Of Burgundy Family/The Daemon Saga/Chapter Two: The Growing Taint
Contents
Chapter 2: The Growing Taint
Part 1: The Winds are Changing
Yet another unsubstantiated report, however what is clear that around this time Brackern did indeed start to change. It is surmised that it was a combination of the death of Archon Lucian, together with the guilt that he felt for not trying to reach him, and his keen desire for revenge. In addition, the Book that he now wielded was said to have a corrupting influence...if the Brilliant Hat of Warding had not been lost, it is likely that he would have been able to resist the corruption of the Book.
Captain Ferdinand watched the men finish packing with a quiet satisfaction. Orders were to move out at sunset, and the men were eager to see some action. This lent the men's performance and extra boost of energy above their normal smooth efficiency. As the last horse was packed, his thoughts turned to Lord Brackern, and his smile disappeared.
Ever since the death of Lord Lucian, there had been a change in his Lord... something darker, more dangerous. The normal calm and and supreme aura of command that he radiated was still evident, but tinged by something...he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Come to think of it, even this estate, normally a place of happiness steeped in an atmosphere of peace and quiet, felt different. Almost like a sense of brooding. That was the other reason that the men were glad to leave...the atmosphere here tended to make one jumpy, and start to imagine things that were not, or see shapes out of the corner of the eye.
With reluctance Captain Ferdinand pulled out of his musings. He must go and inform Lord Brackern that the packing is done.
Part 2: A New Factor
Around this time a strange knight appeared from the dark forests of Mech Calen.
The pale winter sunlight coming in through the window did nothing to lighten his mood. The past week was wearying - civil work and holding court over peasants - as if a Lord didn't have more important things to do! Even now the monsters still roam just out of reach below our southern borders!
In addition, he was still no closer to a solution - the ancient copies of wall hieroglyphics that he had found in the Golden Farrow still defied all attempts at further deciphering. That they had to do with the ancients and the daemons was clearly marked by what the author had managed to decipher (before apparently meeting his untimely demise), but nothing else.
He glanced down at a note that had arrived earlier - news of a strange knight being seen in Mech Derris. Who is this "Dark Knight" fellow, he wondered, and does he perhaps have something to do with the daemons and man-beasts from the south? I must definitely find out more...by whatever means possible.
Perhaps the Book might be of some assistance in that matter he thought, glancing at it. Yes, there were some rather interesting things in there..
Just then a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter", he called.
Part 3: Good News is a Good Guest?
It is unclear what the relation between the Knight and Brackern was, what is known was that there was a mutual interest in each other.
The journey to Farrowfield had gone without incident. Word had...come to him...regarding some of the doings of the Knight from Mech Calen. It appeared that there was a sort of incident there, and one man was left dead. Apparently he had also asked after the Lord of Mozyr. How curious.
A dangerous man it would seem, but what sort? From the description of his armour, he sounded like a noble. But how came he to the middle of the realm unmarked? Not all things are as they appear, it is true. He would have increase his informants even further (even though he had been steadily increasing the gold marked for such activities since the day following the fateful day).
Just then, a trusted messenger came in with a report from one of his informants watching the road from Knyazes to Mozyr: It would appear that the Knight was heading for his region.
This gave Brackern quite a bit to think about: It was unlikely that an agent of...the south... would travel so openly, and would have no hope of succeeding against a full unit of archers, or the special forces trained in Mozyr.
Then there was the hidden power of the Book...he rolled the full name around with pleasure in his mind: The Dazzling Book of Forbidden Knowledge, which had already revealed some of its power to him. It would be an unpleasant surprise to any who came uninformed upon him.
So, if this Knight is perhaps not hostile, he must be either neutral or friendly (or mad, the thought occurred to him).
Making up his mind, he decided that events had turned out well. The fact that he had departed from Mozyr and now the Knight was headed there played well into his hands. There were still too many unknowns, and unknowns provide threat. So, he would have the Knight escorted to the guest quarters at Mozyr if he wished, but it would not harm to have a few more 'servants' around the estate, nor to have a 'few' more than the usual guard of special forces stationed around the estate. Let him gather what he is able, what the peasants say will not reveal much, but my men shall indeed be most vigilant. It would no doubt be also wise to ensure that the man did not have access to the villa...it would not do to return and find the place looted...or trashed.
He sent off a messenger with these orders, and orders that a guard of special forces should be at the borderlands of the estate to greet the man and ascertain his intentions.
At least that matter could be put aside for now, he thought to himself. With that, his thoughts turned back to his research, which was still stalled, and the travel to the borders of Caerwyn. Perhaps they might encounter another of the beasts, and be able to gain more clues as to what sort of sorcery is being wielded...
Part 4a: The Fulcrum
Following the dramatic entry of the Dark Knight onto the scene of Caerwyn, it appears that he was content to fade into the background. Thus far there have been no more records of him recovered. That he made it to Mozyr is probable, but if he did, he either did not go to the main estate, or stayed there without incident.
The following, however, is an account of the accidental discovery by Brackern of the truer nature of the book - before he had apparently uncovered only very simple tricks of conjuring and confusion, as well as a lot of the history of Caerwyn.
The travel to Knyazes was both long and wearying. Mud from the recent rains bogged down the wagons and slowed the men down. Still, at long last they arrived in the area and started making preparations for battle.
Just as the men were setting up their positions, Brackern felt this strange urge to open the book (that he now carried around in a leather holder cross-wise from his shoulder). Strangely enough he felt an urge to open at the back, as though there was someone that he wanted to view there (but he couldn't quite remember what).
He opened the book, but it was upside-down, and he was about to turn it around when he realised that the lettering was the right way round. It also did not read what he remembered it reading...what it now said was:
Know ye that this be the book of the Great Rufus Castillo, and that if studied and used wisely, it shall grant great power. Used foolishly, it shall bring death and destruction to the fool and all those around them. Read on ye of courage and wisdom, or desist. Your path shall be set, from which there is no escape, on the turning of the page.
Interlude
The dating of this piece is not clear - that there should be continuing work after the above piece is clear, unfortunately it has not been found yet.
Regarding this piece, history speaks of a time when the monsters started using foul magics to conceal themselves so that they could not be found or attacked. This apparently also included the manual work of them digging tunnels, but magic apparently concealed the entrances to these (if anyone would have been brave enough to go down them in the first place!)
It would appear that this is an account of how the spells were broken, and seems to be an oral account from a commoner named Lexandro, which was later recorded for posterity.
The moon was just setting as the small, cold hours of the morning were wearing away slowly. In the forest only a few night creatures were stirring, and the occasional owl swooping down silently to bring sudden death on their unsuspecting prey.
It was in this hour that a man could be seen moving through the forests of Mech Derris. The forest creatures indeed thought this strange, but after some careful observation they saw that he had no interest in them, and they carried on with their business.
This man was searching for something...or someone perhaps? As it turns out, he had been searching long for a sage, wise man or wizard who would be able to explain or flush out the monsters that were in hiding around the realm.
This man, known generally as Lexandro, had received word that a powerful sage was in the region, one who went only by the name of "Danaris". Thus, after his long searching, he was unwilling to give up when he was so close.
Lost in his thoughts, he broke unexpectedly into a clearing. Just ahead of him was a small hut. Could this be one of the lodgings of the sage?! With caution (not wanting to be turned into a toad or some such thing) he approached the hut.
As he was about to knock, the door swung open. Inside was a man seated on a stool by a small fire. A copper cauldron was bubbling thereon.
Freeman Lexandro stammered, "Master Sage, I am hono..." before he was interrupted.
" I know why you have come, Lexandro," said the sage. "You want help with the monsters. Indeed, I shall give you this help. Come. Sit. Watch. You may learn something."
With that the sage started a slow chant, now soft and melodious, gradually growing stronger, more stringent. Then, changing again, to a more flowing chant, then to one sounding like as to the wind in the trees.
All of the chant was in a strange language, one of nature unknown to Lexandro, but as he watched he sensed a power building up in the sage. The green robe of the sage started to glow, and his eyes glinted with a green fire.
Just then, the chant finished and glowing green ambient light spread out from the sage, out into the forest.
What surprised Lexandro even more was that he recognised the last words of the chant: "quattuor quattuor zero tres", as the numbers 4403... how strange!
When Lexandro looked back at the sage, he looked normal again - the strange powers that he wielded now cloaked and dampened.
The sage said to him: I have now chanted the song of the earth - in it was woven the sun, the wind, the trees, the water and the very ground that we walk on. The monsters were using foul magic to pervert the natural balance in these things and to hide themselves. Their magic shall now soon be undone, and they can be removed.
Leaning over the cauldron, the sage gave it a stir, then looked up at Lexandro. "Would you care for some soup?" he asked,"it is almost done."
Part 4b: The decision
The piece relating to the continuation of the saga was finally excavated from the ruins of the old Mozyr mansion, in the top right corner of the building. It appears that quite some time passed between the writing of the initial piece and this one - we can but hope to find more documentation regarding the intervening period!
One can but speculate that while his outward manner appears to be calmer than it was (from what can be seen from the few small hints in this text), he was undergoing a more fundamental inward changes as shown in his affinity for the dark forest - of which several tales have been written, none good! "Ah, the first day of summer!" thought Brackern to himself, breathing in deeply and looking at the soldiers packing. The past few days had been very productive, and very much to his liking.
The dark fastness of the Mech Calen Wood might not have been to the liking of his men (nor the others with them), yet in them he had found peace and quiet - the darkness, age and brooding closeness of the forest spoke to something in him, and where other felt threat, he felt none. Perhaps it was the ancient power that the forest possessed speaking to the ancient lore and craft that he was now learning?
In some things he had come quite far since that day on the battlefield faced with the choice of turning the page or casting the book away. Indeed, even now he could picture the moment down to the finest detail in his mind:
The breeze had been gently wafting over the battlefield - almost perfect weather for archery. A thunderstorm would have been more appropriate to represent the turmoil that he felt upon reading the following words: Know ye that this be the book of the Great Rufus Castillo, and that if studied and used wisely, it shall grant great power. Used foolishly, it shall bring death and destruction to the fool and all those around them. Read on ye of courage and wisdom, or desist. Your path shall be set, from which there is no escape, on the turning of the page.
His instinct on reading them was to cast the book away, but his will firmed against this thought - and remembering the vow that he had made on hearing of Archon Lucian's death - he had turned the page.
Thereon he read: There remain but two paths now: the higher or lower. Which shall it be? Only the man can decide.
That thee be reading this means that ye are either brave or foolish. It also means that I be dead - whether by foolishness, betrayal, or divine vengeance, it matters not. For the book shall never leave the owner lest it be given or cast away (impossible), or the owner be dead or foolish enough to be overcome. Let this be fair warning to thee - even with unimaginable power, one is not immortal. Indeed, what price would one be willing to pay for such power? The soul? The love of one's life? A kingdom?
One must decide.
Once reading this, he had suddenly got the urge to try using one of the spells that he knew was in the book (thus we see that the book was already influencing him - for there was no way he could have know the spell was there). As he turned the pages the book opened to the exact page that he was looking for: A spell to make wind blow and thus make the arrows fly further and strike with greater force.
Once he intoned the words, there was a great gust of wind. Unfortunately the spell had gone horribly awry, and powerful crosswinds struck the field (this is not to be wondered at, for he had no experience whatsoever at manipulating spells - he was indeed fortunate not to have been destroyed!).
With a shock he had closed the book, astonished at his own stupidity. It was most uncharacteristic of him to act so rashly, and he wondered how he had given in to the urge so easily. Eyeing the book, he felt mixed measures of wonder at the power that he had felt, and the tinge of corruption that it had carried.
The battle had still been won, but with greater casualties than needed.
Just then a messenger came up, and startled him out of his remembrances. The letter was just a routine matter, of little importance, yet it shattered the sense of peace that he had felt. It reminded him that this evening they would be arriving at Knyazes, the place that Archon Lucian had fallen...
