The Goddess (Lady of the Light book 1)

Ch. 3

This is where Edmund would come in; since their father acknowledged him, he could be considered the next person who was old enough to take the throne. The option of letting him be regent also was discarded, as Maelgywn knew that if Edmund came into power his daughter would die. Whether it was made to look like an accident, or just outright killed her, it didn't matter; the end result would be the same.

If Edmund took the throne an uprising would occur, due to the fact he openly worshipped a new god. His god enjoyed blood tributes and according to Lillabeth was far darker than the current Gods. He enjoyed power and control; the new God was rumoured to have once been mortal. Lillabeth didn't even truly understand where he got his power from, only that it terrified her. The Gods refused to speak of him, however, it was made clear that the more people that worshipped him the more chaotic things would get. So, this party had been chosen to try to cure the Queen and restore order, or "balance".

"You look tired," Telen said as he helped her down from the saddle.

"I'm exhausted, I haven't been sleeping very well," Em replied, she shrugged and started to help unpack one of the packhorses.

"Maybe sleep outside beside the fire tonight, it should be warm enough" Telen suggested as he walked off to help set up camp.

After dinner, Em noticed Alistair studying everyone. Telen looked a little bruised after Lucan had once again thoroughly beaten him at sword practice. Lucan was smiling as he worked a stone rhythmically over a blade. Maelgywn was studying the fire in front of him, whilst Everett and Lillabeth talked quietly together.

Alistair cleared this throat; it was fairly quiet so he did it again. Everyone looked at him with an expectation that Em hadn't seen before.

"Are you going to tell us a story?" Telen asked eagerly

"I think so, but which one?" Alistair replied in his deep voice.

"A simple one that Em could understand" Telen replied, his eyes shining bright as he clearly got excited.

"A beginning" Maelgywn answered, his quiet tone carrying through the camp.

"In the beginning, there was one creature with one ideal" Alistair started, his deep melodic voice creating the weave of the story "That idea soon turned into a reality. The creature was delighted; this perfect idea represented everything it had ever wanted; other creatures of its kind for it to be with and a place where they could live. Soon other creatures great and small came from the other's ideals. The land was beautiful and flourishing, emerald hills, which rolled, with sweet-smelling flowers covering them in a thick blanket of colour. Sapphire lakes with depths so deep they appeared black. The more creatures that came into existence the more that they wanted. Soon high mountains rose covered with snowy peaks, thick tangled forests that steamed with evening rain. The first creature was becoming distressed, soon it would become too much, everything was changing so fast that it couldn't keep up. It realised sadly that only the strongest of Wills would be able to make things happen and that with their Will new lands that they chose would be created.

What the first creature did not know that in fact there was another, another with a will just as strong. This other creature also had an ideal. Instead of rolling hills there where sharp cliffs and mountain ranged. Huge icy lakes and rivers that cut through the land like a raging torrent. Mountains that spewed fire was where this creature and others of its kind lived. There they created minerals and beautiful gems that they crafted. This first creature like the other had given its creations the ability to use Will, however, the same problems soon arrived. Everyone wanted something different."

Pausing for a moment Alistair smiled as everyone urged him to continue, he slowly took a drink from a flask and winked at Em.

"The creature minds soon met, each demanding an answer from the other. When neither could answer, and their pride became too much they fought. Yet they were both equals; one was fire and air and the other was earth and water. These elements making up their beings, they fought mind battles, even physical battles. Each soon finding a form. Unicorns and Dragons were formed that day. The more they fought the more chaotic their perspective world became, without the creatures sustaining the worlds they crumbled, and much life was lost. It took them centuries of waring to fully understand what was happening to the universe they had helped shape. As the realisation dawned on them it was almost too late. However, one thing which they needed to help restore their worlds was missing, the fifth element: Spirit. Both the unicorns and the dragons immediately started to search for the missing element that would link the two halves together.

After what seemed like centuries, they found it. The missing link was a dark grubby little creature, with four legs and a wagging tail, it was pure and, in its purity, held the key.

A healing rune was made with the combined effort of both species, as the ceremony commenced awe rose through everything that was there. The power that was unleased could never completely destroy the darkness that had grown during the war, however, it could hold it at bay.

At the end of the ceremony, where the pure one had stood was now a people like none they had ever seen. It stood upright and, in its heart, it held not only the pureness but also the darkness, it was up to this new species to maintain the balance."

"I haven't heard it told like that" Lillabeth breathed her eyes shining with awe.

It was like they slowly came back from being under a spell everyone seemed slightly dazed.

"A story of power creates power," Lucan said "normally your stories aren't quite that deep, friend"

Alistair coughed and squirmed awkwardly "Well no, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the myths of our beginnings"

"So that was just an old myth?" Em queried.

"Well, some believe that Dragons and Unicorns are the caretakers of the universe" Lillabeth answered, "The Gods don't really reply much if you ask them about it."

"Naturally not" Maelgywn replied. Slowly the big knight stood up and stretched "We will be getting up early tomorrow, the city is especially pretty when bathed in the morning light."

After that shocking sentence, he went to bed, Em did as Telen suggested and pulled a bedroll over towards the fire, wrapped in an old cloak that Alistair may now be missing she fell fast asleep in the sandy grass.

Em was very groggy in the morning, they had gotten up even earlier than normal. It didn't help that Telen had ended up sleeping outside as well, so they had quietly talked for hours. He had teased her, and she had learnt so much more about this world from him. It differed in so many social ways, however, most of the plants and animals were similar, after all if you believed the myth then the author whose Will created this place had wanted it to be like this.

Soon they had packed the camp up and erased any trace of their nights rest and began the journey into the city.

They had been climbing a hill for a while, Em was starting to think it would never end, it would be the hill that never ends. "Lillabeth, how long will this take?" Em finally asked

"You should be able to see the city over the next rise" she answered.

The city was breathtaking, a huge wall surrounded it, the wall was covered in white marble making the morning sun reflect from the walls. It gleamed so brightly Em had to shade her eyes. Reds, oranges, pinks and even hints of dusky purple met their eyes, the city almost looked angelic sitting on a carpet of sand.

Towers were strategically placed along the walls; inside the city, you could see turrets and flags waving in the air. Smoke from the morning fires didn't even diminish the stunning glory of the city bathed in the mornings first light.