Chronicle of Ages (8 page)

A bright blue-white light flooded Bryce's senses, blinding him momentarily without the slightest pain to his eyes. He felt liberated of all his woes as he bathed in the lustre of the phenomenon, not questioning its timeless essence but enjoying it to the full.

L
et the events of this night be a lingering lesson to thee all. For it is only because the great Mother hast more compassion than I, that ye art awarded a second chance to appease her and her folk.

As Maelgwn and Tory emerged from their dreamlike state, they were standing before the great rise at Craig-y-Ddinas, listening to the lecturing of Gwyn ap Nudd who stood atop the rise with Selwyn at his side.

Brockwell awoke to the same tutorial. To one side of him stood Tory and Maelgwn, to the other side, Bryce. The King wanted to grab up his missing son and holler aloud his relief, but as the Night Hunter's words demanded his attention, Brockwell simply placed an
arm over Bryce's shoulder and silently praised the Goddess for his son's safe return.

Likewise, Vortipor became conscious of a change of location and then of Cara beside him. She stood by her own grace, her bruised face upturned to the otherworldly being addressing them. She was far braver than he, the Protector considered quietly, taking hold of her hand.

King Catulus of Dumnonia mysteriously found himself present at the otherworldly leader's assembly at Craig-y-Ddinas, as did the ruler of Dalriada, Fergus MacErc. They looked to each other in wonderment a moment, but dared not speak and offend their huge and rather ominous-looking host.

The lives lost in the mists this night, by the grace of the elements shall be restored. This time. To ensure that the unity of the Council of the Goddess be maintained in future, I order thee of the council to honour the word of Maelgwn Gwynedd, whom I appoint High King of Briton for the remainder of his days.

No one was more astounded by Gwyn ap Nudd's announcement than Maelgwn. What had he done to impress the Lord so much as to warrant such a high appointment of trust? He couldn't recall ever meeting Gwyn ap Nudd, yet somehow he knew this was the said God addressing him and that they had met before this time.

When my appointed hast served his time, the Council shall appoint another who shall answer to me directly and also protect the best interests of the Tylwyth Teg. If such an appointed one be not to our liking I shall make ye aware of it, so choose thy High King wisely. Most of the events of this
night will be a blur, for ye will maintain only that knowledge required to carry out the resolve we have reached this day. Except for thee, druid …
Gwyn ap Nudd turned his attention to Selwyn.
Thy memory remains intact, for it be thy penance to remember.

Selwyn bowed his head sorrowfully, accepting the Lord's punishment.

The otherworldly warrior then rose up into the sky to supervise the retreat of his forces.

 

Upon finally reaching his destination, Samson beheld the bloody massacre at Craig-y-Ddinas. The rulers of five kingdoms, and a few of their kin, were the only people still alive at the site. They stood observing the same being who had addressed him just before sunrise.

The Lord of the Night began spinning as he rose, whereby he transformed into a glowing tornado of energy. This mass suddenly exploded and thousands of tiny lights were shot out in all directions. The tiny balls of energy raced out over the site and beyond, each in search of a corpse to alight upon. As a single tiny light made contact with a victim, the life of that body was restored.

‘Dear God!' Samson was amazed beyond reason as severed limbs found their owners and healed without a trace. Weapons of impalement removed themselves from their victims and the dead and rotting construction workers arose to life.

One of the glistening elemental orbs alighted on Cara's forehead and she closed her eyes as a wave of physical relief washed over her and all her injuries faded away.

Vortipor put an arm about her waist as she seemed to become a little light-headed. ‘How dost thou fare?'

Cara opened her eyes and smiled. ‘Wonderful.' She looked to her husband as she scanned her memory for the emotional hurt she had sustained. ‘I know what I have been subject to this night, and yet the vivid recollection of the event completely escapes me.' Cara was grateful for that. But had Conan's seed been removed from her body during the healing process? Would a conception be considered a battle wound in her case?

Maelgwn surprised Tory with a long and meaningful hug, and she was happy to indulge his whim. ‘What did I do to deserve this?' She fished for information.

‘I have no idea,' Maelgwn told her without letting up from the embrace. ‘I just have this need to hold thee.'

All Tory remembered was a dress of flowers and seeing Selwyn, but nothing beyond that. She was now dressed in the riding clothes she'd worn to Llyn Cerrig Bach.

‘So thou dost not remember last night either?' Tory quizzed more directly.

‘Not a damn thing,' Maelgwn confessed, pulling back to look at her.

‘Selwyn!' both Tory and Maelgwn resolved at once.

By the time the High King and his Queen had scaled the steep rise to the plateau of ‘the Rock of Fortress', there was no trace of the Druid.

‘Okay …' Tory began to try and rationalise their situation. ‘Gwyn ap Nudd hast been appeased; we have no clue how, but …?' She shrugged off that mystery for the moment. ‘Then what hast become of Conan?'

‘Excuse I,
Highnesses
.' Brockwell stressed the formality of Maelgwn's new appointment, as he beckoned them back down the steep incline. ‘Bryce hast had an interesting thought.'

As Tory and Maelgwn joined their allies down in the vale, Samson had made his way to the gathering of Kings also.

‘What devilish transaction hast transpired here today?' The Bishop demanded an answer. ‘What have ye done with Prince Conan?'

Brockwell looked to the Bishop with contempt. ‘Whatever hast become of thy Prince this night would be of thy doing! He was a fine lad, by all accounts, before the likes of thee got hold of him.'

‘Brockwell!' Maelgwn urged him to back away from the Lord Bishop. ‘There art good seeds and bad seeds of every faith, and although Conan was the latter, Samson hast done no ill. He loves our homeland as much as we.'

‘Then why dost he seek to divide us by crushing our heritage and beliefs with the fearful and naive doctrines of a foreign nation?' Brockwell directed the question at Samson.

‘Each to his own,' Maelgwn replied. ‘It be only human speculation, and who can say if any doctrine be closer to the truth than another? A wise man can only respect the beliefs of others, and draw from it that which rings true for himself.'

Samson and Brockwell both appeared profoundly stunned by the High King's words.

‘Prince Bryce.' Maelgwn looked to the lad, who was waiting patiently to speak his mind.

The lad bowed to his new High King and glanced around at those assembled. He felt a little awkward addressing all the great leaders at once, for he had dreamt of doing so often. ‘It occurred to me that, if all the carnage of this night hast been resurrected by the elements, then although I did slay Conan —'

‘Thee did slay Conan?' Samson clarified.

As Cara caught on to Bryce's meaning her jaw clenched. ‘Conan hast been resurrected!'

‘Resurrected!' Samson echoed, horrified by their claims.

‘Aye. Conan lives, sure enough.'

The entire assembly turned to find Taliesin making his way down the steep incline.

‘As usual, my High Merlin arrives now that the crisis hast passed,' Maelgwn jeered.

Could this be the mighty Taliesin?
Samson backed up a little, having never truly believed that the sorcerer existed; the druid looked as old as time itself.

‘I have been trapped in an obelisk for thy information,' Taliesin stated in a huff, whereby the Kings and their kin couldn't help but laugh.

‘Conan be fast on his way to Armorica if anyone be of the mind to bring him to justice.'

The Merlin's comment certainly served to sober the group abruptly.

‘What art the charges against my Prince?' Samson confronted the Merlin, thinking him the mastermind behind Conan's exile.

‘Abduction, rape, battery.' Cara swung the Bishop around to enlighten him.

‘Of whom?' Samson inquired further, for she looked in perfect health.

Cara began to shake, not with fear or remorse, but anger. ‘I wast healed along with these other confused folk you see around us —'

‘Add theft to Conan's offences,' Maelgwn cut in to prevent Cara from having to say more. ‘Thy Prince hast set sail with most of his father's treasury, that I can prove.'

‘To protect it from being pillaged, I shall warrant.' The Bishop jumped to the Prince's defence.

‘He claimed differently.' Cara scoffed at his naivety.

‘Conan knew that ye of the Goddess' alliance would reject him and run him off.' Samson voiced his objection.

‘My dear Samson.' Maelgwn pinched the top of his nose, as he considered how to make the Bishop see reason. ‘In all the years we have ruled, has the Goddess' council ever attempted to drive thee out of Briton because of thy faith?'

‘Nay,' Samson answered honestly, ‘but I do not rule a kingdom.'

‘Forget the goddamned priest,' Vortipor snarled. ‘How art we to catch Conan? From where we stand now, he hast gained a day's head start on us. Even if we ride hard to Dynevor and take the river from there —'

Sounds like an awful waste of time.
The dragon stuck his huge head over the rise above. Only Maelgwn and Taliesin heard the dragon's words. Everyone else assembled was made aware of his presence by the sound of his roar.

The construction workers all started fleeing for their recently-restored lives.

‘Hell's bells —' Samson was set to fly into a fit, but Maelgwn gripped his shoulder to reassure him.

‘Fear not, he only eats criminals.'

The King's playful air was so casual and familiar that Samson relaxed. Was the King attempting humour? He was not given a chance to ask, as Maelgwn had turned back to address the huge beast.

‘I felt sure thee would have fled back to thy etheric home long before this, Rufus.'

One decided to stick around so one could not be accused of abandoning thee, thus forfeiting my reward.

‘Thou hast earned thy reward twice over, my friend,' Maelgwn assured, ‘but if thee would be so kind as to aid us now, I shall be forever in thy debt.'

All eyes looked to the dragon, for although none could hear his words, the differing tone of his roar conveyed his thoughts fairly clearly.

A battle at sea would be a grand final quest,
Rufus conceded with a grunt.

‘A truly legendary deed,' Maelgwn encouraged, giving the thumbs up to let the others know that the dragon had agreed to take them.

‘So what art we waiting for?' Brockwell was raring to go.

Maelgwn ignored Brockwell's eagerness and questioned Bryce further. ‘How many men did Conan have with him?'

Bryce dwelt on the question a moment. It had been dark and with the confusion on the deck it was hard to discern how many the sailors had numbered. ‘Perhaps thirty, maybe more.'

‘We number but eight.' Vortipor did not count the priest or the Merlin.

‘Three and a half to one odds seems a bit unfair … on them,' Tory commented, spurring them all to riot.

‘I love this plan,' Brockwell cried out.

‘Cara.' Tory noted that she seemed not as enthusiastic about the hunt, and could well understand why. ‘Thou art not obliged to come.'

‘I have anger to vent,' the Lady advised, solemnly, ‘and that will be best expended on a just cause.'

‘Settled.' Brockwell urged everyone to action. ‘Can we go?'

The warriors involved all scaled the rise to where Rufus awaited.

Only as Samson watched the dragon depart overhead did it come to his attention that he'd been left in Taliesin's company.

‘So.' Taliesin turned to the young Bishop. ‘I have a prophecy for thee.'

The Bishop looked to the druid, wary of what was forthcoming.

‘Thou dost not have to believe it,' Taliesin pointed out. ‘But should the event come to pass, then thee shall know what to expect. Fair enough?'

The worry did not leave Samson's face, but he nodded to give the High Merlin leave to voice his mind.

 

When Conan awoke it took him quite some time to regain his bearings. He recalled vanquishing a woman. ‘Cara!' He sprang to his feet to look for her.

Dead men do not give orders.

Now he remembered — Conan hadn't seen his assailant's face, but his voice was committed to memory. He ran his hands over his own face and head in search of a sore spot, but he did not find one. As the treasure chests all still appeared in order, Conan moved above deck to exact a few explanations.

‘What the devil happened here!' he roared upon finding his men all laying about as if they were half dead.

‘What the devil indeed,' said the Captain, spooked. ‘We were attacked, Majesty, last night.'

‘Attacked by whom?' Conan demanded more information, and the Captain seemed most reluctant to give it.

‘They were spirits, Majesty.'

‘Spirits!' Conan was so enraged he punched the man. ‘That wast no spirit that attacked me.'

‘Then where art thy wounds?' the Captain was quick to retort.

On that point Conan was stumped, which only made him all the more furious.

‘Dragon ahoy!' cried the watchman in the hawk's nest above.

Conan reached boiling point, believing his men were playing him for the fool. ‘One more report of mythological creatures and I shall personally run through the man who makes it!'

‘Then I would not look up, Majesty.' The Captain watched the huge beast come to hover over their ship. ‘The Dragon himself hast come for thee,' the Captain informed Conan with a grin — he'd not warmed to the
Prince at all. ‘Defend thyself for true!' The Captain yelled the warning to his crew as he made a dash for the side of the ship and jumped overboard.