, and before them stood an ancient city, but one that had not been touched by time since it’s abandonment. The city was built in alabaster, with what looked like lapis tiles for roof shingles. The City itself looked delicate as if it was made of lace instead of stonework. Multiple great silver gates like the one at the entrance that cordoned off the little city opened as the group entered into it. In the ancient courtyards, trees not seen on the rest of the earth in thousands of years, leafed out and sprung into bloom. Ancient long since dried up fountains bubbled forth and sprang back to life.

Jeremy smiled and gave at his twin a self-satisfied smirk. “I present you Evaeleon…” He turned to Roderick Snyder…. “Go, bring the others from Feoreburg and tell them I’ve found my prize, tell them that I will be in the central spire there.” He pointed at the tall tower that made up the center of the city.

The young Black Guardsman saluted a grin of pleasure, “as you say your highness,” and began running back the way the group came.

The group walked through the little city that seemed to be made up of around five tower structures, with smaller buildings built around them. Four on the outer edge with walls and catwalks blocking sections into plaza’s with house structures plants, and fountains in each. The one towards the gate had obviously being the entrance courtyard of the city, the following one some kind of market, and at the third was the entrance to the central spire, and the fourth was closed off though there seemed to be a large amount of pants hanging over the edge of the walls to it.

The group walked into main entrance to the central spire, which looked more like the entrance hall of a palace, then anything else with tall columns and several statues of kings, and queen’s lining the edges. At the rear of which was a staircase with a tiered pool in front of it. And a tall elegant statue of a woman, standing between the two. The Statue was obviously made from ivory holding an outstretched hand, It looked neither fierce nor arrogant, but gentle and commanding, she held a resemblence to the twin brothers, that showed that they were somehow related to her.

As Jeremy approached, sconces of white and silver fire light up, water spilled from three slits in the stonework, pouring into the pools. A sphere of energy, with bands of black and silver metal slowly spinning around it, rose from the woman’s outstretched hand.

The group felt a visible shudder as something powerful and immeasurably evil hit the front entrance to the city. A giant bull of darkness and evil rampaged against the gate attempting to force it’s way into the city, but to no avail.

A melodious voice spoke out from the air, “you may not enter this city servant of Nergal, it is protected by the powers of Danu, Be gone.” At those words prismatic Energy coalescing from, the sides of the gate, gathering into the center and shooting out at the creature, hitting bull squarely in the head, forcing it backwards from the silver gate.

Jeremy shuddered gasping for a second as he looked up into the air, as a figure appeared before him ghostly and transparent. It was an elegant and beautiful woman wearing a shimmering white dress, with silvery hair, pointed ears, and green eyes. The woman smiled calmly, as she looked at the young man before her. She held an uncanny resemblence to the statue in front of them. She spoke then, with a voice that the group recognized from the gate. “My Lord, we have visitors and I can not hold off a creature of his power forever. My recommendation is to fight it head on…it’s obviously what it wants…”

Jeremy nodded, his voice taking on an almost unnaturally calm, “Thank you Lady Danu, your test is accepted.”

The woman nodded and faded from existence again, with a kind smile.

The young mage-lord turned around, “all of you, there should be an entrance to the palace courtyard, and gardens, two rooms over, and a staircase that leads to a parapet over the gate, go there and prepare to fling every spell you’ve got at it, but only if it defeats me and is a threat to the city.” His tone begged no compromise or argument as he strode back out of the central tower.

Andrew stood there with his mouth agape for a second then looked at his twin following the green-eyed elf out the palace tower, “that was Danu? and how do you know? Something strange is going on Jeremy, start talking.”

Jeremy continued walking through the three courts as he spoke, “I know because this place became a part of me when I shared my blood with it. yes that was Danu, the ancestor of all the Tuatha De, and founder of Evaeleon when she died she became a part of this place, as part of me will though as fully as she did.”

Andrew nodded, and The twins fell into silence as the two of them walked to the front gate that flung it’s self open as they approached shooting a final blast of energy at the creature to force it back.

Jeremy held out his hand throwing several blasts of magical energy at the creature as well, as he strode out the gate. “What and who are you…demon.”

The creature’s dark energy subsided forming the now demonic looking Hienrich, “are you surprised to see me Blue Phoenix…you shouldn’t be my patron is a being of great power and wants you dead…”

On the parapet overhead, Fritz Boctmann growled, yelling over the edge. “What the…. Grandfather what have you done?”

The Demon looked up briefly. “silence puppy…you are an embarrassment, you have forsaken all that I and our house has built…and I’ll deal with you after these two whelps,” He said looking directly at the twins. Black energy flowed off of the ancient lord like a stream from the ground. “Now die…” The Demon seemed to disappear before either brother could react reappearing taking hold of Andrew by the arm and tossing him like a rag doll at a pile of rocks several feet from the entrance.

Jeremy was just barely able to block a blow filled with black magic, though it pushed him several feet back, he blinked coughing, sudden pain arched through his left arm, as it fell to his side now useless. His eyes shifting only momentarily in concern for his brother before returning to his opponent.

The young mage-lord launched his own magical attack sending streams of electrical energy that formed around him to hit the Demon.

The demon-mage laughed, “Is this the extent of the Mage-lord whelps power.” Jeremy’s look towards his twin was not lost on the darklord, as he wrapping himself in black energy forming a tornado going not at Jeremy but at his twin whom was just getting back up from being launched.

Andrew was terribly injured, he could feel that his arm, the one his brother had given him, was broken in several places, and he was bleeding internally. He looked up, his face pale only to see his brother look at him with fear and concern behind a tornado of black energy, that he knew was Hienrich, coming for him.

Andrew worriedly shook his head, as he knew what his brother was about to do.

Jeremy easily time-slipped to where his brother was, putting himself between the Demon and his twin. Holding out his good hand, blue energy seeming to flow around him forming a blue shield between himself and the black tornado.

The tornado hit the shield and for several seconds it glanced off of it before it started pulling the energy around into it. Then shot the magic back out the top hitting Jeremy square in the chest sending him flying back onto his twin. Then continued it’s progress towards them.

Jeremy turned taking hold of his twin brother, to shield him, as Hienrich’s spell swallowed them into its depths.

Darkness was all around them tearing at them physically and spiritually attempting to rip the twins into shreds, it was all they could do to protect themselves from it’s onslaught.

Then Jeremy’s voice spoke out, power flowing off of his breath like a beacon in a storm, his whole body seemed to waver and shift white-blue wings of energy flowing out from his back, wrapping around himself and his brother.

Jeremy for the second time in his life wrapped himself in his power, energy flowing around him forming an azure phoenix. It sang out a wobbling song, Energy shooting off of it, batting at the darkness from the inside, and protecting the twins inside it’s form.

Suddenly from the outside the evil twister, shot magical white light searing into the tornado like a knife, followed by similar small ones, then a brilliant red, and a shining yellow. Then from the opposite direction, there was a ripped in the Air, followed by a yellow-green blast and a red one.

Andrew’s and Jeremy’s emerald rings glowed a fierce green in contrast to Jeremy’s own blue, and the twins smiled at each other, speaking at the same time, “hand in hand we stand against the dark, though one by one we fall.”

The two brothers laughed and took each others hand their magic bursting three times as powerful combined then apart their voices ringing out in an ancient spell, “Oh Holy light, made from a thousand innocent souls crying alone in the dark, led us your aid, and create a sword to pierce the heavens. Toten Kruz!”

With that brilliant blue and green energy shot outwards from the twins, forming a cross of purified white light, shooting brilliant energy outwards in every direction cutting and ripping apart the black tornado. The combined attacks of the twins and those on the outside, seared even to Hienrich’s soul attacking the dark power at his core and cracking the gemstone that was implanted in the older man’s chest. The Old demon was sent sprawling his power shattered.

The two boys looked up towards the direction the first blasts of counter magic came from, and saw about thirty people standing there.

An elderly woman with red hair, and a kind, joyful smile on her face, wearing a blue robe, along with the mage-lady of Ireland, and the new Heklar of the Southern Empire. And there were several others, including their brother and their friends of old, a being in a mask, their younger brother and sister, and their cousin, all of them wearing Silver-blue robes and some holding lanterns.

They turned their head in the other direction and smirked as a certain young lion-man seemed to be standing outside of Evaeleon‘s protection, breathing heavily, but smirking cockily. Alongside him where standing Ériu and Fritz, both holding a look of grim determination.

Jeremy let his power fade, until only his wings of energy were left, and they too soon dissipated into the air. He pulled his brother upwards with his right hand, and the two hobbled over to the now dieing Hienrich. He spoke sadly to the old man one last time. “It seems for all that power, it was borrowed, and in the end it steals your life and energy away even as it gives you power, thus in the end Hienrich you are alone…”

Hienrich gasped for air holding up his hand in one final act of defiance. The Old man was breathing heavily as he aged rapidly, Nergal’s gem shooting more tendrils of black energy into him, even as his skin and body seemed to rot away before their eyes.

With that the twins turned, not able to watch the man be consumed any longer, and walked over to the elfin woman with red hair both holding a very twin like cat-like grin.

The old woman laughed her vibrant and filled with an amused energy, “it seems I arrived just in time, when will you two learn not to get into trouble…I brought your friends too, you know you can’t spend Madronac by yourselfs, boys…”

Jeremy laughed, and Andrew smirked, the blue-eyed twin smirking, “Grandma Rietta, I had a feeling you’d show up.”

Their three defenders joined the group and Ry saw someone familiar to him…his little brother, and grinned running over and hugging the younger male. “This is going to be fun…” seeing the most of the rest of his family around him as well.

An evening of celebrations occurred once more within the city of Evaeleon for the first time in centuries, following several days afterwards, thereby allowing Jeremy’s promise to his friends to be fulfilled, and himself very entertained.

What happened afterwards is a story for another time.