My Unfinished Stories":-) Chronicles of the Lands of Lhydia Prologue: "The Legend of the Library of Indhirland"

 

It was a summer afternoon when a young officer of the coast guard of the city of Indhir—the main port of the invisible island of Indhirland—was informed by one of his subordinates of an approaching ship.

Standing on the city wall, the captain looked in the direction indicated by the sentry. A small boat with a green-and-white sail floated on the calm waves. Gently gliding across the water, the boat quickly approached the shore. The captain was a relatively young elf from a noble family, descended in direct line from Duchess Ellanour, sister of the Land's current ruler—King Pencidall the Holy, Head of the Order of the White Lily, a very popular cult of the goddess Kharonaey. The Paladins of the Order themselves tended to refer to their patroness as "Lady Kharonaey," which seemed inappropriate, to those not closely associated with the religion.

The captain narrowed his eyes, focusing on the boat. To enhance his already excellent eyesight, the elf muttered a spell. A moment later, he had a clear view of the man sitting at the helm. His face was hidden beneath a deep hood, effectively obscuring the newcomer's visage. It was some time before the boat reached shore, where, amid the piercing cries of gulls, a multitude of which flew over the harbor, several assistants and gawkers had gathered.

Among them were the captain and three archers clad in the Order's colors. The newcomer disembarked. He was a tall, slender man, whose dark face, when the hood was pulled back, betrayed his southern origins. He wore a simple brown robe without any insignia. His bald head was tattooed with mysterious green patterns, the captain couldn't quite identify. Another strange thing that caught the captain's attention were the newcomer's eyes. They were strange, hazy, a light blue.

The newcomer seemed lost, yet alert. He seemed surprised by the situation. Later, at the outpost, he confessed that an invisible force had drawn him to the shores of his village on the southern coast of Khaz. It ordered him to load all his belongings and provisions for a two-week journey. The newcomer also confessed that he was a mage, but had never encountered such a force he couldn't resist. He remembered the entire journey like fragments of a dream. Only this morning did he awaken and see land on the horizon.

Also listening to the interrogation was the local monk, Zakhariah, who used spells to test the newcomer's truthfulness. Ultimately, they were convinced by the mark the newcomer displayed on his wrist. Its shape resembled the Ilhe rune—the ancient sign of Kharonaey. All the inhabitants of Indhirland possessed this mark, as did those who visited the island. Without this mark, it was impossible to penetrate the powerful, invisible barrier that protected Indhirland from prying eyes.

The newcomer was temporarily housed at the local inn until the island Council decided on his fate on Indhirland. It was decided that the newcomer would temporarily be assigned to Zakhariah to assist in the order's library.

Months passed. Autumn arrived. Everyone took a great liking to the newcomer, who called himself Melvin de Ronex. He was kind, exceptionally accommodating, and helpful. Therefore, the Council made a decision, and the newcomer was accepted into the ranks of the temple's monks. He continued working in the library, where he eventually gained access to almost all the books and scrolls that had been collected and catalogued over the centuries. He also began working with the young students of the order's school, where new Paladins, monks, and priests were trained. After a year, the people of Indhir treated him as one of their own. He gained the sympathy of the students and other instructors, but the question of why Melvin de Ronex had been summoned to the island remained.

The years passed lazily. News from the mainland reached Indhirland regularly, but the wars waged by the rulers of the Lhydian Lands were of little interest to the locals, who led a peaceful life.

Indhir was the largest of the island's five cities. Pencirland was built in the center of the island, two days' ride from Indhir. Further north, nestled among the mountains, was the city of Northernland. On the opposite side of the island, a twin city, Southernland, was built, three days' ride from it, and Indhirland's smallest and last city, Westernland, was built. Every few weeks, ships arrived in Indhir, carrying elven sailors across the vast oceans, bringing news from distant lands and worlds. One of these ships, Malcolm Horgh, known among the elves as the Blue Sailor, brought news of a great war that had broken out in the far east, engulfing almost the entire local world, known in Indhir as the Witherlands, in its turmoil. Melvin was briefly interested in this news, only to rush out of the inn. He hid in the library's basement for a long time, which, however, surprised no one, as he spent many hours there studying books late into the night.

Ten years had passed since Melvin's arrival on the island. Sam de Ronex attracted no attention as he retrieved scrolls and arcane books from the depths of the library's basement. Two nights before the summer solstice, an alarm was raised in Indhira. The order's great library was burning.

The most powerful magic available on the island was used. The most powerful mages and priests were summoned to control the blaze. The flames were fought until sunrise. The works collected in the library were not seriously damaged, as protective spells had been carefully placed on the collections. However, as Zakhariah soon discovered, or rather, concluded, several books and scrolls were missing, relating to the history of the Holy Crusade against the followers of the forbidden cult of Ashtar, the Serpent God, undertaken five hundred years ago by the founder of the Order of the White Lily, Parcifal Lenderhorn, as well as secret scrolls concerning the storage of the serpent lord's relics and artifacts.

It was quickly realized that Melvin de Ronex, whose chamber was empty, was also missing. An immediate search was launched by land and sea, but after several days of searching, no trace of the monk was found. They decided to contact the commanderies on the mainland, where the order had numerous strongholds and powerful influence over the kings and princes ruling the Lhydian Realms.

After several months of searching, no trace of the fugitive was found there either. A message was sent to Earthland's capital, Earthhorn, the official seat of the order's government, requesting increased vigilance throughout Lhydia, and warnings were issued to the resident guardians of Ashtar's relics and artifacts.

But nothing came of it. And in Indhirland, no answers were found to a number of questions that plagued everyone. Who was Melvin de Ronex? Why had he stolen the books from the library? Where did he get the mark of Kharonaey? How had he gotten to the island? And finally, how had he escaped?

The answer came a year after the library burned. In a small village near Indhir, a young elven girl, Tissajah, began prophesying one night. Priests were quickly summoned and meticulously recorded the words of Lady Kharonaey, speaking through the mouth of a child.

This coincided with the shocking assassination of a priest of the Kharonaey temple in Tenneriae—one of Earthland's strongholds. They called him Helvig—he was one of the resident guards.

Lady Kharonaey then appeared to Pencidall. She commanded him to choose the most gifted of the order's adepts and bring him before her. The chosen one turned out to be the young half-elf Khail Walverde. Lady Kharonaey ordered him to travel to Earthland and track down Melvin de Ronex, for he was behind Helvig's murder.

Anointed and blessed by Lady Kharonaey, the young man was loaded onto a ship bound for Earthland. Moreover, Pencidall endowed him with all manner of powers of attorney and safe conducts, which would open his path through all the Lands of Lhydia and grant him access to all the courts of the rulers.

Tissajah's prophecy:

"Great fear will fall upon all creation.

Sorrow and lamentation will reign in souls.

Many of the brightest will lose their crowns.

I say!

I say!

The gates of Wantoria will open!

Ice and eternal cold will cover the Lands.

Persecuted will be all who keep the light in their hearts.

I say!

I say!

The walls of the Eternal City will fall, and the sound of horns will announce the coming of the beast!

Prepare for a hopeless war!

I say!

I say!

Let the faithful hold on to hope!

For amidst the lingering darkness a spark will flare, one that can transform into a great, bright flame!

But the messenger must find it before the darkness falls completely!

Thus I say!

I say!

And my children will go into battle, for behold, He who was returns, and the time of his return is near!

The Enemy!

The Serpent King!

His spawn already defiles the earth!

Hurry!

The spark will receive my sign!

For I am the comforter.

I am the guardian.

I am the breath.

Lhydia is I!

I am Lhydia!"