Legends from The Warlock's Chair - Book One - Ravengaard

Chapter Thirty-five - The Power of the Stones

A roaring drew his eyes skywards. Etched bright against the darkness of the clouds, great fireballs and rocks, shot from the giant catapults, arched above him and crashed down onto the battlefield. They did not distinguish between friend or foe and their fiery weight crushed and burned both Elf and Goblyn alike.

CERIDWEN STOOD IN THE OPEN and tried to ignore the torrential rain that beat down upon her frail body.

'Ahr'idri Neirlooth Sek'araphim,' she called out the words of power that would summons the magic.

She was standing in the centre of the clearing that fronted her cottage. A low-lying mist swirled around her body sending a shiver through her slight frame. Before her, the ancient Elven sword known as the Moonblade was jammed into the ground. The gemstone that gave the sword its name hummed with power as the ancient words released the magic that resided within it.

'Ahr'idri Neirlooth Sek'araphim,' she cried again.

Sparkling energy burst from the blue stone, spiralling up into the dawn sky. It circled momentarily as if searching for direction, then sped off to the south. 

Eldon is to the south, she thought.

Ceridwen shielded her eyes against the driving rain and followed its path until it disappeared above the treetops. She continued chanting the words of the invocation that had summoned the magic from the Moonstone.

To the south of Ceridwen's cottage, Eldon and the Gnomes finally reached their destination. The storm continued, rain lashing down on the small clearing in the forest far out across the valley. They were now behind the Elven lines, safe for the moment from any further attacks. 

The Giant held the Daybringer staff out in front of him, pointing the crystal stone skywards.  

'Ahr'idri Neirlooth Sek'araphim,'  he shouted into the night air.

The runes carved into the wooden shaft rippled along its length glowed brighter in the darkness.

He spoke the words again and tendrils of glowing matter exploded from the gem twisting upward it ripped through the tree canopy and out into the night sky. The tendrils spun around each other forming one thick column of light. He continued with the spell, watching as the energy climbed to a peak. More of the energy raced in from the north. It mixed with the Daybringer's magic, dancing, and sparking as if greeting a long-lost friend. Eldon watched, shaking his head in astonishment as the spiralling clouds seemed to falter for a moment. Then, as if summoned by an unseen force, it gathered speed and arced off to the west.

He hoped Holt had not encountered any difficulties.

Bredock Holt readied the Amulet of Hidden Ways, placing it on the ground in front of him. The crystal set in the middle flickered with energy and seemed to call to him. So far they had been using only a limited portion of its magic to transport themselves from one place to another. Now he was about to discover the full extent of its powers. He summoned the words of the spell, making sure he memorized them. From close by one of his Gnomes shouted a warning. The Goblyns were attacking again.

'Hold them back lads.' he shouted. 'Give me a just few moments longer.'

The clash of weapons and the cries of the wounded and dying filtered through the trees around him. He pushed them to the back of his mind, concentrating on the task at hand. 

'Ahr'idri Neirlooth Sek'araphim,' he whispered. 

The Amulet of Hidden Ways blazed brightly as a pulse of energy erupted from the crystal. It hovered in the air above him, indecisive, as if not sure what was expected of it.