Sons of Ironstorm - Book 2: Griffon's Call

The Shadow Strikes

Even with every square span of its surface deeply etched with arcane symbols to both protect its contents, and protect anybody touching it from its power, the young human could feel the prophecy's undeniable presence throb against his flesh. There was true magic contained within, though it was a mere copy of the original.

For a long moment Shawn considered that magic, and what it could mean. Then, his face tightening with resolution, he reached for the tube. 'Magic it has.' He silently admitted as he took hold of the smooth leather cylinder, the tingling power of the prophecy's magic quickly racing up his arm. 'Now, let us see if it holds the key to my future as well!'

Intent on opening the tube as quickly as possible, now that he had it in his hands, to prevent trepidation from taking hold of him, Shawn gripped the tube's cap. Before he could twist it free, however, a barely audible sound brushed against his ears, giving him pause. Frowning at the fact the sound was insistent enough to break his concentration, the young human stifled a surge of frustration threatening to wash through him and focused on it.

What could possibly be audible above the soft rustle of the wind in the trees, the night time sounds of the sleeping city around them, or above the sing-song whisperings of the nearby fairies at this time of night? 

It was as he both focused on what he heard, and asked those questions in his mind, that Shawn realized while he had yet to discover what caught his attention, there was something missing from the expected mélange of background sound. His head quickly twisted to seek out the trees of the fairy grove he had watched earlier, during the pause in his practice, seeking confirmation of the nearest of expected sources. And he felt his heart sink to discover it devoid of dancing sparks.

The fairies were gone! Shawn felt a chill race through his body as his eyes flew wide at the discovery. As far back as he could remember the fairies had inhabited the fairy grove, rain or sunshine, winter and summer, filling the air with their delicate song. To see them gone was almost like a physical blow to his senses.

His face tightening, the powerful young human slowly rose to his feet. It couldn't be coincidence that as soon as he resolved to discover his fate in the Norak Utterance, the fairies chose then to disappear. There was something more here, something out in the grove that drove the fairies away. Something tied to both him and the prophecy. He couldn't read the prophecy until he discovered exactly what that thing was.

Perhaps it was foolhardy, or hasty to jump to such a conclusion, and then make such a decision. But Shawn found himself propelled through the house regardless, the Utterance forgotten for the moment back on the balcony, his new determination burning bright within.

Then he was stepping beyond the final portal and onto the lush grass that carpeted the ground between the house and the fairy grove. Here, the young human planned to pause, enabling a quick reassessment of the situation as he was taught. As he made to, however, lilting, alien music reached through the darkness to caress his ears. It was the same sound he had heard on the balcony, stopping him before he could open the prophecy scroll.

Now it wrapped itself sinuously around his senses, a siren's song that pulled him past the point of no return. Where he meant to stand and hold his ground, now he strode quickly forward, eyes intent on the fairy grove as the soft music filled his ears, beckoning him onward. In response to the music's influence, Shawn fairly flew across the intervening sward and into the trees beyond with little hesitation.

There, as the shadows laying thick about the wide-boled trees embraced him, he paused to cast a quick eye in every direction. And in doing so, he caught sight of a pale white wraith making its careful way along the slow-moving Gelleron's banks. Shawn's eyes narrowed in thoughtful consideration.