Chapter 16: The Stone Of Garitarc

             J’vonte’ and Taya had flown for nearly three days as they tracked the elves. The two kept a safe distance, only using the mask of night to keep up. Akeldama feared that the two would be doing as they were, cautious he also moved in the cover of night. When dawn would break the cool mist of night would rise, Ennadia and Zenith would softly land, allowing the warriors to search for any signs to direct them on the same path of those they tracked. Several hours would go by before both were certain in which way to travel, then all the group could do is wait out until night crept back up on them.

On the third morning, while searching the area for tracks and clues, Taya stumbled upon a spring. The spring resembled that of the one her and Zenith had held camp at, years ago. Zenith did as was expected of a grown dragon, and rolled onto his back, splashing about in the ice cold water. Ennadia turning her head away from the foolishness of Zeniths ways, nose high in the air. The girls came to the edge of a rock, Taya sat down to dangle her worn and dirty feet into the refreshing water.

“Take some rest J’vonte’.” J’vonte’ still roaming her eyes around the opening for something yet to uncover; her eyes were wide, and movements were smooth. She moved around the spring the same way a lion would stalk its prey. “The water feels very nice.” Taya smirked at her ever working friend, making eye contact, J’vonte’s face lighten as she smiled back. The trained warrior took on the same playful mood as Zenith, who was still splashing every which way to cool himself. J’vonte’ leaped high into the air, lunging forward, landing a back flip in the deceivingly deep spring.

The sun was high in the sky, and the animals were taking their respective rests in the shade before another night of travel. Curled up in with her dragon, his head resting on her lap, Taya eyes resisted her need for sleep. J’vonte’ wondered over with two water pouches, overflowing with ice cold water. Handing Taya hers, J’vonte’ sat next to her troubled friend, leaning against the large bodied dragon. Petting the side of Zeniths head, she spoke softly.

“So, how did you and Zenith meet each other? You have such a strong bond, I would assume you must’ve known him since infancy.” Taya looked down at the big softy cuddled up to her. A tear formed in her eye, she tried to never think of that day. Though it was a day that started her on the path to the rest of her life, it was also a day that Taya wished she could change.

“It’s a long story.” Taya’s voice fell quiet. J’vonte’ noticed this was a topic she was not willing to discuss, being the thoughtful friend she was, the conversation was dropped.

“I'm sorry Taya, thanks for covering for me back with the elves..” Again Taya, showed how uncomfortable she was.

“That's sort of the same conversation. Sorry.” Taya leaned her head back, gazing at the canopy of  branches overlooking the group. Her eyes traced the branches, from one to the next, her thoughts running just as intertwined as what she gazed upon. Wiping her tear from her eye, Taya’s gaze turned back to her friend. “I don’t know if she’s even alive.” She took a deep breath, “I was so young, so naïve… but he was a baby, and was all alone. I was always taught to do the right thing, and take care of those who need help. In me following that teaching, it cost me my future.” Taya looked deep at her friend, tears reforming in her eyes.

“Your future is here, you are exactly where you need to be.” J’vonte’ smirked at her friend. Taya continued to tell J’vonte’ of when she was young. She talked about the life at the palace and her family in much more detail than passed to Akeldama.

“I wish I had a brother like you.” Taya explained. She wiped the tears from her face and took in a deep breath. Turning her head to look at J’vonte’ and drawing up enough emotion to smile, her eyes closed but opening as she reassured her friend that she was okay. “I have never had a friend who I could openly talk to, or someone that I could trust my life with.”

“Sweetie, I’ll always be there if you ever need me.” Taya wiped away the remaining tears and stood up, looking at her surroundings; there it was, a piece of bark had been torn away from a tree in the distance. She pointed towards the spot.

“They went that way” Taya said, a slight sniffle reverberating in her voice.

“Are you ok to ride?” Asked J’vonte’. Taya nodded and smiled, she knew that they were gaining ground on the elves.

They took to the skies, Zenith refreshed and ready fly. The sun was preparing to set and Taya knew that they had a long night ahead of them. For several hours all that they saw was the vast array of trees spreading across the horizon, it reminded Taya of when her father would give a speech; the kingdom would gather, and all that she could see as she peaked over the grey wall was a sea of faces. Now she was surrounded by a sea of green, ever persistent, showing the colour of her lying eyes. Something about flying took away all of Taya’s pain and worry, despite what danger was waiting for her when she landed. Zenith and Ennadia swooped down in sync, flying close to the tree tops, staying far away from the large open sky. The warriors looked at each other, their eyes not yet able to pick up what their alibies could. Taya closed hers and leaned in closer to her dragon, trying to connect their energies and see what he could. Far in the distance, the tree line completely broke, landscape changed from forest to rolling hills, and acres of valley. In an almost deserted area, there it was, a castle. As they flew closer , Taya continued to focus, for human eyes could still not reach far enough. It was once a great castle, one she could tell that had gone through tragedy and depression. Years upon years had beaten down this kingdom, but Taya did not recognize which kingdom it was, or why they were going to investigate it. J’vonte’ called out to Taya, suddenly opening her eyes, she realized her and zenith had taken off much further than J’vonte’. Slowing down, the four regrouped.

“There’s a kingdom in the distance, Zenith and Ennadia must sense more than can be seen.” Taya told her friend what she had seen, puzzled and confused she went on, “It doesn’t seem like a functioning kingdom, more abandoned than anything.”

“Garitarc.”  J’vonte’ filled Taya in on the story of a crazed man trying to take over, finally vanishing out of the kingdom after many failures. She told of a man who had everything ripped from him, and eventually lost sight of any good. A bitter man who started his own kingdom, one based purely on making him happy.

“Zoeloft.” Taya whispered to herself, no doubt in her mind that the crazed man had been the same who captured her.

The group flew closer, finally being able to identify the castle to which they had assumed. Landing walking distance away, the two witnessed the work of Akeldama. A blue energy boomed from the castles walls, and smoke raised shortly after, thick, black smoke. J’vonte’ told their companions to wait for their calling, and with that, Zenith slouched down his tail wrapping around a tree. The two young women moved along the tree line, heads bowed, knees bent. They reached a lower section of the wall that reared its head next to the trees that Taya and J’vonte’ bordered. J’vonte’ began to climb the closest tree to the decaying wall. It did not reach the top, but a thin branch reached out to a ledge that hung out from the wall, similar to that of a window; perhaps one that had been boarded up and left for time to deteriorate. The once beautiful architecture crumbled for Taya and J’vonte’ to see.

Once J’vonte’ had reached the thin branch that ran to the ledge, she went unto her hands, trusting her balance to take her to the side of the castle. As the branch began to bend with J’vonte’s weight she swung catching the ledge with her left hand, her right hand following. She pulled herself up unto the ledge and began to scale the cracked and rugged wall. Taya also began to climb the tree copying the same movements as J’vonte’. She was smooth and natural as she leaped to the ledge. It reminded her of the windowsill in her castle back in the kingdom of Caelestis, small, yet beautiful; the perfect size for a curious child searching for a piece of beauty in dark world.

         J’vonte’ had reached the top of the wall by the time Taya was standing comfortably on the ledge and she looked down at Taya, raising a finger to her lips. Taya was motionless, barely breathing, watching for any danger that J’vonte’ had sensed. She saw her friend move over the wall and unto a walk way. Taya closed her eyes, and listened for any commotion; she only heard the quiet swish of J’vonte’ unsheathing her long dagger.

A moment later J’vonte’ peaked back down at Taya and motioned for her to join her on top of the castle wall. The two snuck their way through the kingdom, civilians still rested here, but it wouldn’t be for much longer if the elves were to stay. Staying high and in the cover of the shadows, J’vonte’ and Taya got closer to the raising smoke, assuming the action would still be taking place. Taya began to cough, her partner turning rapidly back shooting a glare that directed Taya to remain silent, no matter what. The smoke became heavier and heavier the closer the two got, soon blinding them.

“Taya,” J’vonte’ whispered, “We’ll have to wait until the smoke clears. They are right under us though, I can hear them,” the two took a seat upon the top of a tower, as they did two sounds presented themselves. J’vonte’ heard Akeldama send a man to the ground, Azar ripping him apart, and the screams of an innocent man. J’vonte’ closed to eyes to reflect on the action taking place, wishing there was a close end. Taya grabbed hold of J’vonte’s wrist and slowly began creeping around the roof. They moved around as silently as they could, the sound Taya heard over the cries of the innocent man was a miracle. The door to the inner tower was left open, for whoever came out was surely only making a quick round. Navigating their way as quickly as they could down the stairs the two went undetected.

They followed the sounds of Akeldama’s voice which was ringing out for all in earshot.

“Bring me the king!” He demanded. Taya and J’vonte’ entered a small passage way which lead in the direction of the voice. As they reached the end of the corridor they could hear a second voice, one that was bitter, yet calm, as if it had endured many years of sorrow.

“I’m here, elf. I will not run, or turn my back on my people, unlike you.” His hair was white and receding. His eyes were a pale grey, torn from sadness. Nevertheless, the broken king stood his ground, not breaking eye contact with Akeldama. J’vonte’ and Taya peeked through the door to watch the king and the elf.

“Where is the stone of Garitarc?”

“So you have come for it, after all these years. My father warned me when I was a boy. He told me that one day someone would come for the stone of Garitarc. I did not expect it to be you.”

“Where is it?!” Yelled Akeldama, his hands beginning to glow blue.

“You do not know the consequences you bring, you are cursed.” In a rage Akeldama put his hands together a blue ball of energy shot from the stones and made contact with the man standing beside the old king.

“You have been warned!” Akeldama said. “Tell me where you have hidden it.”

“You will never find it, Snake. It does not rest here, it will never return to its home.” Akeldama held out an item in his hand, showing it to the king.

“Do you not know where I found this? Yes, it belonged to your daughter, but no more. Where is its match?” The king fell to his knees, clutching the earring in his hand, tears streamed from his eyes.

“We never found it, she never came back” he choked out. “I loved her, and I would have given her my kingdom, in all of its wondrous glory. She was always wild at heart, looking for an adventure, I should have known, she was not meant for this, she would have conquered the world with her smile had she wanted to. I will not let you take her memory from me.”

With that, the king stood, head high, determination written upon his face. He drew his sword one final time, holding it out in front of him, pointing at Akeldama’s heart. In one swift stroke the old king fell to the ground, and the blue light disappeared. Taya saw the life drain from the king’s eyes. He had given everything for the memory of his precious daughter, Elise.