Whispers of a Legend, Part One-Shadows of the Past

Whispers of a Legend

Part One

Shadows of the Past

By

Carrie James Haynes

* * * *

PUBLISHED BY

Carrie James Haynes on Smashwords

Whispers of a Legend

Part One

Shadows of the Past

Copyright @ 2011 by Carrie James Haynes

Cover Art:
Cover by Graphicz
X Designs www.graphiczxdesigns.zenfolio.com

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the
author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Acknowledgement

This book is dedicated to the ones I love.
Bob, I would never have followed my dream without you. Gary, Tracy
and Becca Lee, you are the reason I write.

* * * *

Whispers of a Legend

Part One

Shadows of the Past

The legend, they say, is whispered within the
winds along the magnificent Preda Mountain Range, the words and
deeds never to be forgotten of the Time of the Nuxvenom.

Little children sing to the glory of the
Sordarins. Young lads praise their heroes of the past with dreams
of following within their footsteps. Old men bask in the deeds of
another time, a time when the Sordarins crushed the impending
threat and once more Scarladin was safe.

The mighty Sordarins, rulers of the sky! The
people look high up in the clouds and see their warriors soaring
under the sun and know they are safe and secure in their world
never to have to worry about the threat of the Arachnideans or the
dreaded Asmeodai! The ones whose quest seeks only to destroy all
the Sordarins have ever known.

The Sordarins have slept well over the years
secure in their knowledge the Great One watches over them, knowing
that the legends holds a mighty warrior will emerge if threatened
again, born with a destiny only to defend their world.

But subtle changes have emerged. Little by
little fear begins to resurface that their world, their very
existence is once again threatened. They look to the skies
anxiously awaiting their warrior; questioning perchance if the
Great One has forgotten them.

I know this how? For I am the one born to
defend their world. I, Kela Calledwdele, was born a Euchoun. I am
their warrior.

Chapter One

Nottesdone

The bitter scene of my earliest memory has
been etched forever in my mind. I have dreamed about it often. Oh,
how I remembered the bitter chill in the air and my beautiful
mother gazing up into the darkness of the night, Princess Eufamia
Calledwdele. Unbeknownst to her, I was in the shadows. Not
understanding within myself that I had been called to her side. Her
head stretched heaven bound while she stood upon the balcony of her
chambers; her eyes searched desperately for some sign or sound of
life in the sky, but none would be found this night. In her gaze
grave and thoughtful, I sensed she was afraid, terribly afraid. Her
long dark hair flowed in the mighty wind while a storm brewed over
the ocean's horizon. Longs clouds, fleeting on a chill wind,
covered the heavens like a gray menacing shadow encompassing all
around her. Ominous and disquieting, the night stilled.

Waves crashed along the cliffs on which the
indomitable castle sat as a barrier between her world and the world
of my father’s. I had watched her awaken from a dream. I knew it
had been a dream for she called out for Mithelk, my father. A
disturbing feeling swept through me while I watched her. Rain began
to descend from the heavens, but she made no attempt to seek cover.
Moreover it came with a realization that there would be no haven
for her this night.

"My Lady, pray come in and take shelter. We
have just received word the winds are playing havoc with the gates.
Malward says they need to be reinforced before damage is done." A
tired, cracked voice called from behind me.

My mother turned quickly. I could tell the
news had not taken her by surprise. She walked in swiftly.

"It is true."

She bemoaned the fact for only a moment for
she had not time for more. She brushed aside her maid's movements
toward her. Drenched from the downpour, she wiped back the water
dripping down her face. Her eyes caught sight of me, though not
surprised by my appearance that I knew. Extending her hands toward
me, I rushed to her side. She hugged me tightly.

"We need to send the children through," she
said.

The distinguished elderly
statesman stared at her in disbelief. Lord Robart Dyer had served
as my father's minister since he had come to
Nottesdone.
Long before he served by the side of my grandfather, King Edulf of
Scarladin, ruler of the Sordarins, the mightiest of all warriors,
commanders of the sky. The lines in the old man’s face tensed.

"My Lady, what do you speak? It is the
weather. Why would we do such?"

My mother met his eyes with an intense
glare. "You dare question me, Lord Dyer! Do you know who I am? What
I once was and now am again? It would not be so unless...."

His body openly shook. Trepidation overcame
him. His worn wings drooped. His hand rubbed his forehead while he
grasped at her words. “Your powers are back? No!”

Tears that had welled up in my mother’s eyes
flowed freely. Straightening herself up with all her dignity, she
wiped back the tears. She had not time to mourn her loss.

"I could not see what I see now if he lived.
He has been betrayed. My Mithelk lays slain upon the hillside of
Scarladin. I can't see by whom for he stands in the shadows, but
they are descending down upon us as we speak. They are searching
for the portal. It has to be closed immediately."

"We can't do that," Lord Dyer declared. He
walked briskly over to the balcony, closing the doors firmly behind
him. "You have to be wrong. We have had no warning. We would have
had a warning!"

"You are wasting precious time, old man,"
she said with firm determination. She nodded to her maid. "Send for
Gunilda and my other children. Wake them without delay. Prepare
them for a journey and bring them down to the red room."

Her chest heaved heavily. She released me,
but took my hand. She began to walk out of the room. An arm reached
out and grabbed her. In a frantic move, Lord Dyer pulled her back
in.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, my
Lady," Lord Dyer stated without emotion. "It is with much regret, I
can assure you, but you have given me no other options. All our
well laid plans…we didn’t consider you getting your powers back.
I'm afraid we have need of the portal, my Lady."

My mother eyed him with contempt, but her
lips edged upward to where a small smile formed.

"Then Lord Dyer you will be solely
disappointed." She closed her eyes and uttered. "Sareta!
Falco!"

No sooner had the words been uttered, my
siblings appeared. Sareta no more than an infant. Holding my tiny
sister, our nurse, Gunilda, stepped toward my mother. My mother
trusted no other. Gunilda had been her loyal companion since she
herself was a child. Immediately, my mother's arms outstretched,
encircling us. Then we faded from Lord Dyer's view.

Within moments, we materialized within a
wide vaulted chamber, deep within the castle. Shadows illuminated
against its shrouded walls from a fire from which the embers burned
a crimson red. Within the far corner swirled a wind elucidated
encircling the greater part of the stone wall. My mother stared at
the portal for a time as if rapidly trying to decipher a course of
action. The thought occurred to me that I should be afraid, but my
thoughts lay only on my mother and the words she had uttered. To my
small mind the only ones echoing within held to the ones concerning
my father. My father was gone? Gone where I questioned. Why was my
mother so upset?

Her hands shook. She looked down upon us,
her beloved children. Her eldest, my brother, Falco, had only
turned six. He stood without fear.

She bent down to us. I heard her utter under
her breath that he looked so much like his father it broke her
heart.

She turned to me. I wanted nothing more than
to throw my arms about her and cling to her, but even at my young
age of four I realized an urgency of the situation. Her hand
caressed my cheek.

“Kela, my protector, my darling,” she
whispered to me and kissed the top of my head. Falco, reading my
thoughts, reached over and squeezed my hand.

She stood back up to my sister who was less
than a week old. She took her in her arms. I could see the tears
flowing freely down her cheeks. She kissed her and handed her back
to Gunilda. She breathed in deeply.

"Listen carefully to me, my children. There
is no time. Gunilda is going to take you, care for you. If I do not
follow, remember it is only because I can not. Do not forget all I
have told you. Hold true to yourselves."

"Mother, I will help," young Falco said.
"I'll fight off all."

Her hand went to his cheek. "No, Falco, your
day is not yet," she said gently. "You need to depart to have that
day," she looked up at Gunilda. “Take them though, my dear friend.
Take them to my father until all can be assessed.”

“My Lady, come with us,” Gunilda cried. She
reached over to my mother’s hand, but I saw. Within my mother was a
daughter of a king, dutiful and strong, understanding the need to
protect her land, her people above all else. My mother spoke no
words, but said all within her eyes.

Gunilda fought back the tears, holding tight
to us. She nodded with reluctance acceptance.

Mother began to chant in
her native language. “
Oto avoiyouau ropia rapaoexoai eyw
eioodio!”

The wind within the portal swirled harder
until a view became clearer. Once, the portal had opened to a
peaceful, serene meadow of abundance of blooming flowers, a winding
stream which flowed freely through the grasslands, soothing sounds
of birds singing and the sight of butterflies fluttering around.
All was gone.

My mother’s shock could not be hidden. The
sun had set and the land lay in gloomy, gray skies. Gone were the
luscious green pastures, displaced with a barren land. Dust blew
over the desolate terrain, but lying beside the open portal lay a
form covered by ash and dirt.

“Mother, close the portal!” Falco cried. In
the distance a cloud arose quickly descending down toward where we
stood.

“Asmeodai!” she spoke. She pressed us back
away from the portal and uttered words closing the portal. The
floor shook sending all sprawling against the floor. The walls
trembled, echoing cries from within the portal and now from outside
the chamber.

To our horror the comprehension we were
surrounded encompassed us. Deep-throated calls emerged from outside
the door. A great horn blew in desperation to shatter the door.
Within me instincts emerged. I reacted throwing my hand up. A light
blasted from behind my mother toward the door, portal, and all
around our small frightened group. My small hand held firm. I had
no choice. Falco demanded it from me.

“Kela, do not let go,” Falco said
emphatically. “You can do all. Mother?”

Falco turned toward Mother, who crawled to
her feet. I could feel her eyes fixed upon me. Was she afraid I
would drop my shield?

“I will not fail you, Mother,” I said.

I could see from the corner of my eye that
she glanced over to Gunilda, who held tightly to my infant sister.
She stood up.

“Watch! I need to bring back all who have
survived the assault,” my mother commanded. Once more she uttered
her native language. From a fog that emerged, a form appeared.
Tall, broad of shoulders, lean of muscle, he swung hard his sword
in hand.

"Take care!" Lady Eufamia cried. "You are
back within Nottesdone! Where are the others?"

The warrior slowly lowered his sword,
adjusting to his new surroundings. His broad wing damaged and hung
awkwardly. His side bled, his hands, also. A wound above his eye
gusted forth blood that flowed down his cheek. Silent, he looked
around. "My Lady Calledwdele,” he bowed. "I'm sorry. I was the last
to stand. There are no others."

My mother gripped tight her stomach. "It is
Turstan, is it not?"