Manorborn: The Battles Between

Chapter 4

A tall man entered, slender of build, in red cassok and white flowing leggings. His black hair was bound in a long braid down his back, and his sightless eyes gazed unseeingly ahead, as he softly tapped the ground before him with his staff."

"...Melchior will see you fed and tended to."

The Lord of the Manor rose to his feet, bowing his head to the two Captain and her First Mate.

"Rest and be at ease. The Manorborn will serve you as best we may."

As Melchior led their guests away, the Lord of the Manor turned to enter his study, his face set, grim, and worried. He moved to his desk and sat in the chair behind it, leaning back as he stared out at the quiet night with unseeing eyes.

His sons had been victorious in all their endeavors so far, starting with the defeat of the Midnight King and he reclaiming of the Vale of Sages for the Light, as well as other significant but small issues since then. But now they were going to face another Lord of Darkness in full contest and battle; a battle that would have greater significance than their first. By defeating the Midnight King, they had freed the Vale.

If they defeated the Lord of Shadows and Deceit, they would free an entire world.

In their rooms, the Sons of the Manor made ready for travel and war. Jaryd donned tunic, leggings, boots, and cloak, then took up Sehrah, the Staff of Storms, called Ahzmin his Eagle-Owl companion to his shoulder, and made his way toward the Great Doors. Benjamin donned similar garb, then took up Raash, the Earth Hammer and, calling his Great Horned Owl, Syndfar, he also made his way toward the entrance to the Way of Worlds.

Galen, however, had made a slight detour.

While his brothers prepared themselves for battle, the youngest of the three made his way to a large lake that stood at the edge of the mighty woods surrounding a majority of the estate he called home. At its edge, he paused, the took a breath, and softly called out, "My Lady Abhain, Lady of the Lake, your student calls."

Out in the middle of the lake there was a soft swirling of water, an a lovely form stepped into the moonlight. There was no great surge of water, not frothing or bubbling of torrent and wave. One moment the water was calm and empty. The next, she stood there; Abhain, The Lady of the Lake, the Lady of Waters, clad in armour that resembled the silvery scales of fishes, a helmet on her head, shield on her arm, and long spear in hand. Her eyes were the clear blue of an azure sea, her hair yellow-green and seeming to move and flow about her head as if she were deep under the surface and her tresses caught by the eddies and tides of the ocean. She stepped upon the water as another might walk on pavement, and her smile as she gazed upon Galen was loving and proud.

When she stood at water's edge, Galen bowed to her as he smiled warmly.

"Good evening, My Lady."

The rustle and surge of a thousand waves echoed about him, "Good evening and well met, my beloved student and friend. What brings you to me this night?"

"We have visitors, visitors from a world of mighty oceans and seas, where land is minor by comparison. The name of the world is Maa, and it is the dwelling of Ahlmakadie, the Lord of Shadows and Deceit."

At this news, Abhain hissed in anger, and her beautiful face was twisted in rage.

"Ahlmakadie! Of all the Lords of Darkness I loathe him most! He took a beautiful world of waters, a sapphire among the stars, and corrupted it, tainted it with his presence and his dark minions. He uses shadow and lies to gain power and twist people's minds. As my waters seek to mold and change the land according to the will of the Maker, so he seeks to mold and change the minds and spirits of others to serve his own selfish ends. Among the Darkness, he is my most hated enemy."

She looked down at her student, then dropped to one knee to look Galen in the eye as she spoke.

"Be wary, my beloved student. He knows of you, and he hates you with a passion. With Chazon, your Seeing Eye, and your swords; Answer and Truth, you are his very opposite. He will seek to destroy you utterly, and will bend all his will upon you. You must be more wary, more aware, than even before."

She lay a hand on his shoulder, her eyes gently concerned and wary for one she had taught from the day he was five.

"Facing Ahmalkadie will be your most difficult task yet, Galen. Do not fall. Do not be decieved. Trust in the truth at all times, and trust in the Maker above all. I sense his hand in this, in this moment of your life, strongly. What the outcome of this will be I cannot say, but I know it is in the Maker;s hand. Trust in that. Trust in him."

A soft smile crossed her lips. "Remember all I have taught you. Now, one final parting gift."

She leaned forward and gently kissed Galen upon the forehead, then rose to her feet, and gave her student a small bow.

"Journey well, Galen. Remember what I have taught you. Remember the voice of the sea."

With that, she turned and walked back into the shadowy depths from which she had come.

For a moment, her student stood there, contemplating what he had been told as he looked out over the lake, then up at the stars. A sense of portent filled him, a strong urgency that he was about to embark upon an adventure such as he had never known before. It filled him with excitement, but also causte him to wonder what was about to happen. Somehow, he knew he would emerge from this trial more changed than he ever had from any other adventure before.

As he turned to make his way back to the Manor, he wondered what those changes would be.

He wondered if he would like the man he would become from those changes.