Prophecy Series: Path to Unity

Chapter 1; The Prophecy

                                                                      Chapter I

                                                                  ~The Prophecy~

                                                                      (Oraculum)

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And though I have the gift of clairvoyance and the understanding of all mysteries with the past, present and future; seeing the delicate strains of life that weave us together into existence, I am nothing
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My mentor once told me that when it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people; those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened and how true he was.

What was that? Who am I you ask?

Me…I have gone by many names in the ions that I have existed, however if you wish you may call me Galen…Galen Vydaela.

You might be asking yourself right now, why has he come to speak with me?

While you are scratching your head in confusion, try not to worry all will be explained as we go.

Well gather around and let us begin as I tell you the tale of when I saw my whole world destroyed.

A real shame too, everything was going so well.

Twenty years has passed since the Nolëgeldh were driven back into Mednómorë Mor.

It was a time filled with the rebuilding of forgotten friendships and a correlation of peace among the nations.

Years of construction and reestablished trade brought an ordered calm to the people.

Respective officials came together working to better the nations’ economic growth as rumors spread through the land like wildfire of troubled times ahead.

*****

Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting and dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared dream. Restlessly I slept that night seeing the truth…

Short vague bursts of images flooded my minds eye; I see a star, a crescent moon, the sun, and a comet…

I now leave the images of celestial bodies as my minds eye travels along the Silver Plains toward the Silver Tower as a black cloud shaped into an enormous hand stretches its fingers throughout Endoria; spreading deceit, terror and suffering in its wake…

I see legions of men adorned in strange black armor baring a nefarious cross with a skull in the center. Some of them carry a flag marked with the same heraldry, but I cannot recognize it. They are followed by several clans of goblins and orcs as a horde of undead rise from the fallen…

Their march is like the beat of warring drums…

I smell the burning aroma of brimstone and the taste blood is on my tongue as demons tear through the earth joining the army in their onslaught…

My minds eye stares in dismay as each kingdom is razed to the ground in flames, while the people run away from the chaos into an ambush set by the soldiers who slaughter any they catch…

Mournfully I watch the deaths of the four rulers as they send their armies into battle, but to no avail. I see in the distance, a creature adorned in black robes hiding its face in the shadows of its hood…

Its’ grasping a large broad sword in its left hand; protected by a spiked iron gauntlet with an amethyst stone embedded into the metal…

It commands its’ armies to advance against the forces of Endoria. I can’t tell who the being is, but my heart races with fear as I sense its gaze on me, piercing my very soul; drawing me closer reaching out its hand to grab me…

*****

With a startling jump he woke from his dreams as beads of sweat drip from his brow. His heart races as he frantically look around, his mind still reeling from the vision, searching for the cloaked figure.

“You will not take me that easily” he says to the empty darkness.

His senses return to him as he lays back down letting out a sigh of relief. Rolling on his back, he stares at the splintered beams above his bed. “What a strange vision. I have never lost control before”

Laying in silence, thinking back on what he saw, comforted by the feeling of solitude in the darkness of night. All he could hear was the crickets hiding in the corners of his cottage as waves from the Eldradoir Sea crash against the cliffs below. Unable to go back to sleep, he tosses his blankets off of him.

“Well now that I am awake…” he sighs with disgust. The floorboards creak as he shuffles his feet over to the basin.

Focusing his eyes in the moonlight, that casts a glow, on the shelves and open cabinets fill with books. The jars on the fireplace mantle glisten as the piles upon piles of books lay scattered about half covered in dust and cobwebs. Although the cottage is small and cluttered it suits him.

Splashing water onto his face, as it travels down his long bushy beard. He studies his reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall in front of him. Looking at his thick eyebrows, grayish-white beard, pale blue eyes and long gray hair that hangs down over his shoulder, he realized just how old he was getting. “Seven hundred and twenty-five is not old, it’s just distinguished,” he huffed with a nod.

Needing to try and find the meaning behind his vision, Galen walks over to the other end of the cottage grabbing several large tomes. “A lesson I learned long time ago was I may not be able to directly interfere with the natural flow of events, but I can indirectly influence the world to act to prevent them from occurring,”

Taking a few more tomes, making his way over to a large wooden table cluttered with more stacks of them. Attempting to clear a spot, he looks around as if he lost something, slamming the tomes down. “Agenn! Where are you at you blasted creature!”

“Wha…what?” replied a soft groggy voice coming from a small door half hidden in the shadows by the fire place.

Turning toward the sound, Galen looked at the door as a small humanoid creature no taller then eight inches opened the door rubbing its eyes as it looks up. It wore the same attire as the old man, a plain white night gown with a long draping cap dangling down to the ground behind him. Its large brown eyes seemed disproportionate to its small squished face. The small creatures’ brow scrunched together as it pulls a small pocket watch from its side. “What do you want Aiwёvanar? Ya’ know it’s in the middle of the night it is!” pointing its small stubby index finger at the watch.

“Where in the beyond is the Tome of Hierology?” he says in more of a statement then a question.

“Do I look like that fool of’n Archivist ya’ daft ol’ man, so ya’ tellin’ me you woke me up at…three in the damn’d mornin’ ta ask me about some damn’d book!” yells the small creature as it throws the pocket watch on the ground turning to go back to bed.

“Damn’d swamp donkey need ta lurn some respect before I give it a tonkin’ and a tradesmen entrance and make it lick me apples!” it grumbled under his breath.

Forming a spark of red electricity in his palm, Galen extended his hand toward the homunculus. The spark shot through the air hitting Ageen, as he flew through the air with a loud squeal.

“Do not start with me tonight Ageen, where is the book?” he calmly asked.

“Oh…um yes well I am prepared to fer’get that lil’ incident…” replied the small creature as it got back to its feet.

Dusting himself off with an attempt of dignity and going over to an enormous stack of books, each were bigger then him. The small homunculus began speaking in tone a magical technique as he gazed up at the stack. A golden light began to glow around the books as they floated into the air. Continuing his technique, one of the books left the others as it came over to him. Lowering them back to the ground, Ageen turned toward Galen with an annoyed look on his face.

“Oy here’s yer’ stupid book, now can I get back to me bed?” grumbled Ageen.

Giving him a scowl, Galen reached down grabbing the book off the ground as he went over to the table. Lighting several candles around him, he sat down at the table skimming through the pages. Choosing to live his life away from the luxuries of a tower of his own, he is able to enjoy the freedom to come and go, with either his nose in a book or off visiting other kingdoms sharing his gathered knowledge.

“This is frustrating, I am able to see future, past and present; but every time I try and see the heraldry I get nothing,” he said to himself, something he became accustomed to from years of solitude.

A troubled look came to Galen’s face pushing the book aside. Grabbing another, he scanned over the words as he reached the final page of that one still unable to place the heraldry.

“I must go to the Archives in Vizjerei to look into this further,” he sighed closing the book.

Going over to a large oak armoire, he took out a long grey velvet robe with white runes embroidered into it. Along with a golden amulet with a large ruby embedded in the center while engraved along the edge was elven writing. He pulled the robe over his body with a grunt as he sat on his bed to reach down picking up a pair of black boots pulling them gently over his feet.

Ready to go, Galen stood up walking toward the door grabbing the Pheonix Plume; a long smooth, dark oak staff, with the head of a phoenix carved into the top. Although it was still dark, Galen accounted for the fact that if he left now the city gates would just be opening. Looking out into the darkness of night, he took a deep breath enjoying the scent of the warm summer night.

“Well, there is no time like the present. I must be off,” he said as he began to leave but stopped abruptly.

“You make sure and not blow my house up, and stay away from the lab, look what happened last time you messed with the dimensional portal! You hear me Ageen!” yelled Galen.

“Yeah yeah…Just leave already it’s so much quieter around here,” replied the creature as a book illuminated in a golden light flew out the door just as Galen ducked.

Before the Prophet could get a word in edgewise, the old wooden door slammed shut on him. He felt annoyed and frustrated all jumbled together with humility as the old man chuckled and walked away. “My mentor should have warned me about the effects of transmutation…I feel insane arguing with myself,”

“Oy Aiwёvanar! Be careful and don’t go off gettin’ ya’self kill’d. Ya’ no good to me dead,” said Ageen from behind the door.

“And you be safe as well Ageen,” he replied venturing into the night.