{"id":146,"date":"2024-07-09T03:05:32","date_gmt":"2024-07-09T03:05:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arenyth3500.live-website.com\/?page_id=146"},"modified":"2024-07-09T04:28:52","modified_gmt":"2024-07-09T04:28:52","slug":"chapter-19","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/arenyth.com\/index.php\/chapter-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 19 – KIDNAPPING ARGONIAN PRINCE TELIS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Chapter 19 was omitted from the first edition. Please find it below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no throne room,\u201d Isdra said. She cast her dark eyes around the cluttered command post tent that Arelum had haunted continuously for three straight days. Arelum traced a lazy circle on the map in front of him. The waxwhite castle of the Argonian capital was at the map\u2019s center.
\u201cYou can say that again,\u201d Arelum said, still lost in his dead end plans.
Isdra saw that he had mistaken her meaning. \u201cYou already have a throne room, sitting empty back at the Witches\u2019 Dominion.\u201d
\u201cAnd no throne in it. A king without a throne, that should be a song, shouldn\u2019t it?\u201d
\u201cYour witches will make you the finest throne you could hope for, they would be thankful to. Rather than prosecute this endless, fruitless war any further. Think of the research neglected,\u201d Isdra argued.
Finally Arelum raised his eyes to hers. \u201cIt\u2019s not about the throne. Nor the research either. Nor even the Crystal of Orin. It\u2019s about what the Crystal of Orin can accomplish. I have to return to my family. To save them.\u201d
Isdra took a seat across from him and grabbed a figurine of a soldier from the tabletop. \u201cWar games,\u201d she said, and she clasped her hand around the figurine. \u201cWhat if I knew how to win that crystal for you?\u201d
\u201cBy all means, Commander Isdra, let us hear your plan.\u201d
\u201cWe capture Prince Telis, Argonia\u2019s only heir to the throne. King Safan\u2019s dearest treasure.\u201d
\u201cIngenious,\u201d Arelum said, but his eyes said that it was a foolish plot. \u201cAnd Prince Telis\u2019s elite guardsman, his master swordsmanship, these will be of no concern, because\u2026\u201d
\u201cBecause he will not fight. He will come willingly into his cage.\u201d Isdra showed Arelum the soldier figurine peeking through her fingers like the bars of a cage.
Arelum\u2019s eyes shifted back and forth trying to guess at her meaning. \u201cWhy? Why will he come willingly?\u201d
\u201cBecause with my shapeshifting abilities, and your dark art to push my abilities to heights not allowed in light magic, I will be an unsurpassed beauty. A maiden of perfection whom he will fall hopelessly in love with.\u201d Now she set the figurine back on the map, but she had transformed it into a shapely nymph.
It was a true work of art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Late that night, as Isdra was preparing the potion that would transmute her flesh to the youthful appearance desired, Arelum arrived with the final, most potent ingredient.
\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful,\u201d Isdra said, reaching out to take it in her hand.
\u201cDon\u2019t touch it,\u201d Arelum said, and pulled the white thing away. \u201cIt\u2019s still fresh and moist, full of its youth. It was only now, this day, transmuted into a salamander. And cut down in the prime of its life.\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s a selfish thing,\u201d she said, lusting after the lump of pure white flesh he held in his hand.
\u201cFor both of us, yes,\u201d Arelum said. He knew that Isdra\u2019s heart desired to you then her flesh almost as strongly as he wanted her mission to succeed. She squinted back at him, taking his meaning. She didn\u2019t appreciate the accusation of impure intentions being turned back on her.
The skin of the salamander was added to her cauldron, and dissolved into the pluripotent stew of her magical concoction.
A few sips later, Isdra became a young maiden of undeniable beauty. Together, she and Arelum departed for a pub in a small town where they knew they were sure to find The Argonian Prince, Telis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Inside the pub, Commander Schlaffley has an exchange with the drunken Argonian Prince.
\u201cI know I heard it that time,\u201d said Schlaffley. He was the senior commander of Telis\u2019s guardsman. Prince Telis rested half off his seat, balanced on his tailbone, slouched to the furthest fulcrum of his barroom chair.
\u201cProbably one of my same heart,\u201d he said. He stared into the bottom of his green-glass waxsynth stein. \u201cShe\u2019s bemoaning the sacking of Levenim. Think of all those waxsynth steins, draining into the soil. The beautiful, costumed girls, gutted and left to rot in the street. Gone. All gone.\u201d
\u201cI heard the cry of a maiden in pain. She can\u2019t be a stone\u2019s throw from this window,\u201d said the senior commander. The window was covered in dark parchment, and he couldn\u2019t see through it. So he held his ear near it instead, straining for the words in the sound.
\u201cWell,\u201d Telis said, annoyed, \u201cgo save her, then.\u201d He attempted to fix drunken eyes on the senior commander.
\u201cYour highness, with all respect, I cannot leave my post for naught.\u201d He stood at attention then, officiously. \u201cThe life of our prince is worth uncounted suffering maidens.\u201d
\u201cFine then,\u201d said the prince. \u201cLet\u2019s go save her!\u201d he said. And he stood unsteadily to stand and refasten his sword belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cNoooooo!!! Please don\u2019t! I have nothing left, only my honor. Please, leave me that,\u201d said the maiden. She lay in the dirt street outside the Dog & Trumpet, writhing in an ecstacy of mistreatment. First emerged the senior commander of Telis\u2019s guard detail, and then Telis himself. He showed little concern for the situation, but the senior commander imposed himself between Telis and the scene as duty required.
\u201cShut your mouth, you dirty Argonian wench!\u201d Arelum shouted. He looked over his shoulder to make certain the people emerging from the Dog & Trumpet had heard him. There was a titter of angry excitement. They heard. \u201cI\u2019ll have you in my herum, if you survive the night.\u201d
\u201cPlease, dark sorcerer, spare me,\u201d the maiden said. Finally, Prince Telis\u2019s interest was piqued. Prince Telis and his senior commander recognized Arelum, saying, \u201cit\u2019s the Witch King himself attacking that maiden! And there, Ledes, his vampire first in command.\u201d
\u201cNow look what\u2019s come of this,\u201d Telis said, striding past his guards, out into the dirt road. \u201cI asked my father not to deliver you to the vampires. And look where it\u2019s gotten us now.\u201d Telis drew his grandfather\u2019s mended ceremonial blade from its ornate scabbard. It was a blade long on presentation and short on function. \u201cYou\u2019re in league with them against us.\u201d
\u201cTelis! I should gut you where you stand,\u201d Arelum said, and his sword drifted up out of his hand to stand guard over him while his fingers gripped the zipper-pull that he would need to expend for the evisceration spell, should Telis draw too near. \u201cThat sword of yours is not meant for dueling,\u201d Arelum said.
\u201cMy skills are. That crown of yours is not meant for ruling Argonia,\u201d Telis responded. \u201cNow, unhand that Argonian maiden, or pay with your life.\u201d
Then Arelum remembered himself. He saw the opportunity to feign fear. His hand slipped away from the zipper-pull, and instead to a bag of talc. \u201cDon\u2019t take another step closer. Don\u2019t dare!\u201d
Telis continued to advance, followed by his entourage. \u201cI do so dare.\u201d
Arelum threw the talc bag on the ground, and it puffed into a bright flash. With a bang, Arelum and Ledes vanished. But the Argonian maiden remained. \u201cOh thank you, Prince Telis. Thank the All Father for your bravery. You\u2019ve saved me from a life of ravage and servitude,\u201d the maiden said.
Telis looked upon her and saw that she was exceptionally beautiful. \u201cYour beauty, no doubt, has been more a curse than a blessing. To get the attention of such as Arelum.\u201d Telis shook his head and spat in the dirt for having mentioned the name. \u201cDid they harm you?\u201d
Disguised as a maiden, Isdra explained \u201cThey killed my brother and his wife. They burned our farm and killed our cattle. I have nothing, and nowhere to go. I have lost everything. I was trying to make it to the capitol to be near my father.\u201d She looked into his eyes and cast another spell with her eyelashes. One that tugged at the thinnest of heartstrings. \u201cHe is so ill, my poor father. Now I\u2019m doomed. I have lost all.\u201d
\u201cDon\u2019t cry, my lady,\u201d Telis said. \u201cEverything will end brightly. I will help you. Do you know who I am?\u201d
Most innocently, and with a touch of embarrassed shame, the Argonian maiden looked up at him and shook her head, no. \u201cA brave warrior? I do not know who you are, but only that you are the hero who saved me from that witch.\u201d
\u201cI am Telis, Prince of Argonia.\u201d
\u201cGreat is the All Father, creator of the Arenyth! How could I have been so fortunate to be saved by you? I owe my life to you, my lord. Please, allow me to serve you. Until a new life comes to claim my soul.\u201d
Charmed and smitten by her otherworldly beauty, Telis felt he had finally earned the just reward of his reputation for bravery and swordsmanship. \u201cCome to the capitol with us. I will see that you have a place to live, have food on your table each evening. I could even offer you a job in the palace kitchens.\u201d
\u201cOh thank you, my prince. You are truly the hero you\u2019re said to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More than two weeks passed before Arelum heard from Isdra again. Finally, she used her summoning stone to signal him to meet her in the no man\u2019s land of the north Argonian forest. Arelum traveled silently through the night into the dark forest, but upon seeing Isdra again in the form of an innocent, beautiful maiden, Arelum began to laugh.
\u201cShhhhh!\u201d she hissed at him. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with you? We\u2019re trying to go unnoticed.\u201d Irritated, she looked into the deeper shadows of the trees for signs of an interloper.
\u201cWell met maiden, you look charming,\u201d Arelum said.
\u201cI\u2019m sick of this false body. Do not laugh at me, Arelum. You wouldn\u2019t last a day in this maiden dress. Even worse having the prince try to kiss me every time he sees me.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019d rather be burned alive.\u201d
\u201cYou might get your chance. I\u2019m losing patience,\u201d she said. A scowl crawled across her face, but where Isdra would have normally looked severe, her acquired form could only manage to express a cute grumpiness. \u201cThe good news is that the prince has fallen in love with me. Hopelessly.\u201d
\u201cAh, he doesn\u2019t know you very well,\u201d Arelum smiled.
\u201cNo, he doesn\u2019t. The bad news is that it\u2019s been difficult to get him away from his bodyguards. They are around him constantly. And some of them are superbly trained warriors, Templar Knights. Unless I get him alone, I won\u2019t be able to put my sleeping curse on him so we can kidnap him.\u201d
Arelum thought hard about this, and sat with his head hung low for several minutes. Isdra arched her eyebrow in mocking doubt that he could devise a solution in moments to the puzzle she had spent every waking minute trying to solve. Finally, Arelum spoke. \u201cHow about this idea. Tomorrow, take the prince into the forest for a romantic lunch. There you will invite him to swim in the lagoon. The guards will want to remain ashore, wearing their armor and with their weapons at hand. I will bring Ledes and Armand with me to cause a distraction while you put your sleeping curse on the prince.\u201d
Isdra was dubious. It was a plan, but as likely to fail as to succeed. \u201cIt\u2019s not perfect. But at this point I am ready to have my cover blown one way or the other. Just be careful. His Templar guards may be powerful enough to prevent you from using your spells.\u201d Her beautiful, wide maiden eyes showed him how serious that threat could be. \u201cPlease don\u2019t let anything happen to Ledes,\u201d she said. \u201cOr the dwarf\u201d she added hastily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The splashes of water sparkled through the sun dapples of the forest canopy. The prince was chasing his vixen through the water, nearly naked and hungry to catch her. The maiden laughed and disappeared again under the lagoon\u2019s surface. Idra swam deep under the water halfway to the opposite shore before she came up for a breath. Then she shouted back to Telis who was searching for her. He saw her game, and dove after her, swimming under the water as well.
The prince\u2019s Templar guardsmen lay in the shade of the trees on shore, occasionally scanning the edge of the forest for any sign of threat. They were completely unaware of the threat that had been right in their midst so many times.
Next, Isdra\u2019s maiden form appeared near the opposite shore from where they had begun their swim.
\u201cThere you are!\u201d Telis shouted to her. They were already so far from the other shore that the guards didn\u2019t even hear him.
Isdra laughed and crawled out onto the rocky shore. \u201cCome and get me, if you can!\u201d She dashed into the forest, making sure to leave a trail of wet footprints for him to follow. She made her way deep into the woods where the guards could not see them from the other side. Prince Telis\u2019s heart raced with the pleasure of the hunt. He climbed from the lagoon and began to track the maiden into the woods.
The guards began to realize they had lost track of their ward, but it was too late. He was alone in the deep woods with the huntress, and his swords were on the opposite shore. \u201cYou\u2019re not very good at hiding, sweet maiden. I almost believe you want to be found,\u201d he said, relishing the idea that she was hoping for him to come conquer her.
\u201cYou\u2019re right, my prince,\u201d she said. She stepped into his path from behind a tree. And then before his eyes she finally dropped her illusionary appearance and became herself once more. A dark, severe woman of commanding grace.
\u201cWhat have you done to her! My sweet, lovely girl!\u201d
\u201cIt has been me all along, Prince Telis,\u201d Isdra replied. And then she tossed the sleeping sands that Arelum had left by the shore for her.
\u201cBut why?\u201d Telis said, stumbling toward her, already beginning to lose consciousness under her sleeping spell. \u201cWhy would you do this to me?\u201d
\u201cYou foolish boy. How vulnerable is man in his gentle heart. I\u2019m no maiden, you ignorant prince, I\u2019m a Master Witch of the Dominion.\u201d
Telis fell to the leafy ground, unable to take another step toward her, losing consciousness quickly. \u201cOnly now do I recognize you, Isdra. You will pay for this. My father will avenge my death.\u201d And he began to snore deeply.
\u201cYour father will pay handsomely for you, you mean,\u201d Isdra said.
The handsome prince drifted into the darkest, blackest sleep. His face lay in the leaves and sticks of the forest floor.
Then emerged Arelum, Ledes and Armand from their hiding places nearby. They peered around, searching the distance for sound or sign of the prince\u2019s Templar guards.
\u201cNot even a scuffle?\u201d Arelum said, placing his sword into its scabbard. \u201cWhy Isdra, you\u2019ve outdone yourself.\u201d
\u201cLet\u2019s not count our winnings yet,\u201d she replied. \u201cAll we have is a lecherous prince, not the Crystal of Orin.\u201d
Arelum\u2019s expression fell into a scowl. \u201cI don\u2019t need to be reminded.\u201d
Behind them, Armand began preparing a circle in the leaves for his teleportation spell. He dragged his axe in a wide arc through the leafy substrate. \u201cI can have us a mile from here, and quite near the Witches\u2019 Dominion in just a few minutes time. Keep an eye on that western break in the trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ledes and Armand arrived at the whited Palace of Argonia with polished obsidian stones in their pockets. With the help of the most powerful witches, Armand had conspired to turn them into teleportation stones. They would work instantly upon a hard pinch, and would take their master once only to one place alone. Arelum\u2019s throne room.
Ledes entered King Safan\u2019s inner chamber with a smile of challenge on his lips. He had the upper hand and he knew it. Armand was calm and circumspect.
\u201cGreetings, your majesty,\u201d Ledes began, but he lifted his chin defiantly.
\u201cHow dare you to greet me before you are invited to speak. You and your vile witch king stole my son from me. I should kill you where you stand, vampire!\u201d The king threw himself down from his high pedestal throne. He spread his arms wide to catch the wind, and made himself into his threatening great horned owl form as he descended. And in response, Ledes hovered into the air to meet him several feet above the ground.
Armand put a hand to his axe handle, and the Templars in the room began to slowly unsheath their rapiers and claymores. They took cautious steps toward more defensible positions around the room, surrounding the vampire and the dwarf.
\u201cI realize emotions are running high, your Majesty,\u201d the vampire said to the majestic owl, \u201cbut as angry as you feel, killing me would solve nothing.\u201d His cunning smile returned. \u201cI\u2019m sure you want to see your son alive again?\u201d
The king landed on his feet in human form again, saying, \u201cHe is alive then, good. You\u2019re wasting my time. What are Arelum\u2019s terms, then? What does he want?\u201d
\u201cYour son has not been harmed,\u201d Ledes said. The king snorted his disbelief, and Ledes added one word. \u201cYet,\u201d he said. We\u2019ll give your son back and end the conflict. Arelum will seek no more Argonian territory. All we are asking for is the Crystal of Orin. In return we will deliver your son to you just as we found him.\u201d
\u201cThat is no offer,\u201d said the king. \u201cYou know that it is impossible. To give Arelum the Crystal of Orin would likely spell the destruction of my son and all else. He would destroy the Arenyth with it. You and your witch king don\u2019t seem to understand, if anyone tries to open the gates between the realm of the machines and the realm of magic, we will all be overtaken by the laws and rules of their science. It would cause our realm of magic to be destroyed.\u201d
Ledes laughed and shook his head. \u201cWhy do you insist so? There is no evidence for that wild theory. That theory is based on the scratchings of one unknown priest that researched the Crystal of Orin thousands of years ago. Do you even know his name? Or why he made that assertion?\u201d
\u201cI don’t need evidence to believe in the word of the high Priestess Briallia, leader of the Church of the All Father,\u201d Safan said, holding his hand solemnly above his head in salute to her name. \u201cBriallia, whose word is the word of the All Father. I don\u2019t need proof. And I won\u2019t jeopardize the lives of thousands for Arelums selfish and irresponsible quest.\u201d Safan glared at Ledes and then with a growl he added, \u201cTell your infant king, that is how a just ruler makes his decision. Now go back to him and ask that he tender an offer that does not threaten life as we know it, far and wide.\u201d
Armand \u2019s eyes grew wide and his lower lip began to quake, seeing the negotiation fail. Ledes walked toward the door, and Armand backed that direction as well. But before Ledes reached the exit, he gave a parting shot to King Safan. \u201cI was afraid this was going to happen. You truly are the worst negotiator ever. I will depart for now, since there is nothing else the witch king would like to negotiate. But if you change your mind, please do let us know. Otherwise, your troops and villages will continue to burn until there is nothing left of the Argonian kingdom\u2026 Oh. And before I forget. We will begin sending your son back to you over the next three days. In several small shipments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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King Safan stood up from the long table, an outward sign of his frustration. His counselors were afraid to meet his gaze, but Briallia raised her chin to see what he would do next. Her face was stern.
Safan spoke, \u201cI have my back to the wall and a sword point at my chest. My son! My only son has been kidnapped by an upstart, vagabond witch child! Witch king,\u201d he said, and he spat on the ground. Gaimea spat too, to echo the sentiment. \u201cA child who demands the Crystal of Orin in return for my son\u2019s life.\u201d
Safan met Briallia\u2019s icy stare. He waited for her to respond, but she said nothing. So he went on, \u201cMust I sacrifice my son for the safety of our realm? I could never betray my own son.\u201d
\u201cYou have no choice, Safan,\u201d Briallia finally said. \u201cThat is not a betrayal.\u201d
\u201cIt is not an honor either. It\u2019s not the promise of a father to his son. And it\u2019s not goodness. Nor light in any way.\u201d
\u201cIt\u2019s not the All Father\u2019s will,\u201d Briallia began, \u201cthat Arelum should ransom your son. That is a failing of Molochi\u2019s evil minion, our enemy. Not a failing of Light.\u201d
\u201cA failing of the light,\u201d Safan quoted, and he turned his back on her, seeming to turn the phrase in his mind.
\u201cNot to despair, good king,\u201d Briallia said. \u201cWe will find a way. Just as the darkness has its way, so does the light. For every puzzle the darkness brings, the light has a way to unlock it. It is a matter of not letting it cloud your vision. You must think clearly.\u201d
Safan paced around the table as she spoke. Fear of the king certainly clouded the vision of his many advisors, whom were still afraid to make eye contact with the angry king Safan.
\u201cYour Holiness, I do appreciate your words of comfort. Nonetheless, my son is gone.\u201d
\u201cAllow me to enlighten you. It works thus. I have among my devotees an Enchantress in the temple of the All Father. She said that to defeat a villain you must think like one. So let us use Arelum\u2019s own tricks on him. He gave your son a false object of desire, an illusion of beauty. Let\u2019s give him the object of his desires, just as false as the witch that took your son.\u201d
Gaimea spoke up, intrigued. \u201cA false Crystal of Orin? Is it possible? Arelum would recognize the fake immediately. Wouldn\u2019t he?\u201d
\u201cMy enchantress knows a way to create a sulfide crystal to look identical to the Crystal of Orin. Down to its golden bezel. We need only to make Arelum believe he has the real Crystal of Orin for long enough for him to release Prince Telis.\u201d
\u201cPlease pardon my interruption, Your Holiness. But I am a witch as is Arelum, and I know his sorcery better than anyone here. Every crystal has a unique vibration that atunes with our Wiccan abilities. Based on its frequency alone, Arelum will never be fooled by a sulfide crystal, no matter how convincing its appearance.\u201d
\u201cKeep heart,\u201d Briallia said. She stood and went to stand behind Gaimea. She placed her palms upon Gaimea\u2019s shoulders and said, \u201cBy combining our abilities, Gaimea\u2019s knowledge of Wiccan crystal vibrations, and my control over vibrational waves, we can create a false vibration. For as long as we can concentrate together on the shifting waves, the false crystal will vibrate like the original. This will trick Arelum into believing it is the true Crystal of Orin.\u201d
Safan ran his fingertips through his gray beard and let out a sound like half of a laugh. His advisors looked, wondering what the sound meant. Then came more sounds from King Safan, \u201cHahahaaa!\u201d And a smile spread across his face. \u201cIt is not a failing of the light!\u201d
\u201cWe must be very careful, though,\u201d Briallia cautioned. \u201cThe crystal will only vibrate on the right frequencies for the moments while we concentrate. I\u2019m not certain it will be time enough for us to escape with Prince Telis.\u201d
Safan\u2019s countenance fell, and he shouted, \u201cMore! More ideas!\u201d
\u201cGriffins. We use the griffins to fly out quickly,\u201d Commander Balador offered.
\u201cSee there? Griffins!\u201d Safan echoed. He looked to Briallia for approval.
Gaimea was the voice of dissent. \u201cLedes is skilled with the bow and arrow. He could kill several of us as we fly–.\u201d
\u201cA portal, then,\u201d Safan interrupted. \u201cI travel by portal often. With time to prepare one ahead of time, we should have no trouble. Five of us may pass. That\u2019s myself, Telis, Briallia, Gaimea and you, Commander Balador.\u201d
\u201cYou mean to face Arelum and his legion without an army then? Without your own guards?\u201d
King Safan began his pacing around the table again. When he came to Balador\u2019s chair, he stopped. \u201cI\u2019ll have my best warrior, Balador. I\u2019ll have you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The marshes lay half-way between the Argonian capital and the woodlands of the Witches\u2019 Dominion. The stench of the marsh was fitting for the foul trade that Safan and Arelum were about to make. Safan was busy creating his portal when Arelum and his troupe arrived.
The screech of a wildcat pierced the air, and Arelum appeared through the upper branches of the trees, along with his entourage. They descended on the backs of a set of five black panthers who had been enchanted to fly and were under Arelum\u2019s command to act as loyal steeds.
\u201cWell met,\u201d Arelum said as his flying panther\u2019s paws met the marshy ground. \u201cLook how nicely matched we are. Each of us has brought our best witch, our best warrior, a holy person and something to trade.\u201d As he said the last, he pointed to Prince Telis, who was laid over the back of his panther in a bundle. His arms were bound behind his torso, and his legs were roped together tightly. He was wrapped around his panther like a saddle, and looked terribly undignified and uncomfortable.
Arelum had arrived with Ledes the vampire, Armand the healer and Isdra the witch. He climbed down from his flying panther mount, and with a smile on his face he pointed to the crystal in Gaimea\u2019s hand. He said, \u201cIt seems you finally made the right decision, Safan. You re not as insufferably dull-witted as I thought you were.\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m not just giving you this Crystal of Orin, Arelum,\u201d King Safan said. \u201cI\u2019m entrusting it to you.\u201d
\u201cIt is my rightful property, it belongs to the Witch King,\u201d Arelum said.
\u201cIt belongs to the Witches\u2019 Dominion, Arelum,\u201d Gaimea interrupted. Her voice sounded far away, and the crystal glowed brightly when she spoke, holding it in her hand.
Arelum looked closely at the gemlike rod of crystal, wondering at its resonance with Gaimea\u2019s energy. \u201cIt truly knows a witch, doesn\u2019t it,\u201d he said. \u201cEnough. I\u2019m bored already of your banter. take your son, in perfect health just as I promised.\u201d
Ledes sliced the ropes from Telis\u2019s legs and allowed him to fall from his panther. Unable to break his fall with his arms bound, he grunted as he splashed into the stinking marsh.
\u201cArelum, enough!\u201d Briallia said, nearly breaking her concentration on the cystal. \u201cWhy must you be so stubborn and disrespectful?\u201d The crystal throbbed again with visible light, casting rays into the canopy of trees and making bright streaks among the folds of the velvet pillow that Gaimea held it upon.
\u201cHold your foolish tongue,\u201d Arelum said. His top lip curled into a snarl. \u201cYou might be the high priestess of light and overseer of this realm, but you are not my master.\u201d
Briallia kept her head steady and did not move. She did not look Arelum in the eye. She concentrated on the stone\u2019s vibration to hold its secret close, and said in a flat, even tone, \u201cI am the protector of the land of magic, and I will not see this land destroyed for your selfish agenda. There are less dangerous ways to cross the barrier between the two realms. Be patient. Work with us so we can help you find a way.\u201d
\u201cWork with you?\u201d Arelum said. \u201cAt long last you beg me to work with you. When so many nights ago you could have done me that kindness instead of caging me and giving me to those who would prefer me dead. Work with you? Who destroyed the temples of Molochi and killed my birth parents?\u201d
\u201cArelum, you must understand,\u201d Briallia began, but the crystal throbbed with light again and required her concentration to maintain the illusion.
\u201cI am not your fool. You keep telling me that crossing the barrier with the Crystal of Orin will bring death and destruction upon the Arenyth. War between our two worlds. Yet no one can cite the source of this myth specifically. Just the speculation of a sage who has been dead a thousand years and whose ideas have never been proved right. In all that time. He was probably a hermit and a virgin, inventor of tall tales and children\u2019s stories.\u201d
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong with being a virgin?\u201d Armand interjected.
\u201cI mean inexperienced in the world,\u201d Arelum said. Then he turned toward Briallia again to say, \u201cIgnorant.\u201d
\u201cEnough! It is true Arelum, I have no evidence or proof that my theory is correct. But I trust my instincts. They have never misled me. And I trust the advice of the scholars of Arenythian crystals and stones.\u201d
Arelum jammed his spear into the ground. \u201cI did not come here to listen to nonsense. And you did not bring the Crystal of Orin as a conversation piece. You brought it to trade for Prince Telis\u2019s life. Give me the crystal now,\u201d he said, causing his daggers to float out of their scabbards, \u201cor else we begin carving Prince Telis for the evening meal.\u201d
The Argonian King stepped forward to say, \u201cYou\u2019ll return my son to me first,\u201d and drew his own blade.
With a nod of his head, Arelum signaled Ledes to pull the tethered prince up to his feet and march him forward toward his father. At the same time, King Safan signaled Gaimea to deliver the crystal to Arelum. She could not bring herself to acknowledge him as she approached, but instead looked at the tops of the trees behind him. This young dark elf who had claimed her own mother\u2019s throne and cast her out of the dominion she felt was rightfully hers to rule. And now this, commanded to give him the last and only object of value she had been able to take with her from the throne room upon her escape.
It was a fake, though, she knew, and a smirk crossed her lips for just a moment as she finally met Arelum\u2019s gaze to deliver the stone.
Arelum took the velvet pillow that held the crystal into his hands and inspected the stone carefully. He approved of its thick layers of high vibrations, like a harmony beyond hearing. He believed it was the Crystal of Orin.
Quickly the Argonian King finished opening his portal to escape. But portals were generally unpredictable and took time to create. It seemed a strange mode of transportation.
Ledes mentioned it to Arelum. \u201cHow strange. Why should they choose to travel by portal? An unpredictable way to travel at best. They must certainly fear you, Arelum, to make such a risky, hurried exit.\u201d
The Argonians began to disappear into the portal, Briallia leading the way, followed quickly by Gaimea. Balador worked at the knots on Prince Telis\u2019s arms as they neared the portal\u2019s edge, and King Safan awaited them, wanting only to see his son escape safely.
Then the realization came to Arelum. Something wasn\u2019t right about the Crystal of Orin he\u2019d been given. \u201cIt\u2019s a fake!\u201d he yelled out. \u201cThey take us for fools, this crystal is a fake! Kill him, kill the prince! Kill them all!\u201d
Out flashed the arrows, and Ledes began to let fly from his quiver. But Balador was prepared. He crossed his gauntlets and created his shield of light to protect himself, the prince and the king. \u201cGo, your highness! Get thee to safety!\u201d he shouted. Ledes\u2019 arrows skittered into the dirt, deflecting at odd angles from Balador\u2019s shield of light.
Enraged, Arelum pulled his spear from the dirt and jammed it down again, this time with the energy of a quake spell behind it. It sent a shockwave of energy crackling through the dirt, straight to Balador\u2019s feet, knocking Commander Balador and the king off of their feet.
From the portal poured a blue sheet of ice, Gaimea\u2019s magic reaching back through the portal to form an icy wall in front of the helpless Commander Balador, who was struggling to stand up from the quaking ground. Arelum\u2019s spear point bit into the wall of ice when it should have struck Balador\u2019s heart.
\u201cGo, go go!\u201d Balador shouted. The ground still rumbled and made him unsteady.
Quickly Arelum tapped Ledes, and gripped one of his arrows, empowering it with dark magic. \u201cMy talented friend, use your great accuracy to shoot this cursed arrow into the prince\u2019s head.\u201d
Ledes glanced at Arelum to convey his distaste for the task. But he took the arrow, knocked it on his bowstring, and let it fly.
Upon seeing Ledes target the prince, the High Priestess raised her magical staff to the sky to cause a blinding light to appear. Ledes flinched to shield his eyes, and his cursed arrow went wide of its mark. Their eyesight began to return, resolving from a field of colored dots into a dim representation of reality again. Arelum screamed with fury upon seeing the Prince and his rescuers escape.
Ledes touched Arelum\u2019s shoulder and said, \u201cThey may have tricked you out of the Crystal of Orin, but I have some comforting news. I was able to shoot the cursed arrow you gave me, and hit one of them. That target, my dear Arelum, was none other than the Argonian King. So what curse you gave the arrow, it is now upon King Safan.\u201d
\u201cThe Vermin Blow. He\u2019ll regret crossing me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Back at the Argonian Palace the king screamed in agony. The arrow had pierced his chest. His healers scrambled to care for his wound, staunching the bloodflow with white featherdown. King Safan was lucky that his armor had slowed Ledes\u2019s arrow enough to prevent it from reaching his heart, yet the arrow tip did penetrate deep into his flesh, thus infusing his blood with Arelum\u2019s curse.
\u201cBring him water,\u201d Commander Balador said to the servants. Laying on a tabletop in the main hall of the Argonian castle, the king writhed with pain.
\u201cNo, wait. Stop the bleeding, nothing else,\u201d Gaimea directed. \u201cWe need to examine this further. This arrow was bewitched.\u201d She held the bloodied shaft of Ledes\u2019s arrow in her hand, scrutinizing its aura. \u201cIt\u2019s a curse.\u201d
\u201cJust water,\u201d Prince Telis said. \u201cWhat could be the harm in that?\u201d
\u201cUntil we know what he is cursed with, risk nothing.\u201d She continued to examine the arrow and lay it out on a table near King Safan, turning it over and over, casting various detection spells and narrowing down the possibilities. Finally, she hit upon the test that made the arrow radiate a red glow in answer to her query.
\u201cVermin Blow. The curse is the Vermin Blow, and thank the All Father you didn\u2019t bring him anything to drink.\u201d
Telis and Balador huddled over the arrow with her, waiting for her to detail the curse\u2019s effects. \u201cIt\u2019s a simple curse, but insidious. The next time our king eats or drinks anything, the curse will be complete. He will be transformed into a giant rodent.\u201d
\u201cYou must be joking. A rat?\u201d Pince Telis said.
\u201cHe\u2019ll starve to death,\u201d Balador said. \u201cCan you reverse it.\u201d
\u201cI cannot,\u201d said Gaimea. \u2018Briallia, is it something your powers can address?\u201d
\u201cArelum\u2019s magic has grown very powerful. I could try to reverse the curse. But there is a good chance I will only cause the curse transformation to take place immediately. I will not risk it.\u201d
\u201cWhat choice do we have?\u201d Telis said.
They brooded over the curse into the night and through the next morning. The bleeding finally stopped and the pain began to subside enough for King Safan to take part in his own treatment.
High Priestess Briallia searched for a solution, but time was against her. The king grew hungry and impatient. Finally, the Argonian prince ordered his father to be restrained against his will, as the king lusted for food.
\u201cI have a partial solution,\u201d Gaimea the White Witch said. \u201cStasis. I can place the king into a state of suspended animation. He\u2019ll feel no pain, no hunger, no thirst.\u201d
\u201cYou\u2019re talking about placing him into a deathless sleep until we can find a way to break his curse?\u201d High Priestess Briallia said. \u201cA king unable to command during a time of war?\u201d
\u201cI\u2019m afraid it may be our only option, your holiness.\u201d
A dark silence came over the gathering. No one wanted to face the inevitable outcome.
\u201cVery well,\u201d King Safan finally said to break the silence. Prince Telis, my son. I hereby name you prince regent. You will command my armies in my stead. Briallia, Gaimea\u2026 put me under your spell.\u201d and Safan fell into stasis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chapter 19 was omitted from the first edition. Please find it below. \u201cIt\u2019s no throne room,\u201d Isdra said. She cast her dark eyes around the cluttered command post tent that Arelum had haunted continuously for three straight days. Arelum traced a lazy circle on the map in front of him. The waxwhite castle of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-146","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nChapter 19 - KIDNAPPING ARGONIAN PRINCE TELIS - Arelum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Chapter 19 - KIDNAPPING ARGONIAN PRINCE TELIS - Arelum\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Chapter 19 was omitted from the first edition. Please find it below. \u201cIt\u2019s no throne room,\u201d Isdra said. She cast her dark eyes around the cluttered command post tent that Arelum had haunted continuously for three straight days. Arelum traced a lazy circle on the map in front of him. 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Please find it below. \u201cIt\u2019s no throne room,\u201d Isdra said. She cast her dark eyes around the cluttered command post tent that Arelum had haunted continuously for three straight days. Arelum traced a lazy circle on the map in front of him. 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