Once Forgotten

from Tales from the Realm


A lone figure stood upon a mountain, gazing down upon the land. Once he knew this place. Once, he had lived there, happy, free. Now he was just free. Free to make his own choices. Free to make the choices no one else dared to make.

A mask hid his face; dark, flowing robes hid the rest of him. But what drew the eye to him was the mask. It was of an intricate design. It's base color was a deep blue, not dark, but somewhere in between both light and dark. There were swirls of gold around it's edges. Where the eye sockets should have been, there was a red T. The bar went from eye to eye, and the staff went down to his chin.

None knew who he was, nor where he came from. He wasn't even sure if he knew himself. Yet he was greatly feared. It was said that he was the bringer of Death, but others said that it would be more accurate to say that Death followed in his wake. Wherever his feet tread, blood would be spilled.
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"Your Highness, please, be reasonable." Arden pleaded. The young queen glared at him.

"My sister goes missing, you ask me to be reasonable?" She asked, her voice a deadly calm.

"Your Highness, remember, Sariel is an apprentice mage. She can take care of herself." Arden said.

"She hardly knows any magic. Do you not remember the winter festival?" Arden shuddered. "That's why I'm worried. Her intellect is what makes her more than a common wizard; unfortunately, it is her crazy ideas that repels all the masters from teaching her!"

"Kurel?" A light voice asked. The queen rushed to the girl and embraced her.

"Sariel! Oh where have you been?" The queen asked. Sariel smiled and playfully shoved her sister back.

"I was with Master Kadic. Don't you remember? I told you that he had finally agreed to tutor me!" Sariel smiled.

Kurel fought hard to keep her cheeks from coloring. Behind her, Arden found a sudden interest in a floral decoration. "Oh...right. Yes, of course I remember." Arden sneezed.

"Bless you!" Sariel said to him, then turned back to her sister. "I was with him until just a while ago. Kurel, he's greatly worried."

Kurel frowned, while Arden's long ears perked up. "Worried? About what? Is it about your abilities? Oh, Sariel..."

"No, it has nothing to do with me. If anything, he believes them to be stronger than ever." The girl fell silent, worry evident on her face. "Kadrin is coming."

Kurel's face paled. Her hands flew to her face as she gasped. Arden lept to his feet. "We must warn the guard! Summon every available soldier! We..."

"NO!!" Sariel shouted. Arden was taken aback and actually cringed, the flowers scorched. The girl took some steadying breaths. "No, we mustn't be so rash."

"Sariel, what's happened. Tell me everything. What happened with Kadic?" Kurel clasped her sister's hands.

"We were practicing meditation techniques, trying to find one that would actually help me focus. I found one!" Sariel turned back to her sister, eye's bright and shining. "I found one that actually helps me! My mind, it...it was so calm. So peaceful. At first. There was the calm, but gradually, I began to feel something. Something else there. Then I realized it was Kadic, and I almost lost my concentration. But I quickly discovered that it wasn't just Kadic that I was sensing; I was sensing him with my mind. I felt his power; it reeled off him like a beacon. He's so much stronger than the other masters; I never knew that before. I felt them as well. I felt each one of them. I felt the whole city, and still my mind drifted outward. It was...it was like I was searching. Trying to find something, or someone."

Kurel closed her eyes and pulled the younger girl into her arms. "And you did, didn't you? Tell me; you need to tell me."

"Yes." came the whispered reply. "On the borders of our land...I felt him. He....he's so strong. So powerful. Yet..." She broke off. Kurel pulled back and brushed a strand of hair from her sister's face.

"What is it? What did you sensed from him?" She asked.

Sariel took a deep breath. "I sensed that he was good. I can't explain it, not clearly. He means us no harm. No ill will. He is searching for something, but I couldn't sense what it was."

Arden came forward. "Are you certain? Princess Sariel, are you certain that it was Kadrin that you found?"

She nodded. "Yes. I am." Arden sighed and leaned against a column.

Kurel nodded. "Then he is welcome in our lands." Arden went rigid, his ears pointing straight up.

"Milady, what? Oh you can't be serious?!" The adviser protested. Kurel turned to him.

"And what would you have me do? Cause unnecessary hostilities? Challenge him openly? The people fear him, Arden. I fear him. Remember Calthin? They resisted him. And what happened? What happened to them, Arden?" Arden was silent, trembling. She sighed. "Their tow was burned to the foundations. Even the stones were melted and scorched. Those that survived weren't the same. They now skulk in the forests or mountains, living off whatever they can get. No, I will not suffer my people to the same fate. We will carry on as best we can. Business must continue as naturally as it can."

Arden bowed. "Yes, Milady." And he hurried off.