Through the Dark Veil

Zatu, Fyndon, and Gelvin rode on their horses through the night. Gelvin had not said a word since the keep and he rode five paces ahead of his two friends. Fyndon wanted to comfort him, but she didn't believe a flower would be enough this time, and she didn't know what to say.

The night faded to day and the threesome reached the outskirts of Caledan. Gelvin stopped his horse and turned around to finally look at his friends. There was an awkward silence as Gelvin stared at them until he said, "I thank you both. You are the closest of friends and I owe you both more than I could ever say."

"The let me serve you," Zatu said. "You are a worthy master, Gelvin."

Gelvin blushed and actually smiled at the offer again but said, "No, Zatu, I cannot. I do not want any followers and you should seek a more worthy master."

"I shall never find one."

"I hope you do someday. I can take you to Caledan if you wish."

"No, I must go forward," Zatu said as he pointed to the sun rising out of the east. "I will wander the lands until I find my purpose."

"I hope you are successful," Gelvin said as he rode alongside Zatu and embraced him.

"Perhaps our paths will cross again someday," Zatu said.

"Nothing would please me more," Gelvin said as he released the embrace. Zatu said good-bye to Fyndon and slowly rode off into the green fields below the shining sun.

As soon as he was gone from sight Fyndon and Gelvin continued their ride to Caledan. Fyndon smiled at Gelvin but he could not bring himself to return the gesture. Fyndon's expression changed to pensive and she finally asked the questioned she had pondered the whole night. "What happened Gelvin?"

He turned his head to face her and somberly said, "Pithian broke the dark veil and I went through it. Necron had weakened Pithian but it did not matter. I seized his sword and drove it through his heart. I tried to kill all three of us. I didn't want Pithian to die alone. As the heart split in two an explosion of dark energy occurred just as Koraz said. Necron, his sword, and Pithian were instantly vaporized and I felt the powerful energy engulf me as well. But then this talisman somehow brought me back," Gelvin said as he looked down at the star. "I survived."

"I know it is difficult Gelvin, but you should be happy. Pithian would be elated that you endured the explosion."

"But he didn't!" Gelvin shouted. "I know it was not possible, but I wished it had been me instead."

"Oh Gelvin, you mustn't think that. Pithian fulfilled his destiny and you, yours. Now you will have to carry on."

Gelvin said nothing and Fyndon became concerned. He was so innocent when this ordeal began and now she was the only one left of his original companions. He had watched them all die and then was forced to sacrifice the man who saved his life and raised him as a son. "Gelvin," Fyndon began. "I could return with you to the temple."

"That is kind of you," Gelvin said as he took her hand. "But I know your place is in the forest. Go now, and return to your woodland home," Gelvin said as they rode up to the city walls of Caledan. Your place is not with me."

Fyndon knew Gelvin was correct and she did miss her home dearly. She looked at Gelvin's face as he forced a weak smile. Fyndon could feel his pain, but she also knew that Gelvin could work through it, alone.

"I'll go then," she said as her horse turned away from the city and started towards the nearby forest. "But I will call on you one day Gelvin."

"I would like that," he responded in complete honesty.

As Gelvin rode into Caledan he found a celebration. True, Zendon was dead, but the city had won a great victory over Rocwhelm. Gelvin found King Bolen and told him that Koraz was dead. The dwarves cheered and proclaimed Gelvin part of their brotherhood. Gelvin thanked King Bolen and wished him a safe journey back to his underground kingdom. Gelvin rode back to the temple and walked inside. He made his way to Pithian's study where his master used to sit by the fire in a large comfortable chair and read. Gelvin sat in Pithian's chair and did not move. Slowly, one solitary tear rolled out of Gelvin's left eye and caressed his cheek.

One hundred suns came and went and everything returned to normal in Caledan. Zendon's brother, King Gawlin, arrived from the west to claim his sibling's throne. The people liked Gawlin because he was a wise and prudent ruler. With Rocwhelm destroyed, trade and commerce in Caledan thrived and many people grew rich.

Many stories circulated through the city about 'the Spriteleng' who killed Koraz the Mad and vanquished a demon. But most people thought it was just a myth. After all, a Spriteleng could not do all of that!

Gelvin allowed Pithian's followers to keep the temple open, but he spent most of his time reading in the study. Pithian had a vast library of books and Gelvin read one a day. In the time since Pithian's death, Gelvin's sorrow faded. He accepted what had been done and eventually forgave himself.

One afternoon, Gelvin was reading by the fire in the study. There was a window to this room, but Gelvin always kept the curtain shut. He liked the glow of the fire and it provided just enough light to see the words on the page. Gelvin had just finished reading a book about astrology when he heard the wood on the fire crack and pop loudly. Gelvin looked up but saw nothing. His Defender rested easily against the fireplace and was collecting dust. Gelvin had not touched it in weeks. Above the sword, the silver necklace sat on the mantle. Gelvin did not know what to do with the talisman, but he felt more comfortable with it up there, instead of down below in the secret treasure chamber.

The wood popped and crackled again as Gelvin wondered what was making such a noise. Then Gelvin heard a familiar voice softly fill the room.

"Hello Gelvin."

Gelvin smiled and calmly responded, "Hello Pithian."

The fire grew bright and the flames jumped out of the hearth onto the floor. The flames grew larger and formed a human shape. There was no definition or any face, but it was certainly a human form. "You don't seem surprised to see me," the fire form said.

"I knew you'd be back Pithian," Gelvin responded with a smile as he sat comfortably in the chair. Gelvin was excited to see Pithian again, but not surprised. Somehow, he knew that this day would come.

"I never had a chance to thank you," Pithian said. "You did the right thing."

"I know that now," Gelvin said much to the relief of Pithian. "What happened to you and Necron? Is he still out there somewhere too?"

"Necron and I were both destroyed," Pithian explained. "At least our physical forms were. My spirit lives on, at least for now. And Necron, I don't believe he can ever be truly destroyed. But still, your blow weakened him and he lost much of his dark power. He was cast into the nether void and I don't believe he will emerge for many years. But I have returned to answer your other questions Gelvin. I know you have them."

He did. Gelvin had accepted what happened to Pithian and he knew for certain that the same magic that destroyed Rocwhelm also destroyed his home. What Gelvin wanted to know was how.

"Necron was entombed when my village was destroyed. How could he have done it?"

"Necron was vastly powerful," Pithian explained. "No single tomb could contain all of his power. The sword somehow escaped the Gods and carried his evil spirit. So too, some of Necron's magic still wandered Illuria."

"What do you mean?" Gelvin asked in confusion.

"Dark thoughts, negative energies, they both escaped from Necron's prison. Even though the Destroyer was trapped when your village was crushed, it was still his magic that performed the deed. Necron's wild sorcery manifested itself in the river and caused the destruction."

"So Necron knew that I would be a threat to him one day and his magic tried to kill me?" Gelvin asked.

"Necron had no knowledge of the future. It was coincidence that his magic ravaged your village. When I found you I knew that you would grow to help me fight the evil power that was growing in that cave."

"How did you know?" Gelvin asked. His whole life he had wanted to know how Pithian knew about future events. "What is the source of your visions and knowledge?"

"That is what I have come to tell you. For many years before I met you I have been the protector of an important set of books called the Prophecies. Below the temple, hidden behind all my treasure, is a small bookcase with twelve gilded tomes. Those are the Prophecies."

"And they tell you about the future," Gelvin said excitedly.

"Some of the time. They also tell you about the past and some pages are not yet written. As you read them they will become visible."

"I am allowed to read them?" Gelvin asked as he already began to imagine what new things he would learn.

"You are to do more than read them," Pithian said. "One day, many years into the future, a council will be formed to guard the information in the Prophecies. But until then, you will be their protector. There is much that can be gleaned from the tomes and you must never let them fall into the hands of evil."

"I will try my best," Gelvin responded.

"Yes, I know you will. But now I must leave."

"But why?" Gelvin asked, hoping he could talk to his master longer. There was still so much he wanted to know.

"You have another visitor. Do not fear Gelvin, I will return again another day. I will be watching you and will always remember our time together. Good- bye."

"Good-bye," Gelvin said as the flames reduced their size and jumped back into the hearth.

Gelvin walked over to the fireplace and stirred the wood with a prod when there was a knocking at his thick wooden door. "Gelvin, you have a visitor," one of the apostates called out.

"Send them in," Gelvin responded as he placed the prod next to the Defender. The door swung wide and Fyndon walked inside. She looked much different than the girl in the green cloak with her hair pulled back and a dagger in her hand. She stood in front of Gelvin, wearing a long green dress, with her hair neatly hanging. Her head was covered with tiny flowers and her smile lit up Gelvin's heart.

"I told you I would call on you one day," she said with a smile.

Gelvin crossed the room and lifted her off the floor with a great hug. She laughed and Gelvin set her down again. "You seem to be better," Fyndon said. She had not seen him since the day they returned to Caledan.

Gelvin smiled and said, "I'm more than better. I've just seen Pithian. Somehow he appeared and said that he is watching over me." Any other person would have thought Gelvin crazy, but Fyndon saw the clarity in his eyes and she had learned of Pithian's vast powers in the short time she knew him. It did not surprise her either.

"What did he say?" Fyndon asked.

"He told me that Necron has been cast out of the physical world and Pithian thanked me for making it possible."

"You saved us all," Fyndon said thanking him. "I know you could not understand that at the time, but by sacrificing Pithian, you saved everything he held dear."

"In time I learned that," Gelvin responded.

"So what do you plan to do now?" Fyndon asked.

"I'm not sure. I've thought about leaving the temple to search out my own people. I have not seen another Spriteleng since I was a boy."

"An excellent idea," Fyndon said as her face lit up with excitement. "I could help you."

"I would like that," Gelvin said with a smile. "Come, you must stay for dinner. We can talk and you can tell me what you have been doing."

"I've been writing a story," Fyndon said. "I think Trogen would have liked it."

"Let me hear it," Gelvin said eagerly.

"It's the story of a caterpillar," Fyndon began. "The caterpillar was smaller than all the other creatures in the forest and it was ignored. None of the other creatures thought it could do anything. It simply inched along blades of grass and ate the leaves hanging off trees. Then one day it built a cocoon. Many suns later it emerged transformed. The caterpillar had changed into a beautiful butterfly and all the other creatures became jealous of it. The caterpillar had grown beyond them, and flew high up into the sky out of their reach."

"Is that it?" Gelvin asked after a long pause. "That's not much of a story."

"No," Fyndon conceded. "But it does remind me of you. An innocent child when I first met you and now you are the bravest and wisest person I know."

Gelvin blushed as he realized a caterpillar was the answer to the riddle she had asked him on top of Skull Mountain. "Thank you. You are a good friend."

"Come now," Fyndon said trying to lighten the mood. "Let us talk about the future more. What do you think it holds?"

"I'm not sure," Gelvin said with a smile as he thought about the books that were hidden below their feet. "But I think I'll find out very soon."

In the writer's own words:

"My name is Allen Woods. I am a 22 year old writer from Nashville Tennessee who enjoys writing adjectives, adverbs, the occassional noun, and science fiction. I am an affiliate member of the HWA. I have written two dozen short stories, some of which have been published in "Pablo Lennis", "Art:Mag", "Lost Worlds", and "Pleiades". I am finfishing work on a novel length space opera and I encourage readers to give me feedback via e-mail: NAAllen@aol.com"

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