The Destiny of Amalah (107 page)

‘No Michael, I don’t want to leave her,’ Ellora said.

‘I will be here always,’ Michael said kindly. ‘I know she would want me to look after you and I know she would not want you to put yourself through this – so please, got to bed.’

‘Are you sure?’ she said questioningly.

‘I am positive,’ he said.

Ellora looked at Amara and then at Michael and he smiled and nodded. Ellora smiled back and rose to her feet, she walked around to where Michael was and she looked him in the eye.

‘You are the best thing that ever happened to her,’ she said, as she looked at him warmly. ‘I know she will not be alone while you are with her,’ she said.

‘Thank you,’ Michael said, smiling slightly, he was deeply touched by Ellora’s words and he was not quite sure what to say next, but the words came anyway. ‘I am the lucky one indeed Ellora, to have my love requited was beyond my wildest dreams and as long as I am alive, I will never be far from your sisters side. Amara is a lucky woman to have a sister like you. A sister, who is loving, giving and selfless, but above all else; eternally loyal and immeasurably kind,’ he said to her, and she knew that he meant every word of it.

‘Oh Michael,’ Ellora said, as she was overcome with emotion once again. She leaned forward and hugged him tightly and he hugged her back.

Ellora kissed Michael on the cheek and he smiled again. ‘If your sister wakes, I will send for you,’ he said to her.

‘No matter what the hour?’

‘No matter what the hour,’ he said, agreeing with her.

‘Thank you Michael,’ Ellora said, as she stepped back from him. ‘And I bid you goodnight.’

‘Goodnight Ellora,’ Michael said warmly.

Ellora left her sister’s room and made her way to her own room, when she was there; she quickly stripped of her clothes, had a long hot shower and then put her silk night clothes on and climbed into bed. She was going to give some thought to Amara and Garrick, and the kind words that Michael had just said to her, but before she could; her head had touched the pillow and slumber was instantly upon her and she went into it without any resistance.

Michael remained with Amara and he kept a watchful eye on her as he held on to her hand. Sometimes he would talk to her and sometimes he would simply sit in solitude and stare at her, hoping and praying that she would awake soon. He stayed awake for the longest time, but when the early hours of the morning came, tiredness consumed him also and he fell asleep by his love, resting his head on the bed and his body still in the chair.

Garrick on the other hand had had no sleep. He had gathered over a hundred of the guard, found Imogen and Zach, and then ridden north in search of Rakan. When they arrived at the place that Garrick deemed to be the nearest to where Rakan had landed, he dismounted from his horse and the guard, Imogen and Zach followed. They had ridden as fast as they could but on the approach, Garrick had slowed himself and everyone else down and they rode as quietly as they could.

‘Be vigilant,’ Garrick told them. ‘In all probability Rakan will be unconscious, but he is wearing a black cloak and so will not be easily visible – so be careful,’ Garrick warned. ‘You all know what he is capable of. Bind his hands first and use the nets – and call on us if you find him.’

‘What if he puts up a fight sir?’ one guard asked, knowing that Rakan was the guard commander’s son.

‘Do what you have to do,’ Garrick said forcefully. ‘This must end tonight and it only ends when Rakan is captured. You all know that Rakan is my son, but know this, I do not want any person to have to give up their life for his – nor should you. Capture him alive if you can, but if you cannot – well, you know what you must do,’ Garrick said.

The guard nodded and looked at each other and Garrick, they did not envy his position and they were glad that they were not in the same predicament.

‘Let’s move,’ Garrick said assertively.

He made his way forward and the guard, Imogen and Zach followed. They combed the area thoroughly but there was no sign of Rakan and when they had reached the edges of Amalah, Garrick put an end to the search.

‘For now, we will retire but in the morning at first light, we will resume the search. Some will return south and search again; while others will travel north and search new ground,’ he told them.

He organised the guard and they arranged sentry duties between them and then they set down for the night. Garrick, Zach and Imogen set down near each other and they talked for a while.

‘When we awake from this night, we will be rested and our full power restored,’ Imogen said. ‘Perhaps between Zach and I, we can use our magic to locate him,’ Imogen finished.

‘Whatever it takes,’ Garrick said, looking at the young woman and Zach and nodding his head in agreement. ‘If you think you can find him that way, then by all means try.’

‘Then we will,’ Zach said.

‘I do not envy your position Garrick,’ Imogen began; ‘but I do admire and respect the man you are,’ she said softly but genuinely.

‘Thank you,’ he said simply, before he bid the two of them good night and lay down to go to sleep.

Imogen and Zach looked at Garrick intensely for a while and wondered about the man he was and how he had become that way; solid, brave and strong – mentally and physically. They thought hard and stared hard before they themselves lay down on the ground and went tot sleep.

When they awoke in the morning, Zach and Imogen immediately set to work preparing for their spell. They were to perform the spell together and pool their magic and they went through everything twice, very carefully; before they began the spell. Garrick had given them a piece from Rakan’s clothing that they had asked him for before they began their journey.

Zach and Imogen sat down on the muddy ground opposite each other. Imogen etched a circle in the mud with her forefinger and when she had done Zach etched in a star, a triangle and some other signs and symbols. When the etching was complete, they threw in some dragonwort, frankincense Jasmine and rosemary. When they had finished throwing in the herbs they placed the piece of cloth that belonged to Rakan into the middle of it and placed a moonstone and sapphire over the top of it. They looked at each other before placing the sapphires and moonstones along the circle line that Imogen had drawn; the two of them joined hands with each other and then Zach began to chant:

‘By sapphires and moonstones our powers we hone
Show us where Rakan does dwell, whether he be alive or whether he be dead.’
When Zach had finished his part of the spell Imogen began:
‘By herbs of the earth bring power to our mind
Let us see beyond the physical, this powerful sorcerer let us find’
When Imogen had finished they both began chanting:
‘Quaerito eum
Quaerito eum
Quaerito eum’

For the first few moments nothing happened but then the stones began to glow and the herbs in the ground began to smoulder and smoke; as the smoke wafted up into the air and into Zach’s and Imogen’s nostrils. The smoke easily found its way to their lungs and once there, it infiltrated their blood and whatever was left of it, made its way to their brains. The two of them felt the effect immediately and they felt a sudden head rush, followed by a feeling of light headedness and then – even though their eyes were closed – everything around them felt surreal. Before long, their minds were wondering and they realised that even though they had kept their eyes closed; they could see everything. Somehow, their spirits and minds had transcended their bodies and they were beyond the physical. Their minds drifted around their bodies for a few seconds but then the spell they had performed carried them away.

The magic took their spirits and minds everywhere, it whizzed passed everyone and everything at super human speed, but because they did not have human eyes, they could see everything that passed them by. On they went, through all of Amalah and then: Equer, Parades, Lansten and the rest of the nations; they saw every inch of their world and not once did they see Rakan – dead or alive.

An hour passed and the spell eventually wore off and when it did, their minds and spirits returned to their physical bodies and they awoke. When they opened their eyes, they saw Garrick and the guard watching over them intensely and when Garrick saw the two young sorcerers open their eyes, he rose to his feet and went over to where they were.

‘Anything?’ he asked earnestly

‘Nothing,’ said Imogen.

‘Dead or alive, he is nowhere on this earth,’ Zach said ruefully.

‘Unless more powerful magic’s cloak him from us,’ added Imogen.

‘I would agree with you Imogen,’ Garrick said in a defeated tone.

‘What now?’ Zach asked.

‘Now we return to Amalah City, we will search as we head back to the south but from there after we will cease to search. Rakan will only be found when he wants to be found.

‘Until then?’ Imogen asked.

‘Until then, we return to Amalah and deal with his five accomplices and their army,’ Garrick said sternly.

Garrick gave the orders to the guard and they rode back to Amalah empty handed and downhearted. When they arrived back, Garrick found that: Callan, John, Hemi and Hassan had everything under control and after enquiring with them, he made his way to Amara’s room, to find her still unconscious while Michael and Ellora were by her side. When Garrick entered the room, they stood up and looked at him expectantly.

‘Any news?’ Ellora asked.

‘None,’ said Garrick. ‘He is nowhere to be seen. The guard have searched north of Amalah and Imogen and Zach performed a spell. They saw all of the nations and Rakan was not to be found in any.’

‘Magic must be hiding him,’ Ellora said.

‘I agree,’ Garrick said. ‘And that is what Imogen said too.’

‘I also think that he is in the same state as Amara,’ Michael said.

‘Perhaps,’ said Garrick. ‘If that is the case, I have no doubt that it is Adriel or even Salwar who’s magic is protecting him.’

‘As do I., said Ellora. ‘If Rakan cannot be found in any of the nine nations then unless he is dead, a higher power definitely protects him.’

‘He is not dead,’ Garrick said. ‘The spell Imogen and Zach performed should have found him, dead or alive.’

‘Then a higher power protects him,’ Michael replied.

‘Salwar,’ Garrick said with contempt.

Garrick, Michael and Ellora knew that there was still much to do in Amalah and the rest of the nine nations, and they knew that they could not remain by Amara’s side for all time. The three of them arranged to take it in turns to watch her, while the other two would go about their duties or sleep; one of them would remain by her side.

As the three of them fell into a routine, a day and a night later Amara awoke from her sleep and Michael was by her side. She began to stir at first and then move around a bit more and as she moved, she alerted Michael, who moved closer to her than he was already; he called her name repeatedly and held onto her hand and stroked her hair.

‘Amara,’ he whispered. ‘Amara,’ he said again gently.

Amara started to move and then she opened her eyes, her vision was foggy at first but after a few blinks, it cleared and she saw Michael watching over her.

‘Oh thank god,’ he cried. ‘Amara you’re awake,’ he said truly elated as he leaned forward to hug and kiss her. ‘I’m so glad you’re awake,’ he said again as the tears of joy rolled down his face.

‘Michael?’ she said weakly.

‘Yes it’s me,’ he said.

‘Michael, what happened?’

‘It’s over,’ he said, as he pulled back from her slightly to look at her.

‘The army is captured.’

‘Rakan?’ she asked.

‘Nowhere to be seen,’ Michael said reluctantly. ‘We have searched the nine nations. The guard searched Amalah and Imogen and Zach together used magic to locate him dead or alive; he is nowhere to be found.’

‘Then it is not over,’ Amara said beginning to be distressed.

‘Yes it is, Amara, it really is. Waldon, Kenaz, Rufus and the other two remain in captivity along with their army. Rakan is alone and he cannot face all of the sorcerers in the nation alone. He simply cannot.’

‘But they...’

‘They will remain in Amalah until he is caught.’

Amara closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened them and when she looked ahead, Michael squeezed her hand and looked at her searchingly. She squeezed his hand back and smiled weakly at him.

‘You don’t know how happy I am at this moment in time,’ he said to her. ‘When we found you…’

‘Sshh,’ she said gently. ‘I’m alright Michael, don’t think about that,’ she said softly as she stroked his hand. ‘How long was I unconscious for?’ she asked.

‘Three days and three nights,’ he answered.

‘Really?’ she said in utter disbelief.

‘Yes and for every moment I was afraid,’ he said, still holding onto her.

Amara lifted her hand and placed it gently on Michael’s cheek and held it for a while.

‘I’m sorry I scared you my love,’ she said softly.