CHAPTER FOUR
Eben awoke and looked around to find he was lying in his bed at The Sea Dragon. His head was bandaged, and he could feel his leg still hurt, but the pain had lost most of its sharpness. His body was covered in grazes and bruises, but he had been cleaned and washed. He thought back over the night before and the ill-fated meeting and wondered if any of the others had survived the raid. Everything had happened so quickly that he had no time to think. He pulled himself out of bed and slowly walked to the door, making his way down the stairs to the common room. Flickering firelight lit up the common room. Red was sitting next to the open fireplace warming his feet and hadn’t heard Eben coming down the stairs.
As Eben approached Red turned and looked up. ‘Eben, you’re awake. I thought you were never going to get up. You’ve been out for two days.’
‘Thanks for looking after me.’
‘You should thank Stella. She’s the one who cleaned you up. You must have lost a lot of blood. You have a mighty gash on the back of your head and a bruise on your leg bigger than any I’ve ever seen. Take a seat before you fall over again.’
Eben took the seat across from Red. He looked at the blazing fireplace and felt its calming warmth.
‘Where’s Stella?’
‘She’s gone out to visit a friend,’ replied Red as he looked back over his shoulder toward the front door. ‘So, what happened to you the other night? How did you end up all beaten up like that?’
‘I went to the meeting I told you and Stella about. It was about the evil in Ancora...’
At that moment the front door opened and Stella stepped in carrying a leather bag. She locked the door and approached them. ‘You’re up,’ she said, surprised. ‘Are you feeling better?’
‘Much better,’ replied Eben. ‘Thanks for taking care of me.’
‘You’re lucky you made it back here. If you had fallen over in the streets it would have been the end of you,’ she said as she walked by them and placed the leather bag on the bar.
‘At least you managed to gain us two extra nights here at The Sea Dragon,’ said Red, slightly chuckling. Stella glared across at Red and then walked into the kitchen without saying another word. Red didn’t seem at all troubled by her and smiled as he looked back over his shoulder toward the kitchen. Turning his head he glanced back at the fire. ‘That reminds me. Remember you said you had some silver.’ Eben nodded. ‘We probably should give some to Stella. I think she’ll let us stay a little while longer; at least until you’re completely well, but we definitely have to pay her something, and you’re the only one of us who has any money.’
‘Sure, I will pay, but I don’t want to be a burden on her. Maybe we should leave sooner rather than later.’
‘Oh, don’t worry,’ replied Red. ‘She likes having us around.’ Red put his feet back up to warm them again.
‘She doesn’t seem to like you much.’
Red’s threw his head back and laughed. ‘Don’t be ridiculous. Of course she likes me.’
‘Are you sure?’ asked Eben, not convinced.
Red didn’t answer. He watched the flames of the fire for a few seconds. ‘So, you were saying about your meeting,’ he said, changing the topic. Eben thought he probably shouldn’t ask about Red and Stella’s relationship.
‘Yes, the meeting was brought to an end when the house was attacked by a sorcerer.’
‘A what?’ cried Red, his eyes widening in shock.
‘They were discussing some very serious matters and the house was attacked. I made it to the roof in an attempt to escape. I fell when the house collapsed, and that was when I was injured, but I managed to escape through the back alleys and made my way back here.’
‘We did warn you. Getting involved in anything that questions the King is dangerous,’ said Red, taking an unfamiliar serious tone.
‘Red’s right,’ said Stella as she came back into the room from the kitchen. ‘He may be a bad king, but King Ignis is our king...’
‘He’s your king, Stella. Remember I’m Silvorian,’ said Red, lifting his chin proudly.
‘Actually he’s not a king at all. He’s an imposter,’ said Eben. Stella and Red froze.
‘An imposter!’ shouted Red, almost slipping from his chair
‘That’s what the meeting was called to discuss. The real King Ignis is imprisoned in a dungeon on the island of Zyran. An imposter sits on the throne of Ortaria. It’s an evil plot put together by a group of Zyranian wizards,’ said Eben. There was a stunned silence. Only the crackle of the fire made any sound.
‘Surely this can’t be true,’ said Red. ‘How can they be sure?’ Stella looked to Red and then her eyes darted back to Eben.
‘They believed it enough to put their lives at risk,’ said Eben. ‘And look what happened to me. I was lucky to escape. The authorities didn’t want anyone to get out. They want to make sure no one knows what I just told you.’
Stella looked to be deep in thought. A moment later there was a thudding knock at the door. Stella took a quick breath and anxiously stared across at Eben.
‘They don’t know where you are staying do they?’ asked Stella, whispering fearfully.
‘I don’t think so,’ whispered Eben.
They stood up and walked toward the door. Again the heavy knock rang out.
‘Who is it?’ asked Stella.
‘I’m looking for Eben. Is he staying here?’ asked a man’s voice from outside. Stella backed away, and she looked back at Red and Eben. Red signalled for her to reveal nothing.
‘There’s no one by that name here,’ she answered.
There was silence for a few moments. Suddenly the locked bolt of the door started moving and opening by itself.
‘Bloody magic!’ gasped Red, clenching his fists. Stella stepped back behind the young men. A moment later the door opened. Cassiel stood in the doorway.
‘Die Zyranian!’ shouted Red, instantly leaping forward. Cassiel lifted his hand and stopped Red in his tracks; an invisible wall barred his way. Red pushed forward but couldn’t move.
‘Red, he’s not against us,’ cried Eben. Red stopped trying to press against the barrier and moved back a little. Cassiel walked into the room and gently closed the door.
‘That’s the kind of bravery we need,’ said Cassiel with a slight smile. ‘I’m sorry to surprise you like this.’
‘Who is he?’ asked Stella nervously, glancing across at Eben.
‘This is Cassiel,’ said Eben. ‘He was at the meeting. He’s a wizard. Cassiel, I would like you to meet my friends, Red and Stella’
Stella and Red stared at Cassiel. It was extremely rare to meet a wizard in Ortaria.
‘You seem far too young to be a wizard,’ said Red, still upset that he had been restrained by Cassiel’s spell.
‘I’m an outcast. I never finished my training,’ said Cassiel, unperturbed.
‘That explains it then; you’re a dropout,’ said Red. Stella shot Red a disapproving look.
‘Yes, that’s true, but under the circumstances I’m happy to be a dropout,’ said Cassiel with a confident smile.
‘Would you like a drink?’ asked Stella politely.
‘Indeed I would,’ replied Cassiel as he casually took off his coat and hung it on a hook beside the door. They walked back over to the warmth of the fire.
‘I was worried about you, Eben. I thought you were killed in the battle,’ said Cassiel. Stella pulled up a seat for the young wizard.
‘He arrived back here in a terrible state two nights ago,’ said Stella as she went to grab a pitcher of ale from the bar.
‘What happened to the others?’ asked Eben.
‘Everyone who escaped through the back door was captured by waiting guardsmen. It was a trap. Torg and the others were taken to the palace dungeons. I expect they met a terrible fate.’
‘And Torela?’
‘I’m not sure if she made it out or not before the building collapsed. I managed to escape along the rooftops. I returned the next day to have a look around. The city guard were still searching the area, so I had to move on. I spent yesterday and today looking for Torela to no avail.’
‘How did you know where I was staying?’ asked Eben.
‘I had spoken about you at length with Torela earlier on the day of the meeting. She held you in high regard. She thought that you could help us in our struggle against the Zyranian Order. I think she thought you were special in some way.’
Red laughed and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back in his chair. ‘You should be careful, Eben. It looks like he wants you to join his rebel army.’
Cassiel frowned and took a sip of his ale. ‘There is no army, just me,’ he said coolly. ‘Everyone in Ancora who wanted to help was captured two nights ago. So if something is going to be done it is up to me to do it.’
‘So you’re going to free King Ignis yourself?’ asked Red.
Cassiel stared at Red for a long moment. He then glanced across at Stella. ‘I assume you and Stella both know what’s going on with King Ignis?’ Red nodded curtly. ‘Good. Eben trusts you. The enemy would kill you if they knew you were aware of the King’s imprisonment.’ Red was taken aback and scratched his chin nervously. ‘You are right, Red. I do need help. I’m working on a plan to free King Ignis, and I can’t do it alone. The enemy may have had an infiltrator at our meeting. They may also know some of my plan. If we’re going to free King Ignis then we should do it as soon as possible.’
‘We! Don’t include me in your plan,’ said Red sharply.
‘I’ll help,’ said Stella.
‘Stella! Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t get involved; it’s too risky,’ protested Red.
‘King Ignis is my king, Red. You’re Silvorian, so it doesn’t matter much to you. I want Ortaria to return to how it was years ago.’
‘I’m definitely in too,’ said Eben.
‘Good,’ said Cassiel. ‘I’m very grateful for any assistance.’
Red stood up and heavily sighed. ‘If Stella goes I’ll have to go too.’ Cassiel smiled at hearing Red’s words.
**
Later that evening they were sitting around a table in the kitchen. Cassiel placed a large piece of parchment on the table top. A few candles were lit and provided a soft light. It was a map of the Citadel of Zyran, which included details of the main gate, diagrams of the academy, and the location of the Dungeons of Zyran.
‘The Citadel is surrounded by an outer wall and has three main gates; it is about a thousand yards in diameter. Only Zyranian Wizards and students at the academy are allowed inside, and the gates are well guarded by a fierce band of guardsmen. Outside the Citadel there is a village beside the docks; it exists mainly to serve the Citadel itself and...’
‘I’ve been there and...,’ said Red.
Cassiel stared across at him. ‘Good, Red, but Stella and Eben haven’t, so let me continue. The Citadel is quite impressive and consists of over one hundred stone towers that rise high into the sky above. Many bridges make a network of pathways between the towers. In the past each wizard was given their own tower to live in; now some of the towers are used for other purposes because there are less than a hundred Zyranian wizards. Trebax, the Gatekeeper of Zyran, lives in a tower near the main front gate. He holds the key to the prison which looks like this.’ He took from his pocket another small piece of paper and unfolded it, showing a picture of an octagonal crystal.
‘It doesn’t look like a key,’ said Stella.
‘It’s an ancient and mysterious amulet which can be used to open any door,’ said Cassiel. ‘Our mission is to enter the Citadel, steal the key, free the King, and escape before anyone knows we’ve been there.’
‘Impossible,’ said Red, shaking his head. ‘I don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm, but even getting into the Citadel of Zyran will be a great task in itself, and trying not to be seen will probably be even harder. I’ve seen those towers; assuming Trebax locks his door the only way in would be through the high windows that are a hundred feet above the ground.’
‘I didn’t say it was going to be easy,’ said Cassiel.
‘I can do it,’ said Stella. They were surprised by her words. ‘If we can get into the Citadel then I can climb into those windows. Acrobatics, rope climbing, and trapeze were my specialties in the circus.’
‘Stella, Trebax will kill you if he sees you. I don’t like the sound of this plan,’ said Red.
‘It’s risky for all of us, Red,’ replied Stella.
‘But we still have to get into the Citadel,’ said Eben.
Red started lightly tapping on the table, and they turned and looked at him. ‘When I was a sailor we delivered Silvorian wine to Zyran in big oak barrels. I know a man who may be able to smuggle us inside the Citadel. He’s not the charitable type; he’ll require payment.’
Cassiel took from his pocket a leather pouch and tipped the contents of gold and silver coins onto the map. A gold coin could buy a great deal in Ortaria.
‘Money isn’t a problem,’ stated Cassiel. ‘Assuming we can get into the Citadel and steal the key, we will still need a distraction to get into the dungeons. The prison is guarded by two wizards and there is only one way in and out. If there was only one wizard I could probably deal with it; two make it impossible for me. I’m simply not powerful enough to deal with two wizards at once.’
‘Fireworks,’ said Red with a cheeky grin.
‘Fireworks!’ repeated Stella, shaking her head. ‘We don’t want to wake the whole of Zyran.’
‘Why not? I could create absolute chaos by setting off the fireworks, and everyone’s focus would be on me. No one will have any idea that a prison break was happening. Maybe the guards will leave their posts long enough to investigate.’
‘Hmmmm,’ groaned Cassiel, not liking the idea. ‘Firstly, there is no guarantee the wizards will leave their posts, and secondly, you will be completely destroyed by the Zyranians.’
‘I won’t!’ said Red defensively. ‘I can light them up and run. By the time they start looking for me I’ll be long gone.’
‘Do you know enough about fireworks though?’ asked Cassiel hesitantly, still not convinced by the idea.
‘You’re talking to the unsurpassed master of fireworks himself!’ said Red confidently. Both Eben and Cassiel looked to Stella for confirmation.
‘Yes, it’s true, Red is very experienced. In the circus he was a Fire Master and prepared a display every night,’ said Stella.
‘A man of many talents,’ said Cassiel. Cassiel paused and reflected for a few moments on the idea. ‘It’s possible that fireworks could be used as a diversion within the walls which could help us escape after we free King Ignis. We should definitely bring some fireworks, yet I doubt the wizard guards will leave their posts for anything. We still have to think up a way of getting by them.’
The room fell silent. They all sat in quiet reflection, searching for a solution.
Eben broke the silence. ‘I once hunted mountain deer in a special way. Mountain deer can’t be shot with an ordinary arrow because they are likely to run leagues away before they collapse. I would wait for them quietly in a hidden place. When they appeared I would use a small harmless dart with a tiny amount of the common herbs Ortarian Mugwort and Valerian Root. Within seconds the dart would cause them to fall to the ground asleep. We could use this same method on the wizards.’
‘Brilliant,’ said Cassiel. ‘This is just what we need. If you could approach the wizard guards with a long cloak and hood they would probably mistake you for a wizard, and then before they realised you weren’t...they would be sound asleep.’
‘But how do we escape once we free King Ignis?’ asked Eben.
‘That’s the easy part. The supply gate near the docks is always locked except for when they’re taking supplies in. If we make it that far we will have the key; we should be able to open the gate and walk straight down to the docks to our waiting boat. So that’s our plan. We arrive on the island and pay your acquaintance to smuggle us into the Citadel. Stella will infiltrate Trebax’s tower and steal the key. Eben will put the wizard guards to sleep, and I will then enter the prison and free King Ignis. We will then escape via the supply gate and sail back to Ortaria.’
‘We have a plan at last,’ said Red merrily.
‘Indeed we do,’ said Eben, feeling uneasy at the many difficulties such a plan may entail.