Aglanthol 4 - Tyrnae (Journey to the Otherworld) - 15. Chapter 15

Neldor, Aaron and Lyaris found themselves in a clearing. The huge ash tree stood in front of them. They all recognized the tree instantly. Dark trees seamed the clearing. The light of the sun barely reached the ground and the air was chilly. The three of them felt cold.

"Good day, wanderers," Mimir, the gatekeeper, said in a dark and loud voice.

He stood in front of them with his spear in his hand. Mimir’s look was grave.

Neldor bowed to Mimir. Aaron and Lyaris followed his example.

"My greetings, Mimir," Neldor said. "We have completed our mission."

"You two have completed your mission," Mimir said, pointing his spear at Neldor and Aaron. "He, however, has not yet completed his mission," Mimir said, pointing his spear at Lyaris.

"I will complete my mission," Lyaris said in a serious voice. "Tyrnae summoned me in order to give me a gift. I have received the gift and I took it with me. I will take it to my home in Aglanthol."

Mimir nodded slowly.

"Very well, Prince Lyaris of Aglanthol. Tyrnae called you. You followed the call. Thank you so much," he said.

Lyaris smiled.

"My thanks to Tyrnae for a most precious gift," he replied.

Mimir gave him a faint nod. Then he pointed with his spear into the forest.

"Follow this path, wanderers," he said. "It will lead you out of the wood. There is one more thing you need to know, wanderers. As soon as you have left the wood, you will find yourself back in your world. Almost no time has passed there."

Neldor raised an eyebrow.

"You will leave the wood at the same time you and your young companion entered it," Mimir said to the old wizard.

"Thank you, Mimir, gatekeeper of Tyrnae. May you do well," Neldor said in a measured voice.

He bowed to Mimir again. Aaron and Lyaris followed his example.

"Tyrnae bids you farewell," Mimir said. He gave a nod, and then he stood motionless with a serious look.

A mist rose, and then the gatekeeper of Tyrnae disappeared from sight from one moment to the other. Neldor, Aaron, and Lyaris looked at the place where Mimir had stood. They looked at the huge ash tree. It looked solemn and ancient. The fountain was invisible. Lyaris looked at the place where it had stood.

"Tyrnae is hidden from our sight again," Lyaris said pensively.

Neldor nodded.

"Yes, only the ash tree, the tree of life, remained and reminds us of the magical realm," he said.

The old wizard turned away and walked in the indicated direction. Aaron and Lyaris followed him quickly. They soon found the path that Mimir had talked of. They found their horses. They were in good health. They took the reins and followed the path through the dark wood. The evergreen trees seemed to watch their steps. They walked for an hour, and then they reached the edge of the wood. They stepped out of the dark forest and into broad daylight. Neldor and Lyaris moved on without looking back. Aaron, however, glanced back at the wood. For the split of a second he was under the impression that he heard the sound of small bells. Aaron smiled and raised his hand.

"I bid you farewell, Tyrnae," he said.

Neldor and Lyaris stopped and looked back. Neldor nodded at the dark wood and Lyaris raised his hand and waved.

Then they moved on at a steady pace. They reached the place with the hunter’s lodge. Lyaris looked at it warily. Had Zhoron meanwhile arrived? Just when he had finished his thought, he heard a horse approaching. Lyaris turned his head. Neldor and Aaron turned also. They left the road quickly and hid behind a bush. Their horses stood motionless, luckily. A rider came down the road.

"Good Lord, the adept," Neldor said in disgust.

Zhoron came closer. He passed the bush where the three of them hid and then stopped his horse. He looked at the hunter’s lodge.

"Arrived," Zhoron called out cheerfully.

He dismounted and led his horse to the lodge.

"Good Lord, he has just arrived," Neldor said.

"Tyrnae turned back time a bit, it seems," Aaron said under his breath.

Neldor nodded.

"What will he do? In just a few seconds he will find out that I’m gone," Lyaris said anxiously.

Zhoron led his horse behind the hut. He came in sight again after a few minutes. The false magician entered the lodge.

"Quick now," Neldor hissed. "Let’s walk behind the bushes that seam the road. Thus he won’t see us when he comes out of the hut."

"He’ll spot us anyway," Lyaris said. He felt discouraged.

"No," Aaron said. "He will enter the wood. He suspects that you have entered it."

Just when he had finished his sentence, Zhoron came out of the hut with a grim face. He hurried behind the hut and a minute later came back with his horse. He mounted it and, like Aaron had said, the false magician entered the wood.

"It seems your magic works here also," Neldor said with surprise.

Aaron chuckled.

"No. I could just foresee what he will do. No magic at all, Master Neldor," he said.

Neldor smiled at Aaron, and then he pointed down the road.

"Anyway, let’s move behind the bushes for a while before we step on the road again," he said.

They did like Neldor had suggested. When they were certain that they were out of Zhoron’s sight, the three of them led their horses back on the road. They mounted them and then moved on at a steady pace. They rode until night fell and then they camped in a field.

When morning broke, Neldor talked to Aaron.

"I promised your parents that I will take you to your Uncle Garrik. I must keep my promise, Aaron," he said seriously.

Aaron looked at the wizard, feeling totally bewildered. He had entirely forgotten about it.

"But I don’t want to go there anymore, Master Neldor," he said, feeling appalled. "I want to travel back with you and Lyaris."

Neldor shook his head.

"We better do what we have promised, Aaron. Thus we can keep our journey to Tyrnae a secret. I will take you to your Uncle Garrik. I will take Prince Lyaris to his father’s home," he said.

Aaron and Lyaris started to protest. But the old wizard raised his hand.

"Listen. How would you want to explain what has happened?" Neldor asked.

The wizard’s words did not sound appealing to Aaron and Lyaris. After a brief discussion, however, the two of them understood and gave in to Neldor’s plan. They travelled on.

Garrik’s mansion was just a day’s ride away. They arrived at the place in the evening. Lyaris camped outside in a sheltered place, while the wizard and Aaron approached the house. Aaron’s uncle had received the message that Aaron’s father had sent him. He was surprised, however, that his nephew came to his house so soon. Nonetheless, Garrik welcomed Aaron and, like Neldor had expected, he invited the wizard to stay for the night.

Neldor left the following morning. The old wizard told Aaron that he would meet up with Lyaris again very soon. Aaron understood, yet he felt depressed nonetheless. The old wizard channelled reassuring energy to the young man. And then they parted.

Neldor joined Lyaris. They moved on together. Finally, the last morning of their journey was breaking. Neldor and Lyaris slowed down their horses. They had agreed on it without saying a word. They felt a need to prolong their journey.

~~**~~

"How are you feeling, Prince Lyaris? Are you ready to face your father, the king?" Neldor asked.

Lyaris glanced at the wizard. He gave him a nod.

"I feel ready to face him, Master Neldor," he replied. "I was absent for a few days. He will scold me. But I’m confident that my father will forgive me."

They rode on for a while.

"Will you tell my father that you set out in order to find me, Master Neldor?" Lyaris asked. "Will you tell him that Zhoron betrayed him?"

Neldor pondered. He looked at Lyaris thoughtfully.

"No, Prince Lyaris. I did not set out to seek you. I travelled west for some personal reason. I took Aaron to his Uncle Garrik. This is what I told his parents. This is what I will tell the king. We met accidentally, didn’t we, Prince Lyaris?" Neldor asked.

Lyaris smiled at the wizard.

"Agreed, Master Neldor. I also travelled west for some personal reason. I wanted to find Tyrnae. I got lost, however. Luckily, you picked me up. And I have not seen Zhoron," he said.

"I am not yet certain if I saw the adept or not," Neldor said grumpily.

"The adept?" Lyaris asked.

"Yes, the intruder, the trespasser, the would-be magician. He’s just a fraud," Neldor replied.

"I can honestly say that he fuelled my inspiration to set out and find Tyrnae. However, we made plans to meet up at the lodge. If Zhoron comes back, he will reveal it all to my father," Lyaris said.

"Then you must be the one who tells the king," Neldor said in a determined voice. "Your father will forgive you. You are a young man. The would-be wise man led you astray."

They looked at each other.

"He wanted to take advantage of you, Prince Lyaris. He betrayed your trust and he betrayed your father’s trust. If Zhoron really dares to come back, then the king will deal with him. This is not your business, Prince Lyaris," Neldor said.

Lyaris nodded.

"I have another business that I must address," he said silently.

He glanced at the wizard shyly. Neldor gave the prince an understanding nod. They road on silently until dusk was approaching. They had almost arrived at the capital. They already saw the walls of the town in the distance. Neldor and Lyaris dismounted. They walked, leading their horses by the reins. Night was falling when they reached the gate. The watchmen called out to them.

"Who are you? What are your names?" a watchman called out grumpily.

Lyaris straightened.

"I am Prince Lyaris. Please open the gate," he said in a firm voice.

The watchmen looked at him closely. They straightened when they recognized the prince.

"Who is with you, Prince Lyaris?" the watchman asked in a formal voice.

"Master Neldor, the royal magician," Lyaris replied.

The watchmen instantly opened the gate. Lyaris and Neldor passed it. They walked slowly and upright and they seemed not to be in a hurry. A watchman ran to the royal hall in order to inform the king and his counsellors. Lyaris and Neldor had half crossed the big yard, when a crowd of people rushed out of the royal hall. A noble man hurried to greet the prince. He waved at a servant impatiently. The man hastened to take Lyaris and Neldor’s horses.

The noble man, one of the king’s counsellors, bowed to the prince.

"Welcome back home, Prince Lyaris," he said. He was not able to hide his relief.

The man turned around and ordered the crowd to part and let the prince and the magician pass. The people did what he said. They gazed at the prince and the wizard. As soon as Lyaris and Neldor had passed them, the people started to babble and chatter.

"Goodness," Neldor thought. "Nothing has changed here during my absence."

He shot a few dark looks at some people. Neldor noticed that the people winced slightly in response. ‘Goodness,’ Neldor thought. Their reaction to his looks had apparently not changed either.

Lyaris walked upright. He looked ahead and ignored the people. He straightened when they reached the entrance to the grand hall. Prince Lyaris stepped into the hall and Neldor followed him. Then they stood and looked at the other end of the hall.

~~**~~