SEARCH FOR THE LOST SOUL (18 page)

“So, does
that mean that there are lots of these swords still in existence?”

Dominic
shook his head. “I said it was almost impossible to destroy such a blade, not
that it is impossible. One of the conditions that the swordcrafters required
was that, when the bearer of the sword was dying, if possible, they were to
destroy the sword. The usual process involved throwing the sword into a
volcano.”

“I thought
mankind didn’t know about volcanoes until recently.”

Dominic
shook his head. “Ancient man knew more about nature than is even known today.
That is because they were more attuned to the Earth; they knew her moods. It
was not until we approached the times that are still in mankind’s memory that
such processes were attributed to the gods. That did not occur until mankind
became more interested in themselves than in their surroundings. Within a few
generations, mankind had lost all the geological knowledge it had accrued.”

A multitude
of questions flitted through Chris’ mind but he decided to stay with the sword,
for now. “So, how many of these swords are still around?”

“That is
difficult to say. The ones we know about are all in the possession of various
sorcerers’ around the world. Not all of them are willing to divulge the
artifacts that they have in their custody. Some of them will only let out that
information when it serves their purposes.”

“How many
would you estimate?”

Dominic
sighed. “Several hundred.”

Chris
decided to let the subject drop; he seriously doubted that Dominic would
continue answering many more questions about the swords. Besides, he had other
topics he wanted more information about. “You alluded to the length of time
that mankind has inhabited this Earth, how long?”

Dominic
shook his head. Chris was surprised when he answered the question. “No one
knows for certain. Who can say how many generations passed before even the oral
traditions began to be passed down? I know what your next question is, and the
answer is I cannot even begin to estimate the length of time. But, I will tell
you this, man as we know him, has been around for much longer than the
scientists can even imagine.”

Chris
frowned. “What about fossils?”

Dominic
laughed. “Even scientists will tell you that the fossil record is incomplete.
Only a certain set of conditions will produce a fossil. And, the natural
processes of the Earth will eventually destroy a large percentage of those that
are created.” He shook his head. “We will never know when mankind first
appeared on the Earth.”

“What about
Atlantis? Was it real?”

Dominic
turned his head to look at the younger man. “I will answer this question on one
condition; that you ask no more questions for the remainder of the day. In
fact, I want you to remain silent until we stop for the night.”

“Alright.”

Dominic
nodded. “Very well. Yes, Atlantis was real. But, the tale that has come down as
the myth does not reflect the reality of the continent island.”

“None of it
is true!”

“I did not
say that. Certain aspects are true. It was a bustling center of commerce for
thousands of years. It was highly evolved and the people were interested in
only altruistic activities. One of the things that the Atlanteans were known
for was the variety of flowers that flourished on the island. In Atlantean
society, the only way to move up the ladder was to develop a new breed of
flower and have it survive for at least three seasons.

“Also true
is the aspect that the Atlanteans turned away from their altruistic intentions
and toward world domination. It is also true that the island disappeared below
the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, but by that time, the Atlanteans were long
gone. The part of the tale that the Athenian Greeks defeated the Atlanteans is
false. A people who called themselves Qewerperts defeated them.

“Little is
known about them as they self destructed as a society, leaving behind few
clues. The only survivors among the Atlanteans were those who fled the island
or were away for some reason. The Qewerperts rampaged through the island,
destroying everything and killing everyone they saw. When they departed, no one
was left alive on Atlantis.

“The
Atlanteans used crystal power to run their machinery, and they had many
machines. The inventors were treated with respect. These people had almost as
much power as the rulers; anything they desired for their work was given to
them. Among the elite of Atlantis, to have in your possession a machine that no
one else did was the ultimate coup. Those who could afford to do so, had
inventors in their personal employ.

“The
crystals they used were of a type that was abundant on Atlantis but are rare
elsewhere in the world. For thousands of years, the people of Earth relied on
those crystals for their everyday lives. Once the focus of the Atlanteans’
interests changed, these crystals became more difficult to obtain as they were
not anxious to share their wealth with their fellow man.

“After they
were defeated, few men would set foot on the island. There were rumors that
more than half the people who stepped onto the soil, did not return. I do not
know if there is truth to that tale but I do know that only the most
money-oriented of people would even attempt to land there.

“Those that
took the risk, found it to be well worth their while. The crystals that they
managed to remove from the island fetched the proverbial king’s ransom. It is
said that some of these merchants would stand on the scales along with their
crystal and demand that weight of gold. The demand was such that they received
it.

“No one
knows why the island sank into the ocean. There is speculation that the island
was actually mushroom shaped and, during a powerful earthquake, the stem, so to
speak, broke off. It is well known that earthquakes were frequent on the
island. Now, I require you to keep your end of the bargain.”

Chris nodded
and said nothing further even though he still had many questions he wanted to
ask. He was actually surprised that the apprentice had been so forthcoming with
information.

Chris had no
idea what had changed, but he knew that something had. Dominic was more relaxed
than Chris had ever seen him. Chris wondered how long this openness would last
but didn’t dare ask; he knew he had to keep his end of the bargain or Dominic
would never answer another question.

Chris didn’t
speak again until they had set up their camp for the night and were sitting on
their bedrolls, eating more sandwiches. He frowned down at the black bread in
his hands. “Couldn’t we get something else to eat?”

Dominic didn’t
look up. “These will sustain us during the quest.”

“Yeah,”
Chris mumbled. “But they taste like s—.” he trailed off, glancing at Kelly.
“They taste terrible,” he finished.

Dominic
shook his head but surprised Chris by saying. “Very well, in the morning I will
hunt.”

Chris fell
silent, wondering once again at the change in the apprentice. As he finished
his sandwich, he watched the other man but didn’t raise the question; he didn’t
want to anger him.

After he
finished eating, Dominic took a small book out of his backpack, along with a
tapered candle. He sat with his back against the bole of a tree, deeply
engrossed in the book.

Chris
watched him for several minutes before turning his attention to Kelly. He was
worried about her. She hadn’t said a single word since leaving Terrill’s
castle. Several minutes passed before he rose and walked to where she was
sitting. He lowered himself to sit next to her on her bedroll, speaking in a
low tone so as not to interrupt Dominic.

“Is
something wrong?”

Kelly
refused to look at him, merely shaking her head.

Chris sighed
and lowered his voice even further. “You need to get rid of that spellbook
before it’s discovered in your possession.”

Kelly didn’t
respond. Chris frowned and grasped her by the shoulder, shaking her gently to
get her attention. “Listen to me. This is important. You don’t know what
they’ll do to you if they find out you took it from Terrill.”

Kelly
continued to stare at the ground.

Chris waited
for several minutes before becoming convinced that she wouldn’t do as he
wanted. He sighed deeply, making certain that she heard it before rising and
returning to his own bedroll. He lay down, rolling up in his blankets and
turning his back on Kelly. If she was going to be so stubborn, he wasn’t going
to worry about it. He sighed again; this was a vow he knew he wouldn’t keep.

For days,
they had seen the blue-tinged mountains in the distance but they appeared to be
drawing no closer to them. Chris could stand it no longer and let the
frustration show in his voice as he complained. “Are those things retreating as
fast as we approach?”

Dominic cast
him a sidewise glance, which caused Chris to think that he wasn’t going to
answer the question. he surprised Chris when he answered “I would not be so
anxious to reach those mountains if I were you.”

Chris
snorted. “Why not? The mountains can’t be any worse than those creepy forests.”

Dominic
laughed. “You know nothing.”

Chris
frowned. “Are we headed for someone else’s castle?”

Dominic
shook his head. “No, with any kind of luck we will not meet another being until
we reach the soul worshipers.”

Chris
glanced at Kelly. She rarely spoke, usually following a few steps behind the
two men. He nodded his agreement with Dominic’s statement; the less contact
Kelly had with other people, the better off they would all be.

“We
especially do not want to meet any stoners,” Dominic continued.

Chris
frowned as he returned his attention to the apprentice. “What harm could a
couple of druggies do to us? I have the Dragon Sword and you have your magic.”

Dominic
laughed but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. “I wish I was speaking of drug addicted
people.” He shook his head. “No, the stoners are—er—creatures made of rock.”

Chris stared
at the apprentice. “Rock! Why haven’t I ever heard of them?”

“Because few
people who encounter them live to tell the tale.”

Chris turned
his head to look at the mountains, now seeming to loom ominously in the
distance. He had to swallow hard before he could speak. “I think you’d better
tell me about them.”

Dominic
stared straight ahead for several minutes before answering in a low voice.
“Little is known about the stoners as the wizard that created them was killed
by the stoners before they escaped into the mountains. What we know was learned
from the investigators the wizard council sent to his castle.

“The wizard
devised them in his laboratory centuries ago; apparently he wanted nonhuman
warriors that would be loyal only to him. However, as often happens in such
cases, something went wrong. It is not known how much time elapsed between
their creation and their escape but it is believed that it was not long, maybe
a year at most.

“According
to the notes the investigators found, the wizard realized that he had given
them too much intelligence; enough for them to understand that they were slaves
to the wizard but not enough to be able to function in human society. Given
their appearance, it would be doubtful that they would have been accepted were
they to try.

“The castle
was in shambles when the investigators arrived. After killing the wizard, the
stoners moved through the castle, killing everyone they met and leaving a trail
of destruction behind them. It was believed that the stoners were destroying
all evidence about them. They either did not know or did not understand the
significance of the wizard’s notes; otherwise, they would have destroyed those
also.

“The wizard
had realized his mistake and was searching for a way to destroy the creatures
he had made. Unfortunately, they killed him before he was successful. By the
time the investigators arrived, the stoners had disappeared into the
mountains.”

“Why didn’t
the council send someone into the mountains after these things?”

“They did.
The first group did not return. After more than a year with no contact, the
council sent more powerful sorcerers into the mountains. Of the group of ten
that went in, only one returned; Mercon, the leader and most powerful sorcerer
among them.

“Mercon was
severely injured and lived only long enough to report the bare bones of the
events that transpired in the mountains. They were ambushed in a canyon at one
of the higher elevations. Most of the searchers were killed before they even
realized that they were under attack. When the sorcerers and wizards rallied
and began to fight back, nothing was effective.

“When only
three of the searchers remained, they decided that they had to escape and warn
the Wizard’s Council. Mercon was the only one who survived it is said that he
might have survived had he not pushed himself to reach the castle of another
sorcerer.”

Chris
frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Simply
this. Mercon felt that the information he carried was so important that he
ignored his own health, and this likely cost him his life. He could have
received medial aid in several large cities he passed through, but he did not.
He gave his life for the greater good.

“For this he
was given the highest acclaim that the Wizard’s Council can grant, a marble
statue in the hallowed halls of Wizard Citadel. There have been thousands of
sorcerers and wizards throughout history but there are only thirteen statues in
Wizard Citadel. Those statues are so lifelike that it appears as if they are
breathing. It is an impressive sight.”

“Maybe I’ll
see them someday.”

Dominic
laughed. “I would highly doubt that. For one thing, you must arrive there under
your own power and you have none. Also, the walls of the Citadel are spelled
for protection. As soon as you set foot inside, you would be incinerated.”

“Why?”

“Your lack
of power. The walls would know that you do not belong there.”

“But, if I
was invited, wouldn’t that make a difference?”

“No. You
would not be allowed on the premises. It is hallowed ground. The walls
automatically scan everyone who enters.”

“Who’s
bright idea was that?” Chris grumbled.

“I really
could not say. The origins of the Citadel are lost in the mists of time. It is
rumored to have been built by Hetulisiv himself.”

“And, who is
he? Your founder or something?” Chris asked sarcastically.

“He was the
most powerful wizard our kind has ever known. It is said that he lived for more
than ten thousand years and still appeared to be a young man. He simply
disappeared one day.”

“Are you
saying that he might still be alive!”

Dominic
shrugged. “You will learn that almost anything is possible if one possesses
enough power. I prefer not to speculate as to the possibility. He was well
known in his day and I can understand how he may have had the desire to lead a
less conspicuous life.”

Chris
snorted. “If you people are required to help humanity, how can he lead a
low-key life?”

Dominic cast
him a sidewise glance before responding. “It is possible to help people without
anyone becoming aware of it. All I will say is that he might have chosen to
leave his public life. For all I know, he could be living in a cave somewhere.
Or, one of the wizards I know could be him. I do not have enough information to
hazard a guess.”

Chris eyed
the apprentice for several minutes as he wondered if it was possible for him to
actually believe that Hetulisiv could still be alive. He finally decided that
it would be best for him to not examine the subject too closely. “Anyway, back
to the stoners.”

“Of course,
I am sorry that I side-tracked myself. For many years afterwards, the Wizard’s
Council wizards who possessed the talent of levitation flew over the mountains
as they tried to study the stoners. Unfortunately, the stoners are difficult to
find. When they become immobile, they are virtually invisible.

“The council
finally gave up and put the mountain off limits to all those with power, the
only people over which they have control. We only venture inside when it is
necessary.” Dominic’s eyes shifted to Kelly but quickly returned to the area in
front of him. “It is now necessary”

Chris sighed
as a wave of remorse swept over him; would the consequences of his shameful
actions ever cease? He took a deep breath to steady himself. “So, how do we
fight them?”

Dominic
shrugged. “The best defense is not to encounter them.”

Chris
grunted his frustration. “But, what do we do if we do meet them?”

Dominic took
his time answering. “I know of only one other account of someone surviving
contact with the stoners. He was what we would call a mercenary soldier who
lived around one thousand AD. He entered the mountains with a large group of
men. All mercenaries. These men were experienced soldiers and Paulus was the
only one to survive the encounter.

“The only
reason we have his account is because he was discovered wandering, severely
injured and insane. They took him to a woman who was a witch, the only cure
available in those days.

“The witch
healed his wounds and tended him as one would a child; he was in such a
psychotic state that he could not even feed himself. It took years but the
story eventually came out. Mary, the witch, realized its importance and brought
Paulus to a sorcerer. Between the two of them, they were able to not only
compile the entire story, but to cure Paulus so that he could lead a normal
life once again. Yet, he never left the sorcerers castle, through his own
choice.

“According
to Paulus, one night the sentry began to scream that they were alive. His
fellow mercenaries woke and found nothing; they thought the sentry was simply
being foolish, seeing shadows in the night. Most of the mercenaries went back
to sleep but Paulus remained awake because the sentry was a close friend and
was quite upset. This is what saved his life.

“A short
time after everyone returned to their beds, they began to hear scraping noises.
Suddenly, the rock they were sitting next to jumped onto the sentry; he did not
have time to cry out before he died. Paulus leapt to his feet and shouted a
warning to the others, but it was not in time. Most of the men died in their
bedrolls.

“Three men
managed to escape the camp. They ran through the night, tripping frequently
over unseen objects but they did not stop; they knew what would happen if they
did. Finally, the sun rose and they stopped to rest, thinking that they were
safe; they were wrong.

“Paulus had
fallen asleep against the bole of a tree when a sharp sound woke him. The three
men fought with their backs against each other but it did no good; they were
soon overwhelmed. Both of his companions had already died and one of the
stoners had attached itself to his leg when he discovered his salvation, quite
by accident.

“The stoner
had knocked him to the ground and his hand found a good sized rock. Thinking it
was useless but had no other option; he picked it up and threw it at the
creature. When the rock hit it, the stoner immediately released its grip on
Paulus and retreated a short distance. Paulus did not understand, he knew that
the throw had little force behind it, he did not have the leverage for it, but
he did not stop to question his luck. He scrambled to his feet and ran.

“Luckily for
Paulus, the stoners are slow moving. His leg was severely damaged but he managed
to escape. As he ran, he gathered as many rocks as he could fit into the
various pouches he wore tied around his waist. He forced himself to keep
moving, even though he was exhausted and had run out of food; he was well aware
of what would happen if the stoners caught him again.

“As he
traveled down the mountain he did encounter the stoners twice more but, when he
hit them with the rocks, they always retreated. He was near death by the time
he stumbled into the witch’s house. The only other item of interest in the tale
is that only a direct hit will stop the stoners, and only the one that is hit
will stop.”

They walked
for some distance in silence before Chris voiced his next question. “What do
the stoners eat?”

Dominic
shrugged. “Who can say? That piece of information was not in the notes that
were left behind after the stoners escape and none of the searchers or
observers ever saw them eat.”

“So, why do
they attack people?”

Dominic
shrugged again. “I do not know. It is possible that they eat humans, but it is
also possible that they remember the sorcerer who created them and are still
reacting to that memory. It is also possible that they are only defending their
territory and attaching everything that enters.”

“So, you
think the original stoners are still alive?”

Dominic cast
him a sidewise glance before answering. “Again, I do not know. They were not in
the laboratory long enough to breed and no one else has had the opportunity to
observe them to determine that fact. As I said earlier, we know almost nothing
about them. We can only hope that we do not pass through their territory.”

“And you
have no idea where their territory is.”

“We know the
place where Mercon met the stoners. Paulus did not leave such specifics. I
assure you that I am leading us as far from the area where Mercon met them as I
can without adding too much time to our quest.”

“But the
stoners can move. They could be traveling anywhere in those mountains.”