Legends Of Zyconia Part 18

Perrin moved closer and tossed a handful of wood shavings into the fire.

"What are you carving, Perrin," asked Jason.

Perrin smiled as he held out the figurine.

"A Minotaur. I have nearly thirty different carvings of them now," Perrin smoothed his hand over the delicately featured face.

"I wonder what philosophers would say about creating ones own enemies." Perrin returned his attention to his work.

Jason eyes were fixed on the carving. He raised his voice.

"How did you come to know Terrek, Perrin?"

"You're just determined to interrupt my work aren't you?" Perrin said a grin on his face.

"All right," Perrin sighed.

Perrin returned his carving knife to his belt as he began.

"Terrek and I have known each other since our youth. We often played together as children and eventually trained together to join the Victory City army. There was some jealousy between us in our childhood and youth. We always competed, but those feelings subsided as we matured. When we became integrated into the Victory City army we quickly made a name for ourselves as we climbed the ranks," Perrin smiled as he remembered.

"Terrek was the one who became accepted by the Council's Elite army, he told them that he would join only under the condition that they accept me as well. We've been working together ever since."

Jason looked to the fire, "I suppose you've known him the longest."

"Now if story time is over I believe I will return to my work," Perrin smiled.

High over head Selate guided the army ever forward to their next destination. Just ahead the ruins of a huge pillared building lay before them. Could this possibly be the palace Selate had referred to? Terrek pulled back on Streak's reins and dismounted while Selate swooped down from the skies above.

Terrek surveyed the area. The huge structure was completely lined by decaying moss-ridden pillars supporting an overhanging stone roof around the perimeter, which stretched in a complete circle. The building was massive and without feature, solid stone walls all the way around. Directly in front of him was a single huge bronze door, barely connected to its hinges. Vines and overgrowth covered most of the building. Another living creature hadn't visited this structure in a long time.

Terrek faced Selate. A strange expression was ingrained in her features. Terrek's best guess at the emotion would be confusion. This was obviously not the sight she expected to confront her. The grinding of wagon wheels ceased as Terrek's aides rode up behind him, he handed his reins to Diana.

Terrek faced his aides. "Zachary, Jason, Adam, Lynx and Hemoth follow me! Perrin keep things under control until I get back."

A loud clang echoed through the halls of the great structure as the huge bronze door collided with the miry stone floor. The small group entered a large room and scanned the immediate area. The sight that greeted them was gruesome. Giant stone slab tables littered the room and sprawled across them and on the floor were the remains of at least two dozen huge bird skeletons.

Selate drew back in terror as a low guttural moaning escaped from her throat, a rippling of distortion fluttered across her facial features. In pity Terrek attempted to ease Selate's pain.

"You were gone from this place for centuries Selate. I guess the magic put upon you prevented you from aging, but they did. They've been gone a long time. I'm sorry."

The others, their faces solemn, quickly moved past Terrek and Selate to scout the room. Selate turned her face from the painful sight and buried her sadness in her wing. Tears streamed down her ruffled feathers. Terrek looked on, full of sorrow for the strange being. Obviously this had been the only family she had ever known, and now with all her kind vanquished she was alone in the world.

Selate began to recover herself and through sobs she managed.

"I'll lead you to the central meeting area, follow me.

It took several minutes to transverse a huge hallway that led them to a circular room even larger than the last. Flowing from the ceiling to the floor rays of light shone through the opening of collapsed sections of roofing.

Terrek seeing a hieroglyphic covered pedestal at the center of the room cautiously approached, looking for the glimmer of another crystal. The pedestal was vacant. Nearby something else caught his eye. On one of the stone tables scrolled in large letters over the surface read:

"To any avian or other winged kin, we have been attacked by unknown creatures. Even now they are attempting to invade our Sanctuary by destroying the bronze door of the east passage. I only hope they don't discover the crystals hiding place, I...

The message stopped abruptly. Obviously, judging the dire distress of the words, the writer had been disrupted by something or someone.

TO BE CONTINUED...

TO READ FROM THE BEGINNING GO TO: LEGENDS OF ZYCONIA PART 1

TO READ THE PREVIOUS PART GO TO: LEGENDS OF ZYCONIA PART 17

TO READ THE NEXT PART GOT TO: LEGENDS OF ZYCONIA PART 19