Shadows of the Keeper (21 page)

Nothing.

Save for an exasperated sigh.

“I could leave, you know. 
Leave and never come back.  Then, where will you be?  Oh, I know,
right
here
, still buried!”

“You will have need of me in the
very near future, which is why Xyn has mandated it is time for our reunion.”

“Xyn?”

“Yes.”

“And, who would Xyn be?”

“Your Elder.”

“Oh,
okay
.”  Emily
shook her head and rolled her eyes.  “There’s been a mix-up.  I’m not
Aurelia.”

“This time.”

“Why is it, throughout this castle,
all males assume I enjoy riddles?”

Chuckling again.  Deep and
scratchy.

“
What
, exactly, are
you?”  She peered closer.  “I’m not digging you out.  These
thorns are vampire-huge.  I’ll be bled dry before I even make it past the
first foot of digging.

“I am a Realm Guard, milady, and
your
shield.”

“They call ‘em maxi-pads now.”

Silence.

Apparently, female humor was lost
on him—
it
.  Flowers vibrated again.  Emily trotted
backwards. 

“Call to me.”

“Call you what?  Rise, oh
Realm Guard.”  She even raised her hand, waggling her fingers.

“You mock me.”

“Trust me, the only one looking the
idiot right now is me,” Emily stated and pinched the bridge of her nose,
thinking for a minute.  “Maybe the box imprisoning you simply needs to be
dug up.  Thing is, I don’t think Broc’s gonna be jumping for joy that I’ve
found you.”

“I thirst.”

She dropped her hand.  “What,
you want me to water the garden,
now
?”

“Ah, like before, your humor never
depletes.”

Emily glared.  “Could it be
you were put in the ground due to wretched sarcasm?”

“I was put here out of fear.”

“Fear of what?  You’re a
sword—holy shit!  A
talking
sword!  Well, yeah, I can see why
the locals back then would have flipped-the-fuck out.”

“I do not understand your words.”

“They’re foul.  Never mind.”

“Call to me, milady.  The hour
grows dire.”

Emily looked above.  Where had
the morning gone?  “You mean dark?”

“I mean,
dire
.”

“Testy.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Rise, sword.”

Again, nothing.

“That will hardly suffice.”

“It might help,” Emily fumed, “if
you tell me what to say, you son of a bitch!”  Emily stomped away. 
Who
needs this shit
?  “I’m tired.  Ciao!”

“My Lady, there will not be a
‘later’.  Darkness descends and with it, Drakar prevails.”

That got her attention.  “What
do you know of Drakar?”

“I have waited time without end for
your return.”

“I’m not Aurelia.”

“You have her temper, but you speak
with your fury whereas, the princess hid her emotions.  Mayhaps, if she
had allowed herself the luxury of anger, she would have survived her
enemies.  I wonder, however, if you will be able to rule—“

“I swear, blade, when you are
free—“

Ground rumbled.  Rose bushes
collided and toppled.  “What the hell did I say?”

A long, filthy box shook free from
the garden grave.  A box the exact duplicate of her vision.  She
plopped down on her rear.  Expecting it to be much heavier, she kicked it
free from thorny rose bushes.  Too much force.  It bounced along the
dirt, teetered on its side, and fell over with a thud.  “Pandora’s
box.  I quite possibly am going to free evil upon the world.”

“Ah, Pandora.  A beauty. 
Evil already existed.  She was merely the pawn.  I am hardly
evil.  A Defender against it, my pledge has been to you.”

“You’re growing on me.”

“Impossible.  I am here, in
this dark prison.”

“Great, he’s literal.”  She
reached over and attempted to open her prize.  “Yay.  It’s glued shut
from too many years buried. 
Now
what?”  Emily glanced behind
her.  Her nape prickled. 
I have been gone quite some time
. 
“Better think quickly.  My jailors will be looking for me soon, if not,
already.”

“Perhaps you could recall
incantations taught to you before being gifted my presence in your life?”

“You were a gift?”  No
answer.  “It’s a different era now.  People chanting spells are
locked away in white jackets.”

“Magic is forbidden?”

“More like scoffed at.  Hasn’t
existed for centuries.  Unless you count pulling a rabbit from a hat as
magic.”  She seriously doubted that was the kind he implied.

“How do you obtain possessions?”

“Uh, we buy them.”

“Barbaric.”

“This, from something living in a
box.”

“Did you not set flame to flower?”

“What, you want me to torch
you?  And how would you know?  You were underground.”

“How did I know you were amongst us
again, and how did I call to you?”  Feudal silence followed.  The
sword caved first.  “No,” it sighed.  “I do not desire to be
torched.  I am sure you will think of something else in order to free me
from imprisonment.”

Emily jumped up and kicked the
box.  Hard.  It tumbled over and over.

“I had not thought of that,” the
voice rattled.  “Clever.”

Disgusted, Emily walked towards the
contraption.  Kicking it had felt good.  “Amazing.  You can
talk, but you can’t free yourself.”

No answer.  Emily hunkered
down, contemplating.  “This logo looks Elvish—not that I’m an expert, but
some of Aunsgar’s furniture has similar features.” Blowing and brushing off
dirt, Emily traced the beautiful silver swirls.  “Strange.  How long
did you say you were buried?”

“Eternity.”

“Narrow the scope.  Eternity
is endless.”  Distracted, she continued feeling the maze of loops and
swirls.

“The current year, milady?”

“Two-thousand thirteen.”

Garbling and choking spewed. 
“Certainly took your time returning, did you not?”

Emily retracted her hand.  “I
don’t recall it being my choice.”

“It is not my intent to anger you.”

“The silver on this lid should be
tarnished, yet remains shiny-new.”

“Mined by dwarves.”

“Oh, of course.  What was
I
thinking?”

A sigh of resignation.  “Long
ago, silver was mined by dwarves, only the best sold and traded to Elves. 
Elves, they still exist?”

“A few.”

“What they fashion from silver
always remains exquisite.”

Stalemate silence enveloped
them.  “Well, blade, we’ve ourselves a real pickle right now.  I
can’t exactly leave you here, like this, locked up.”  Preoccupied again
with plots on how to open the damn thing, without asking Broc, Emily traced the
silver design, this time not letting up her finger until she had followed along
its entirety. 

Rubies began to glow.

“Ah, you have found the key.”

Emily bolted.  Something
whooshed past her head and thudded into the door she was mere feet from
reaching.

A sword, black leather hilt and
shining silver blade etched with markings resembling Ogham Maeve had begun
teaching her, stuck out from the door.

“You, milady, shant leave again
without my hilt grasped in your hand.”

Emily stopped so abruptly, she
teetered, flapping her arms to stop her fall.  The blade pulsated.

“Take my hilt.”

“No.”

“Take my hilt, my lady, and get me
out of this door.”

“Get yourself out.  I’m not
touching you.”

“Claim me, and ready for battle.”

“I
so
don’t think so.” 
She reached around it.  It arced and twanged.  Wisely, she retreated.
 

“You must take my hilt, and become
one with me like days of old.”

“Stuck, aren’t you?”

“Never.”

Unladylike snorts escaped her nose,
though she quickly covered her mouth, trying to squelch the eruption of
laughter.

“I was not honed in the blue fires
to be mocked—“

Emily roared.  And doubled
over, slapping her leg several times, laughter taking over.  Its sigh of
disgust did her in.  Long, long moments passed.  Each time it
quivered, her giggling renewed.

“I’ll wait.”

“Prisoner in a box for centuries,
then wedge yourself into a door, and you’re supposed to help me?”  More
snorfing coupled with tears of mirth.  “What . . . do they . . . call
you?  Sir Sticks A Lot? Sir Not So Sharp?”

“Blade.”

She sobered.  “So, when I said
your name, though not realizing that’s what you’re actually called . . . ”

“I was set free.  Somewhat.”

“How is it you speak?”

“Once, I protected the
Elders.  I was chosen for the honorary task of protecting The Keeper from
within this sword.”

“I’ve heard a few things about
Elders.  What’s a keeper?”

“The Elders are more ancient than
any life residing upon this planet.  We came from far away.”

“And this keeper?  I think
someone played a nasty trick on you, convincing you this was somehow honorary.”

“My lady.  A great competition
of strength, hunting, and mental abilities was conducted amongst we Realm
Guards.  To be chosen as protector of The Keeper, there existed no higher
honor.”

“And you won.  Typical
men.  What did you have to do, run fast, live off the land for a few days?
Kill lions with your bare hands?” She waggled her hands.

“I was dragged by a team of horses
for several weeks to test my endurance.  I was then dropped from a ship
and made to find shore with not more than a dagger for self-defense and
hunting.  I promise you, my lady, you do not want to know what creatures
resided in the sea in a time that far surpasses this era you’ve revealed I now
reside in.”

“You were
dragged
. . . by
horses
?”

“Strength.  Pain.  Mental
endurance.”

“How many of you did this to
yourselves?”

“Eight hundred.”

She balked.

“It is a small number.  I am
most apologetic.”

“That wasn’t why my mouth dropped
open.  It’s a rather large amount of men being dragged about.  All
this for this position you spoke of.  If you’re in that box over there,
what happened to this Keeper?”

“I was deceived into believing my
presence endangered her life.”

“I saw my hands placing you in that
box, Blade.”

Silence.

“Aurelia was this Keeper, correct?”

“
The
Keeper.  Yes.”

Emily’s skin puckered. 
Something tickled her mind.  “What does a Keeper do?” she whispered.

“She holds the power of The Elders
in the palm of her hand.  She is queen over all beings residing within the
kingdom.  To humans, she is myth.”

“You make it sound as if she is a
goddess, or something.”

“Power bestowed in The Keeper
through years of teachings and trainings makes her exactly that.  She is a
goddess.  She is immortal. Her life, however, is forever besieged with
danger by those plotting to seize her power by way of her soul.”  Blade
quivered again.

“It is the highest honor to be
placed within this sword, to be ready for battle, to defend The Keeper. 
When the steps are performed, we are forged.  Nothing penetrates the
barrier surrounding the Keeper.  Those who think otherwise lose their
lives.”

“So, once upon a time, you were a
man, then placed in this sword, and voila!  Here you are.  
And
,
we meet again.  My luck just keeps getting better—not!”

“I had a male form similar to your
Outlander, I will concede that, but as for being human, I was not.”

“
My
Outlander?”

“Broc,” the name hissed out like
poison.

“Oh, the laird.  Like you,
he’s still around too.”

“Impossible.  I was laid to
rest into the ground over three thousand years ago.  Not even Elves live
such lengthy lives.”

“Oh, you’re in for several
surprises then.  Broc  lives, as does Aunsgar.”

“And what is the Outlander to you
in this life that you find yourself amongst us?”

“A bastard.  Jailor. 
Protector.  Friend.  Worst enemy. Yup, that about sums it up. 
Just depends upon the hour.”

“Full circle.”

“Excuse me?”

“Life is three circles.  You
have near completed your first.  The Outlanders thought they were so
clever as to create the three circle theory in their religion.”  Blade
chuckled.  “Every aspect of their beliefs was taught to them from the
Elders.”

“How long is your imprisonment in
that blade?”

“I am not a prisoner.”

“You can leave the sword and resume
your human form?”

“Not until you command it.”

Emily snorted.  “I didn’t even
know how to command you out of the ground, let alone out of the box.  I
don’t know any spells, Blade.”

“They are simply dormant.”

“And you would know this, how?”

“Take my hilt, and begin the
reawakening.”

“Think I rather like sleeping, but
thanks.” 

“It was never in your nature to
have fear”

“Guess what?  In
this
life, massive fear.  I could bottle the stuff.”

“Aurelia would never have succumbed
to such an emotion.”

“Well, like I keep telling
everyone, I’m not
Aurelia
!”

“We have a visitor.”

“What?”  Emily stilled. 
“The stairs.  I told you I’d been down here too long,” she
whisper-hissed.  “They’re probably flipping out!”

“Above us.”

Emily automatically crouched and
looked above.  At first, the canopy of snow revealed nothing.  Then
she heard it.  Footsteps.  Crunching.  Walking on the ‘dome’ she
found herself under.  Muffled voices.  She strained to hear.

“He can sense something
amiss.  He senses me, but does not yet realize.”

“Who?”

“Prince Aunsgar.  Perception I
have been freed will be upon him soon.  I look forward to feeding from his
blood.”  Blade quivered, but still remained wedged.

“Feeding off his blood implies
you’re going to kill him. So not gonna happen.”

“In battle, it is how I gather
strength; what nourishes me.”

“So, basically, my first theory was
spot on, you’re a vampire?  Great.  Perfect.  Swell.”

“I do not recognize this
‘vampire’.”

“Bloodsucker.”

“Something of the sort.”

“And, what’s your problem with
Aunsgar?”

“He created the spell imprisoning
me in that . . . what was your term?”

“Box. Coffin.”  Emily
shrugged.

“Several more gather.  The
prince becomes agitated.  His intuition strengthens.”

“We must hide you.”

“I refuse re-imprisonment!”

“I wouldn’t do that to you. 
You were a fool to have allowed yourself to have been placed in there in the
first place.  Don’t you ever allow anyone else to convince you to do
something simply because it might keep me safe.  If your job is really to
protect me, you better start listening to whatever sixth sense you possess, not
some damn threat someone makes you.”

“It is for me to obey your
command.”

Emily gave a shake of her
head.  “Yeah, okay.  Whatever.  Was it painful, when they
changed you or whatever they did to place you in that weapon?”

“Only when I had to kill those whom
I’d assumed were comrades, their treachery no longer hidden with my new found
powers.”

“Were there many?”

“Yes.  To serve you, there was
no higher honor.  Many would slay any who stood in their way for such a
position.  That act alone proved their unworthiness.”

“Jeeze.  I am uber glad I
didn’t live during those times.”

“But, you did.”

Emily waved her hand.  “You
know what I mean.  If I free you, you are forbidden to kill anyone
residing in or around this castle.  Understood?”

“Should any attack you, my lady, it
will no longer be your command to make.”

“Oh, and you’ll force me to start
swinging you at my enemies?”

Raspy chuckling.  “You have
much to re-learn.  No, my hilt does not have to rest within your grasp in
order for me to defend you.”

“Seriously?”  Okay, it
did
fly past her head of its own accord.  Something else clicked.  “What
do you know about Lumynari?”

“You lack knowledge of them as
well?”

“I’m not standing here, testing
you.”

“I am not so sure if I appreciate
this sarcasm you use in place of a simple answer.”

“Adjust.”

“Very well.  Lumynari are
Shadow Masters—death warriors existing leagues below where we stand, as well as
other locations throughout this world.  Caves, deep shadows beyond the
forest line, and in your worst nightmares, these are the places they enjoy
gathering.  Whatever your fears, this is what they use against you in
their arena of amusement.  They bask in it.”

“Yes, I’ve been told that
much.  Dezenial, what of him?”

“Ah, so, he still weaves throughout
your life?”

“What the hell does that
mean?  Who is he, Blade?”

“You are upset.”

“I have powerful issues with
riddles and half-truths.”

“You always have.  Prince
Dezenial—“

“Prince?”

“Yes.  He is the son of both
Hades and Shadow.  She was once a beautiful goddess to behold before
madness made her the evil entity she is today.  Before, she was kind,
gentle, and most pleasing to the eye.”

“You said that already.”

“Do you at least know of Aunsgar’s
twin?”

“Hades.  Mythological
Hades?”  Emily pinched the bridge of her nose.  “Twin? Yeah, Garreck
filled me in a bit.”

“Aunsgar’s twin crossed over and
joined the Lumynari.  Following a royal path where her magicks came with
rules and consequences, she enjoyed the black arts and destruction wrought by
such evil.  Arda, Aunsgar’s twin, was your grandmother.  Forgive me,
Aurelia’s
grandmother.  Aurelia’s own mother was Lumynari.”

“And Drakar?” Emily whispered.

“How do you come by these names,
but lack knowledge as to whom they were?”

“Are.  They still exist.”

“Yes, Dezenial would.  He’s a
god.  I think you keep secrets.  Very well.  Drakar was
Aurelia’s half-brother, hundreds of years her senior. 
His
father
was a wood Elf prisoner, given to Lady Dulinia by her mother, Princess Ardra,
for breeding purposes.  Drakar is still alive, and still very much hunting
The Keeper.”

“Jeeze.  I think Aurelia got
seriously screwed by everyone.”

“If I correctly understand what
your words possibly mean, yes, she did.  As for Ardra, she had turned on
her own, and was not above enticing travelers into thinking she still belonged
to the mountain realm.”  Blade quivered.  “We are about to be
discovered.”  On cue, muffled running and crunching of snow could be heard
above them.  Emily charged the sword, wrapped her hands around the black
hilt and yanked him free of the door.

Heat surged from hilt, through her
hand and down her arm.  White light engulfed her body.

“Close your eyes, Lady Emily. 
We
must
re-forge the bond.”

Emily complied.  She swayed as
the weapon grew to blinding brilliance, penetrating her closed lids. 
Vibrating in sync with the strange weapon, her ears hummed as if standing upon
electric currents, and the voices . . . so many male voices weaved within her
mind, whispering, chanting, speaking, their words garbled, yet she understood all
they said.  At times, their voices became one, harmonizing.  And
then, it was over.  Humming in her mind, vibrating of her body, light of
blade all faded.  Gone.  Emily dared open her eyes.  She swayed,
caught herself against the door and gave herself a moment to regain
balance.  “Do I even wanna known?”

“I do not know of this expression
you speak.”

“What . . . did you do?”

“The voices you heard were our
Elders.  I have searched your mind.  You require much training in
order to re-master your ability with my blade and its power.”

“Yippee.  You and Urkani can
join forces in my torture.”

“Ah, but unlike Urkani, I will
slice the throat of your enemy long before the Elf realizes your life is in
danger.”

“You are never to touch
Dezenial.”  What made her blurt
that
out?

“Our Elders will wish otherwise.”

“Touch him, and I’ll have the
smithy melt you down.”

Blade chuckled.  Abruptly, he
silenced.  “Outlanders join Elves.  The air crackles with alarm.”

“I’ll place you under my bed.”

“Once, I was given a place of
dignity—“

“In a box? Buried?”

“I concede to your thoughtfulness
regarding my new resting area.”

“Thought you might.  Well,
come on then.  No way am I going to make it back up all those stairs
before they realize I’m no longer in my room, let alone, in bed.”

“It will not be wise to carry a
torch.  In their search, they will see the flame’s glow long before you
realize they’re upon us.”

“Except,
you
don’t have to
worry about breaking a leg while traveling in the dark.”

Blade illuminated, but in such a
manner as to light the way without casting out too far ahead.