Prince Hilbert Ygdrazz White was wandering the royal library in search of an ancient book or scroll that could clarify the whereabouts of an island, actually a more specific dark place he had seen in his dreams. This ancient island hid gigantic stones where important secrets of the black arts were recorded.
Hilbert was plagued by a series of nightmares about the end of the world, strange elven writings on gigantic black stones located on a black island he never could imagine before in his life. He hadn't slept well in a few weeks. Something in his mind told him that it couldn't be just some kind of coincidence.
His interest was urgent, as the soldiers of the kingdom, the members of the Bear, the Octopus, the Eagle, and the Wolf Brigade had captured cultists with unknown symbols marked on their bodies.
The Wolf Brigade had some of the best Rangers and messengers in the kingdom of Whitecastle and is, with merit, widely recognized inside and outside it. Unfortunately, all those who were captured alive strangely had been burned to death or devoured by an evil dark miasma provided by these odd body inscriptions. This is a type of black magic used to prevent secrets from being revealed, forbidden ancient and hidden magic.
Hilbert is nineteen years old, the iris of light gray color, almost diamond-like, a height of about six feet, with a slender and delicate face, but with large defined muscles and short light blond hair, always combed back. His skin is very pale and never changing its tone even if exposed to sunlight. His face had such smooth and harmonious proportions that made the girls desperate for a single kiss of him.
His clothes were preferably black or brightly colored, as this helped to give color to his eyes and pale skin, but that night he moved incognito through the shadows thanks to a hood and dark cloak that was covering his entire body. He moved smoothly through the huge solid wood shelves and corners of the royal library at the Whitecastle palace.
Upon reaching the wing next to the site that contained Elvish scrolls and books, Hilbert thought that language and ancient literature classes had been a great waste of his time.
On one shelf were placed the manuscripts of the legends of the foundation of the kingdom, but he did not know the exact whereabouts of that specific shelf. However, he knew that if there was any clue about the black island from his dreams and the big stones with inscriptions, they would probably be there in the library now shadows cladded the polished ancient rocks.
“I think I must be close because this is the book session that is in the elvish language. Some writings on the black monoliths resembled the Elven runes, I guess. Better to wait for Jørgen Ir.” Hilbert thought to himself as he stared the section. His thoughts wandered through many other negative possibilities for the outcome of his dreams and presentiments.
“If these damned dreams are a kind of omen sent by the gods, I will need to act as quickly as I can! This can be a threat to the fragile peace of this already troubled world. Each action will be decisive.” says Hilbert looking at the books.
Another shadow marched slowly across the giant darkened four-story library, which contains books and scrolls by writers from the seven kingdoms of the Northern continent and beyond.
The other presence in the library was that of Lord Jørgen Ir Yürgddraz. He was a wealthy, aristocratic gentleman who came from a very old Whitecastle lineage. This House of Lords has always sat on the right side of the throne, supported and advised the monarchs and their children in any decision made, even if that was not in accordance with their traditional and nationalist ideals.
Although all of these political characteristics could attract hatred from some sectors of the kingdom, the lord was an extremely reliable person towards the royal family.
For this reason, and for his passion for books and unusual and foreign languages, the prince had invited him to that dark place in that late hour. His beard and long gray hair, arched posture, and reading glasses kept a figure of wisdom on the old lord dressed in his finest robes.
A dialogue of whispering voices began to take shape as the two approached that foreign session with an odd smell of old paper. Only the dim light of a candle illuminated their path. When approaching Hilbert the old lord bows to which the young man responds with animosity.
“Uncle Jørgen! It's good to see your wrinkled and wise face by this boring library. You book worm.” Hilbert whispered in a jovial and pleasant tone. “I was sounding crazy talking to myself”
The Lord was already old in Hilbert's childhood. Due to the long coexistence with Jørgen Ir and his family, he always treated the young man with a lot of fatherly affection which was the prince's reciprocal. As the lord approached the young man to give an answer and also to improve the hearing of Hilbert's whispers, he speaks to the same with a sleepy countenance:
“There is nothing wrong with that, Hilbert. Anyway, I would like to inform you that two of my marriages ended because of this passion for reading. You are lucky to be the other way around, my youngling. I hope that after so much bitterness in my love life, I can be useful in your search, at this very convenient hour.” said the lord frowning at the young man.
“Yes Jørgen, your presence here will be very valuable. Your beauty sleep wouldn't really work anyway, and forget those old witches, for they don't know what they have been missing,” says Hilbert.
Jørgen Ir thought of some answers that would leave the prince silent, but restrained himself and tried to be objective about the young man's problem. Hilbert spoke again looking at the bookcase.
“What I am looking for, my dear elder is a scroll or book that contains the location of one of the islands to the north where there were black rocks or monoliths with certain apocalyptic elven writing. At least, that's what I think I saw in my dreams. If there is any scripture that points to the direction of this place, it must have been registered by the elves a long time ago, and there is certainly something kept here in this mausoleum of books.” Hilbert stared at the shelves.
“I know what you're looking for. Follow me on that other bookcase, please. One more thing! When an old man is asked to leave his quarters at night, a little more decorum and a good bottle of wine are expected, but I forgive you, in the next life maybe.” said Jørgen Ir and smiles at the prince.
At this moment, Hilbert also smiled, as he had managed to make Jørgen Ir less formal. Formalities have always caused Hilbert to be uncomfortable.
“Furthermore.” continued the old lord with a tone of mild irritation “What were those pretty literature teachers doing with you here in this library? Shaping your kissing skills?” the prince smirked and the old man simply ignored any murmur of joke that Hilbert had or could have made.
Jørgen Ir, turning to Hilbert, speaks eagerly.
“Hilbert! Pay attention! There are many scrolls and books here that date back to a distant era. This era was very chaotic and the world as we know it had almost ended. A great war took place in our lands, and here we can find records of the beginning of our beloved Kingdom of Whitecastle. It is mostly in the language of the elves, but many books are old replicas full of inconsistencies.”
“Do you know all these variations of elvish languages, Jørgen Ir?” the prince asks seriously. “I need to try to get concrete information about an ancient legend. I feel that my dreams are connected with this ancient tale. It is been quite a while that something has aroused the fury of beasts, mystical creatures, and monsters that roam our territory. Perhaps this has some connection with the legend after all. The Wolf Brigade has gathered accurate information about attacks happening around the kingdom and it seems that the situation only gets worse, thanks to some cultists of an unknown entity. As I am in charge of the kingdom's tactical security, I cannot let my guard down even for a simple fairy tale, neither for such a sinister legend that chills my soul.”
“That, aloof, Brigade…” says the old man with a tone of disdain in his old hoarse voice. “Although they have an affinity for dirt, wildness, and the wilderness, I have to admit that their data is indeed very accurate. These observations and data collection that you tell me about is consistent with other reports I've been analyzing and it indicates that something is really disturbing the natural flow of nature. Whether this is related to the events described in the old legend or your ominous dreams, I cannot say for sure. And to answer your initial question, I know many ancient languages, although I would love to know how to speak them, I only know how to translate them.”
“Impressive! Indeed, this is more than enough. How do we find this unknown bookcase? There is a secret spell, I assume,” Said the curious prince sensing some magic.
While Hilbert was speaking, the old man pulled out a flask containing a blue liquid and was already drawing magic circles on one of the big shelves. The flask contained a mixture of royal human and elven blood, also other ingredients.
As soon as the lord finished making the drawings, some books lit up with a bluish glow that lit up that entire session they were.
“That's a concealment spell, isn't it?” asked Hilbert impressed by the spell he had just witnessed.
“My ancestors developed this ancient magic, which has been passed on from generation to generation, aiming to protect secret files that we hid in the best place, at first sight. This royal blood comes from Whitecastle's first kings, but yours would also work,” said Jørgen Ir, speaking seriously.
“Good thing you don't need mine! Do you, Uncle Jørgen?” Hilbert asked, scratching his head with a forced smile.
“Not yet!” murmured the noble lord. Hilbert's eyes widen as the elder laughs and then proceed to speak again.
“Here we can see the manuscripts referring to the archipelago and the Black Iron Island that, if I remember correctly, was long ago decimated by a catastrophe. It was located in the northwestern island region. I haven't read that book in years. I think this is the one that contains the information you asked for earlier!” Jørgen Ir takes a large leather-bound book embossed with elven runes.
The book emitted a bluish light. The mystery seems to unfold before both. The lord begins to read in a murmur which left Hilbert a little lost.
“Jørgen Ir! Could you speak a little louder while reading?” the prince asked subtly, for he did not want to lean too close to the old man because of the smell of tobacco and very unpleasant breath.
“Of course, young man!” the old man answers kind of immersed and automatic. What he was reading seemed to have caught the attention of the old lord, who continued with a didactic air: “It says here that there was an island, to the north of the kingdom that was inhabited by beings that the elves described as "the ancient ones". There is no specific name for them here nor a better term I could use as a synonym.” those scriptures described something that was new to Hilbert's ears.
“Uncle Jørgen! In all human books, it is said that the first humanoid creation of Gaia were the elves! But if the elves call them the ancient ones, then they must have been the first to walk upon this world!” stated the prince with an air of perplexity in his voice and suddenly asks:
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“Jørgen Ir, were you aware of this the whole time?”
“Yes, because I have already read books from this session before, including this one, but I did not have exact memories about the content of it. These old documents are forbidden to be published for ordinary people and also for non-academics of the nobility, but I don't think they could read them in any way possible. A preventive measure against mass hysteria I suppose. Much of what is described in these manuscripts contradicts entire cultures around the world. Only a certain elite holds this knowledge!” the elder turns to read again.
“It says here that these beings have inhabited our planet while the seven gods were influenced by a mysterious force. They were a privileged race. They had very great physical, intellectual, and magical gifts. They were the experiment for other creatures that came to be created later. These archaic beings, as recorded in this book, were contemporary with the just created elves. The "ancient ones" were already in decline because of a war waged against the gods themselves, millennia ago. Probably a revolt I assume.” the lord turns the page and continues with the reading.
“Here it mentions that the last rebels inhabited the islands to the northwest, in particular the Black Iron Island, also called ground zero in this book. This island no longer exists on the current maps! It is a place that is described as the last black island full of monoliths where these mysterious beings were seen by the elves millennia ago.” the lord stops reading and looks at Hilbert again. Hilbert was silent a silence that takes over the library, but it was a different silence than before, it was much more forceful, almost deafening.
“That must be the place I saw in my dreams!” Hilbert thought.
He looks back at the old man and speaks again. “That's probably what the cultists are looking for in our territory and on the islands to the northwest! Clues about the power left by the ancient ones, probably on this lost island. The ancient legend says that a Black Wizard challenged the entire world and also the gods, but ended up defeated. Before his fall, he had left records about his profanities and twisted spells. Due to the movement of cultists, it was already expected that this so-called Black Island would be in our territory. But this legend has many plot holes!” said the prince who seemed to contemplate the void.
“Each nation tells this legend differently, young man! Orality is a good form to distort some facts until they turn to legends or myths. This book is clearly some sort of replica; I must say it lacks details. Some legends cite the gods as antagonists. Some others cite the first human monarchs with help from the gods. This book only mentions a confrontation of the gods with a very powerful being belonging to this supposedly extinct race! Apparently, he was the leader of his kind and the protagonist of this forgotten tale. The elves wrote that this being had survived the first confrontation and was much weakened,” Said the old noble.
Hilbert was amazed that someone or some creature could survive after confronting the gods.
The prince was imagining such power. The old lord and adjusted his glasses, again turned to read calmly.
“It says here that these scriptures on black monoliths did exist and were studied by the elves, but they sealed them on the island, due to many mysterious deaths involving the research. The elven king, at the time, became very ill and asked the wizards and researchers to interrupt their studies. This part is for sure not very clear…” the old lord pauses and sighs.
“There are no more records regarding your concerns, but I am compelled to finish this reading telling you that the first elven king, before his death, left his son in charge of protecting the site. But I suppose the elves hid that research site with very powerful magic, otherwise, anyone would have accessed it a long time ago. As everything indicates that place might be close to the northwestern archipelago, which has been explored many times.”
“I think I should consult these elves about their research. Where are their whereabouts?” asked Hilbert gazing the old man and frowning.
“Several Elven kingdoms dismembered after these events. It is likely that the elves of the Shadow Forest, northeast of Whitecastle, as the oldest kingdom, are the descendants of these researchers. I say this, not only because they are the oldest elven people, but also because of the variations in the runes of this book, which there is none. As you know, the elves maintain an independence agreement between the kingdoms. No human kingdom interferes with their territory, or with the business they do. Our kingdom has some business with their magic academy. After all, they were the ones who created most of the spells for centuries.”
“The elves of the Shadow Forest are beings, apparently, quite enigmatic! I must have come across just one, at most! He was close to the Magic Academy that day.” said Hilbert thoughtfully. “This forest they inhabit is one of the most dangerous places in the whole world. I need to visit this place and speak to the current king.”
“It is very likely that the current king is the grandson of the king who became ill, but ...” the lord turns to the prince with a half-angry face. “I thought I was going crazy when I heard it! Have you lost what little judgment you have left? Visiting that forest is very dangerous! Furthermore, we cannot contact them! It would break the agreement made a long time ago by your ancestors. The elves always seek us not the other way around.” said Jørgen Ir irritably.
“This time is different Jørgen Ir! We will form a new agreement if necessary. We need their help because this world also belongs to them.” Hilbert had a tone of decision in his voice. “If we go as the Whitecastle Kingdom we can put the old agreement in check, but if we go like merely lost wanderers, I don't think there would be any problem, right?” Hilbert smiles at the old lord.
“This is insane, Hilbert! Queen Helena would never allow that! You would be risking your precious life and ending a business deal with the Magic Academy, which is advantageous for our kingdom.” Jørgen Ir sounded concerned and with repression in his voice. “Furthermore, your characteristics would denounce you as a member of the royal family. They would find out only by the color of your eyes.”
“What is the life of a prince compared to the life and the safety of his people?” says Hilbert austerely. The lord looks with mild admiration at the young man. “My duty is to serve the people of Whitecastle. The royal family's greatest duty is to protect our people and our land, whatever it costs. I cannot abdicate that burden. I shall gather a small group among the brigades and head to the forest after tomorrow!” Hilbert looks at the old man smiling and complements.
“Lord Jørgen Ir, thank you for your services. You are excused! Go back to your quarters, rest your old cracking bones, and please keep our affairs a secret.”
“As you wish, Hilbert. I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to. You are stubborn, just like your father was. Just come home alive or I will not forgive you in the other world.” says the old man in a sad voice.
“It's a promise then! Leave a mug of mead reserved for me in this other world you mention so much! You, my father, and I shall drink and tell jokes like we used to.” the prince smiles at the old man as he says goodbye.
Gradually, the blue light that flickered in that dark place faded. The old lord was on his way to his quarters while the young prince walked slowly in the opposite direction.
Hilbert's head was full of thoughts, some were strategic and some others ominous. He thought about how long his journey to that haunted forest would take, who he would bring with him and what would be the best way to do it without raising suspicions from his mother, The Queen, the only one that could negatively interfere with the success of the secret mission.
Hilbert calculations indicated that it would take at least a week and a half to reach the depths of the Forest of Shadows, departing from Whitecastle on horseback. He thought he should find a faster way to get to that dark place.
There was no guarantee that he would meet the elves, much less that they would receive him peacefully. Just a certainty in his mind, the time to think about all these details was running out.
As he went up to the fourth floor to watch the stars through a secret passage that led to the top of the palace, he felt an evil presence when he was on the roof. Up there, Hilbert could see a dark half-transparent and misshapen figure about eight feet tall, looking in the direction of the exit of the library. That sinister figure had not noticed the prince yet, but Hilbert was quick to notice it while hiding his presence.
He thought to himself that that kind of shadow creature shouldn't be any threat whatsoever, as it probably must have passed through the Royal Guard without fanfare and apparently was looking for the library entrance. The prince thought that such a mischievous and malevolent being was looking for intel on the scriptures about the island's secrets and mostly for that reason, he decided to reveal himself preparing for a possible deadly confrontation, for it was a being never seen before, emanating an aura of deep purple glow and malignant intent.
“What is the business of such a fiend in Whitecastle territory? Be gone or you will have to face the Commander of the Eagle Brigade!” his words were firm and fearless.
As Hilbert utters these words with authority, he immediately sees the creature's bright red eyes staring at him as it starts to slowly advance towards the prince. They were about twenty feet away. A sinister laugh came from the creature like a voice that echoed from a grave.
“Your blood has that royal smell, ancient!” replies the creature with a ghostly voice. Hilbert had no response from fear. “I do not know who I have been for a long time my child! But if I'm sure of one thing is that your death is certain!”
After saying this, the creature with great speed reaches towards the prince. The attack carried out consisted of just a very long, whitish arm, containing a hand with enormous fingers and nails, which emerged very quickly from what was apparently a misshapen, transparent black cloak.
The arm's reach was too long and too quick. Hilbert takes a big leap and manages to distance himself from the creature, leaving it in the direction he was before, jumping a few feet ahead. He thought that speed was not normal and he needed to be very careful. Upon landing on the ground, he already drew his sword and removed his shield from his back that he concealed on his cloak. The coat of arms of the eagles, which was a symbol of his brigade as it is for the kingdom, was shining with hope and power in the darkness of the night.
“Well, well! I have more fun when my preys are less resistant.” the creature gave a sinister laugh.
Hilbert put himself in battle stance while the enemy stretched his demonic arm about ten feet to the prince's direction. Another attack came and this time it was faster than the previous one.
The young warrior defends with his shield and the creature's claws clashed against the metal producing lots of sparks. When blocking, Hilbert realized that the impact revealed that the wraith somehow might have a physical body and that it could be hit, despite the spectral aspect.
With the speed of lightning, Hilbert sets off towards the enemy, aiming for a sharp thrust where he thought he was close to the heart. The sword went through the cloak as if it were going through the wind, much to Hilbert's surprise. Near the enemy, the prince feels that huge arm coming back from the direction of the first attack.
With fast reflex, he takes another leap, but the creature realizes his intention and another huge arm comes out of the mantle towards the prince grabbing his leg midair. The arms seemed to stretch like rubber. It was a very brute force and, as Hilbert was not wearing his armor he felt that giant, cold hand tightening his shin so hard.
He had to think fast because the other arm was already very close to hitting him. With great agility, he defends with the shield the attack of one arm and with his sword, he cuts off the other hand, right in the region of the wrist. Hilbert falls to the floor with that severed hand still grasping on his shin, realizing that his leg was numb. He no longer counted on his total mobility.
At that rate, he would lose the battle. The prince couldn't falter in battle or he would die.
“These claws have a strong paralyzing poison. Why don't you lie down quietly and wait for death to come?” the creature laughed confidently as it approached the prince emitting a purple aura.
“You are very good, I must admit. Despite playing dirty! My mistake was not going with everything from the beginning of our clash!” Hilbert utters some magic words, at the same moment that an aura of light began to envelop his body.
“By the force of Gaia, eternal mother of all life, I summon your supreme light!”
Hilbert's voice echoed, emanating a sparkling aura through his body that later focuses on his sword.
The creature, which was very close to making another attack, moves away when Hilbert's sword emits a strong light. The magic of light that he had invoked seemed to have frightened the creature and as the prince stood up, he quickly delivered a slash with all that energy.
The supreme enchantment increased the sword's range by greatly, enough to reach the opponent. The direct hit dissects the creature diagonally. The dark being burned down when divided by the fast and powerful attack, turning to smoke afterward.
“This mantle of yours can prevent physical attacks, but attacks of the light element are made to cut even the spirit!” Hilbert triumphantly sheaths his sword at his waist.
As the creature disappeared in smoke, the prince felt that paralysis was taking over his entire body.
“What a great time not to have any antidotes ... I'm getting dizzy ... this way ... I'm going to end up ... dying here ... without being able to say … goodbye ...” as the prince fell almost fainted, he could fell a warm and friendly presence holding him.