The Keeper's Heritage Read online

  The Keeper’s Heritage

  By: Trenna McMullin

  Prologue

  There is a world that exists alongside the known universe.

  It is a place where spirits of the restless dead roam and mythical creatures of unknown power and allegiance dwell. This is a land where magic governs all that occurs. Some say it is from here that men first drew such power.

  It is a realm drifting on the border between Life and Death. Because of its proximity, it closely mirrors this existence; indeed, in many ways they are exactly alike. Yet it can only truly be reached in sleep.

  Few know of its existence, far less now care. For, though everyone with magic touches this realm, it is a place difficult to enter—and once entered, even more difficult to navigate. A place from whence none return.

  It is known to men only as the Dreamworld.

  ~The Book of Druids, Volume 5

  Chapter 1: Prophecy

  The moon’s pale light reflected off of the glistening waters of a secluded lake. Trees surrounded the shoreline and a bank of fog gathered at the center, obscuring something. Somewhere in the darkness an owl hooted. Dim shadows flitted about and the fog undulated sluggishly. It was so dark. A slight breeze sprang up and the eddies in the fog grew more prominent. The clouds thinned and began to drift away…a shadow loomed nearer. Slowly, the breeze grew. Layer by layer the wisps of fog disappeared, revealing the silhouette of an island… but it was too dark to see anything beyond the vague outline of upraised earth. The fog continued to clear and slowly, bit by bit, the island grew more distinct. She could almost distinguish a shape…

  * * * * *

  Ky’ara awoke with a start, the bright light of a lamp momentarily blinding her.

  “It’s time,” a familiar voice stated quietly.

  With a suppressed sigh of frustration, Ky’ara stood. She was already dressed, though it was nearly midnight. Although the summons hadn’t been unexpected, it was still a source of annoyance. Every night this week she had had the same dream, but before the fog could clear away entirely, she always woke up. Tonight she had been so close to seeing what was on the island. The fog had been thinner than ever before, the island sharper, but the fog hadn’t quite parted…Ah well, she thought, it’s not Calistra’s fault.

  Following the woman out into the hallway, Ky’ara was greeted silently by her friends. There were only four of them tonight; Hallahna had gone back to her family for a while, to convince her father to let her stay with the rebellion and direct the alliance. Amischel was quiet and reticent as always, and Joran just looked tired. Ky’ara smiled at Taren, and quietly slipped her hand into his as they walked down the shadowy corridor.

  “So do you know where we’re going?” she asked in tones so quiet, they were inaudible to everyone else.

  He shook his head with an apologetic smile. Ky’ara looked ahead as Joran’s sister led them down two flights of stairs, and they headed deeper into the mountain. It had been almost two months since the battle at Ainon Caseia—over six months total since her life had been turned upside down by the assassination of her uncle and the entire Council. Six long months since her uncle’s dying bodyguard had given her the crystal that now hung around her neck, and told her to find Doraicolé. They had finally arrived here in Doraicolé a week ago. Tonight was the autumnal equinox and Calistra had something important to show them…something that apparently couldn’t be done at any other time.

  The trip here had been uneventful, other than the fact that they traveled so slowly. Ky’ara was still not completely recovered from her battle with the necromancer, or at least, that’s what the healers told her. As a result, Calistra had insisted that they go as slowly as possible. It had only served to annoy Ky’ara; she felt fine.

  Once they had arrived in Doraicolé, they had been kept confined to their rooms, all the while under the intense scrutiny of the city officials. Even with Calistra and Joran backing them, it had taken three days for them to be cleared. The organization was a stickler for protocol, apparently. Calistra may be their leader, but even she was bound by their rules when it came to the security of the city. After everything had settled somewhat, they had simply waited around. No one was quite sure what was supposed to happen next, except Calistra it seemed, because she had insisted that after they saw what she had to show them, they would know what to do. Ky’ara hoped she was right.

  Finally, they came to a pair of huge wooden doors and Calistra handed her torch to Joran so she could open them. Pulling a huge brass key from her belt pouch, she inserted it into an ornate lock and turned it slowly. A resounding click echoed in the almost cave-like hallway. Calistra pushed the heavy doors open. They filed in slowly and Ky’ara gasped. The vaulted ceiling stretched a hundred feet above their heads and shelves upon shelves of books surrounded them, not only on the walls, but in the center of the room as well.

  Every step they took echoed loudly in the chamber as Calistra took the torch and once more led the way across the room. In the flickering torchlight Ky’ara caught glimpses of the walls around them. Stairs and ladders led up to various levels, with walkways that circled the room. Eventually, Calistra approached one of these stairways, and they began their ascent to the top.

  “This library is the oldest part of the fortress,” Calistra explained in hushed tones, “…it existed even before we ever carved out the other caverns for our own use—and where we’re going is the oldest section of all. I suspect it’s even older than Taren…I discovered it quite by ‘accident’ shortly after Joran and I came here for the first time.” She gave Ky’ara a meaningful look and the girl nodded slightly in recognition—if Calistra was showing it to her now, then that was why she had found it all those years ago. Where Ky’ara was involved everything was serendipitous.

  After six flights of stairs, the small group faced an ornately carved wall that flickered in the faint light of the single torch. Calistra brought out a small wooden key and placed it into a hidden lock. She murmured a short spell as she turned it, and then the wall swung outwards, revealing a small chamber.

  Calistra led them into the room. It was dark except for a shaft of light shining through a circular hole in the very center of the ceiling. Ky’ara could see stars glittering in the clear night sky.

  “Over here.” Calistra motioned them to the middle of the room, where a pedestal sat. On it rested a book bound in dark green leather, closed and fastened with a golden clasp. Ky’ara saw it and immediately her mind flashed back—it was nearly identical to a book that she had purchased months ago from a used book store in Gallagos.

  She was about to mention this when Joran’s sister put a finger to her lips and pointed to the hole in the ceiling directly overhead. The moon was full and it was slowly moving into place. A beam of moonlight illuminated the edge of the book with an ethereal glow. Calistra extinguished the torch, and they were left standing in the darkness, waiting.

  Slowly, the pale shaft of moonlight inched over the book, growing brighter and brighter as it focused on the center of the tome. Somehow, the room almost seemed to turn darker as the book began to radiate a greenish light.

  “Any second now…” Calistra whispered, looking up as the moon was fully revealed through the hole in the ceiling.

  The golden clasp began to shine. They all stared in amazement at the strange light it gave off…Then suddenly a brilliant flash of light bolted down and struck the keyhole—and the book floated open.

  * * * * *

  Ky’ara walked forward slowly, as though in a trance. She felt like she was being pulled by an invisible force. The crystal grew warm against her skin, so she pulled it out—it too was glowing. Stepping up to the pedestal, she turned to the first page of the book. Glittering gold
en words appeared on the parchment, responding to her touch.

  The first was a history, this is a foretelling. Death approaches me and so I have little time left to record what is necessary. They would not listen to me, but my conscience will not allow me to keep my Dreams a secret. And so I will write this for those who can make use of the knowledge it contains. I have seen the destruction that will befall this people, and now the fate of the druids has been decided, though it has yet to come to pass. But I have seen what will come. The object of power is safe in the hands of those who hold it now and in time it will pass to one who can wield it for the cause of right…

  Ky’ara read the words that appeared on the page with a strange feeling of excitement: these were the writings of a seer! Someone hundreds of years ago had written and enchanted this book so that she would be able to understand what she needed to do.

  She became completely absorbed in what she read, turning the next few pages and marveling at how much history was summed up in only a few sentences. But it read as if those things had not yet happened…and some things it spoke of were still completely foreign to her.

  * * * * *

  Taren watched as Ky’ara stared amazedly at the fiery letters on the pages before her. Her lips were moving quickly, softly, as she read silently to herself. He couldn’t help but smile. She was beautiful in the moonlight—her hair falling in soft waves down her back and her eyes lighting up as they flicked across page after page.

  It only took him a moment to realize what she must be reading. It surprised him that Calistra had somehow gained possession of it. But her only response to his inquiring look was to shake her head and whisper, “not now.” Joran seemed surprised, but not terribly so…after the last few months he was used to strange things happening around Ky’ara. Amischel, as usual, was merely wondering what exactly was going on and how she of all people had gotten mixed up in this.

  * * * * *

  The light of the moon was slowly moving till it barely touched the edge of the book once more. The words were fading, their fiery splendor disappearing back into the blank white parchment. Ky’ara looked up at the ceiling and realized that the moon was barely visible through the opening. In a moment it would disappear altogether, along with the prophecies she was reading.

  She turned pages and skimmed each one as fast as she could, hoping to retain as much of it as possible, but she wasn’t even halfway through the book yet and there were only seconds of moonlight left! On a sudden impulse, she took off the crystal and held it over the book, letting the last of the moonlight shine through it onto the pages. The words appeared once more, no longer fiery, but simple ink, and when the moonlight was gone completely, they remained.

  Satisfied that she would be able to access the information again, Ky’ara replaced the crystal around her neck and allowed the book to float closed. Then she lifted it from the pedestal and carried it with her as she turned and walked slowly back to the others.

  “What did it say?” Joran asked, as Calistra relit the torch and they began to head back.

  “Many things,” Ky’ara answered vaguely, feeling slightly dazed, “So many things. It mentions the druids, and the crystal, and I think it might have even said something about me. It is a prophecy from before the time the druids fell—he said he had tried to warn them…”

  Taren nodded slowly as she spoke, and then voiced his suspicions.

  “I think it is the same book—or one like—the one that Arys read. The one that drove her to seal me away, so I could teach you.” His voice was pained, and Ky’ara turned to him sympathetically, holding his eyes with her own.

  “I don’t regret it anymore,” he whispered softly, reading the question in her gaze. She nodded, not quite believing him, and he reached out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. Then he traced the length of her jaw with the same hand and lifted her chin so he could kiss her gently on the mouth.

  Ky’ara felt warmth fill her to the tips of her fingers. She looked up at him as her heart quickened its pace. He didn’t kiss her often. It was considered too forward in his time.

  “Hurry up slowpokes!” Joran called from the darkness ahead of them, “You two lovebirds could get lost down here if you don’t keep up with the rest of us!”

  Ky’ara had to smile; he had been teasing them like that ever since the two had finally admitted their feelings for each other. Every time they were together (which was almost always) Joran either rolled his eyes or made some clever comment about the way they held hands or smiled at each other. Ky’ara didn’t mind it that much, but it never failed to irritate Taren. She was fairly certain that was the exact reason why the boy kept it up.

  Taren rolled his eyes and frowned in the boy’s direction. But he looked down with a smile when she took his hand, and they hurried to catch up.

  When they once again reached the hall outside Ky’ara’s room, the little group parted ways. Ky’ara said goodnight and entered her room. She quickly changed into actual sleeping clothes and then fell onto her bed with a sigh. Though the experience of reading the book had been exhilarating, it had also been oddly draining; she felt exhausted. She lay there for a moment. Despite how tired she now felt, she couldn’t fall back asleep. Her mind was reeling with the implications of what she had read and seen. Finally giving up, she slipped out into the hallway and headed for Calistra’s room.

  “Come in,” Calistra called in response to the quiet knock.

  “I’m sorry, I know you’re probably tired…” Ky’ara said hesitantly as she silently closed the door, “but I couldn’t sleep, and I had a few questions…about the book, obviously. I wondered…?”

  Calistra nodded. She was sitting in a chair and brushing her short hair out, but at the girl’s query she set down the brush and moved to sit on the bed. She motioned for Ky’ara to sit next to her.

  “I know I didn’t really explain much before; I guess I was being unnecessarily cryptic, but…” Calistra smiled and shrugged. “Anyways, what did you want to know?”

  “Well, how did you get the book? And how did you discover how to see what was inside?” Ky’ara asked.

  Joran’s sister grinned sardonically. “That was another of those ‘accidents.’ The room I found later on, but I’ve had the book for a long time. I found it when my mother had me clean out our attic, which she had done at least half a dozen times before. I mean really I was just dusting and reorganizing things to make a bit more room. But this time, when I was moving a chest full of some old odds and ends it got caught on one of the floorboards. I noticed that the board was loose, so I pried it up, and underneath was a wooden box with the book and a few other things.

  “Of course, when it was blank inside I was naturally curious as to why someone would bother to hide an empty book. The lock really intrigued me, since it didn’t lock the book shut. I tried to find a way to read what was inside of it…at that point I knew some magic, but I’d only been a member of the organization for about a year, so my training as a mage had only just begun. Nothing worked. I kept it under my pillow and whenever I was bored, I’d pull it out and rifle through the blank pages. I just happened to wake up at midnight one autumn (and it just happened to be the equinox) and the full moon was shining through my window. And, well, you saw what occurred tonight—then it was pretty much the same. I’ve read it all, slowly, over the course of all the autumn equinoxes after that.” Calistra smiled wryly. “That’s how I knew you would be coming, eventually. The book talks about an Ysinkai who will be our final chance to restore balance…that knowledge is part of why I worked so hard to become the leader of our organization—I wanted to be sure I could help when that person came along. I recognized that it had to be you the second I met you in Ainon Caseia…things just fell into place too easily around you. But there is a lot I don’t understand or remember…I’m certain you will glean more from its pages than I ever could.” She shrugged again and stood. “I think you should get your sleep now. Anything more can wait for later. We have all
winter at least.”

  Ky’ara would have liked to find out more, but Calistra seemed serious about not telling anything more tonight, so she stood as well and walked to the door. The rebel leader wished her goodnight as she left and Ky’ara had to smile, how was she supposed to sleep well with everything she had on her mind now? Despite her fears, Ky’ara was soon sleeping deeply and her dreams slipped into the now familiar setting of a secluded lake in the woods.

  * * * * *

  The next few weeks were hectic. The rebellion was still recovering from the attack on Ainon Caseia, and Calistra had her hands full trying to direct minor counterattacks against the small groups of roaming trolls that stubbornly remained in the mountains. This was especially difficult to do when she was hundreds of miles away. Hallahna had returned, with more Shaari warriors, and they had been an immense help since they could communicate over long distances using their special pets. The dragons were fascinating creatures. Though she hardly got to see any up close, they were nearly always present, circling overhead on silent wings.

  Dealing with the strange warriors was difficult, however. Calistra had already tried explaining to the Shaari that her people did not know their customs and that no one meant to offend them. The Shaari leaders said that they never expected outsiders to know their ways and claimed they always brushed off unintentional insult as simple ignorance. Still, both sides had their hands full trying to keep their younger and brasher soldiers from starting fights.

  Her spies were reporting more and more irregularities in the dealings of the government. It seemed that the Council had been officially disbanded all together, which was a disturbing move. Every day the nobility was tightening their grip on the people and now the only ones making the laws were the rich aristocrats who had some claim or another on the king. At least the Council had kept up the semblance of freedom, since all their members were elected. Now, though, even that small consolation was gone.