Inside the dark chambers of the castle, the sorcerer, Murlox, had prepared to cast an evil spell in an attempt to destroy the Book. The room was dark and cold with the only light being provided by torches. Water seeped through the stone walls and trickled onto the floor. The room was also barren with just a grey, stone table resting in the middle. The Book sat on the table. It was large, perhaps several thousand pages, and on the cover was a large cross design. It was lined in gold, silver and bronze. Murlox was dressed in dark robes with images of the moon and demons laced in the cloth. He raised his frigid hands.
“I call upon the dark forces of the underworld to empower me with might of ancient evils to destroy this Book of Good!” Murlox screamed out. Streaks of energy began to form from the thin air and shoot across the room. “I feel your power, evil one. I feel your power to
destroy!”
The wooden door creaked open and two fire guards pushed Princess Rainna into the room. Suddenly, a howling wind ripped through the chamber.
“Leave us,” Murlox commanded. The two soldiers turned and left, slamming the door behind them. More flashes of energy exploded around them.
“What are you doing, Murlox?” Rainna yelled over the howling wind.
“I have summoned you here, Princess Rainna, to witness the destruction of your precious Book,” Murlox retorted. “Ohla, bakor, demone, destroy!”
“You cannot harm the Book!” Rainna shouted. “No magic can harm it! It is of
another realm!”
Then, the Book slowly rose from the table and hovered in mid-air. A white and
yellow energy field appeared around it.
“Watch me, my helpless princess!”
Two beams of red and black energy shot from Murlox’s hands. The beams struck the energy field surrounding the Book. There was a flash of white light and the roar of an explosion. Murlox screamed in terror as he was thrown across the room. He crashed against the wall and sank to the floor.
Rainna was motionless despite the powerful wind which swept through her hair and dress. For a moment, she was blinded by the flash of light despite her attempt to cover her eyes. However, the wind and explosion did not knock her down. Then, as suddenly as it had all begun, all was silent and the wind was gone. She slowly opened her eyes. The Book rested quietly on the table, unharmed. Murlox struggled to his feet.
“How?” he mumbled. “How could it survive such power?”
“Your black magic is no equal to the wisdom of the Book,” Rainna remarked. “If there is nothing else…”
“Do not speak to me,” Murlox barked, shoving his wrinkled finger in her face. “Guards!”
The two fire soldiers entered the chamber.
“Take Princess Rainna back to her room,” he commanded them.
The guards approached her. They grabbed her by the arms. She struggled for a moment before they began to drag her out.
“Wait,” Murlox said. He walked over to her and ran his pale hand across her cheek. “You are young and foolish, Princess. You cling to a false hope that an ancient prophecy will be fulfilled. So the Book survives another night. How long before the Keeper is revealed and
brought before us? Look around you, little girl. There is nothing for you. The House of Devon exists only to serve Lord Flar. Soon, even Flar will have no further use for you. Unless you become mine, there is no hope for you.”
“There is always hope,” Rainna defiantly answered.
“We shall see,” Murlox replied with a crooked smile. He waved the guards to remove her. As Rainna disappeared and the chamber door slammed shut, Murlox turned and gazed fiendishly at the Book resting silently on the stone table.
The fire guards led Rainna up the stairs of one of the castle’s towers. They shoved her into her bedroom, locked the door and left. She looked around sadly. It was a simple room with only a worn bed of straw, a wooden table and a cracked mirror. It was hardly what one would expect for a royal princess. Rainna walked over to her bed and fell to her knees. Placing her head in her hands, she wept.
“When? When, my King, shall you deliver us?” she called out into the darkness. She rose from the floor.
Rainna looked at the jewels and rings on her fingers. She took them off and threw them across the room.
“They are nothing,” she cried. “All the riches of this land are nothing without my King!”
Rainna wept again.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze of wind rushed through her hair. It was soothing and cool.
Rainna reached up to try and touch it, but she could not. She looked around quickly and saw a figure standing there in the darkness.
“Who are you?” she called out.
“Do not approach me,” the figure said. It was a young girl’s voice. “Take the Book to the city of Rone. Your King has heard you, Rainna. Your horse is ready. Speak of my instructions to no one.”
There was another gush of wind and the figure was gone. Rainna looked down at her hands. The rings and jewels had been returned.
THE ADVENTURE WILL CONTINUE........
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