The Spell of the Winterwolf Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - Calmar Learns from Maethorion

He woke up in soft blankets that felt like clouds under his head. His head swam with questions. He lay down and looked up at the intricate ceiling. The palace was the most beautiful and ghostly place he had ever seen. It was so big it seemed like a maze that led to the very sea itself. He remembered his meeting with Maethorion the night before. He wondered what Maethorion had decided. Had he done the right things? It had taken months to get here… was he going to have to turn around and go back? Calmar stared at his hand; another proof to the deep, evil, magic that loomed over the Yameaus. He could hear birds flying overhead. He got up and went over to the sparkling mirror on the wall. It was made out of a million pieces of glass all held together… by what? He stared at his reflection. His clothes were no longer dirty or torn. He looked down at his boots that now all brown without a speck of sand. It must be the magic, he thought. He went to the window and looked out over the land. He could only see the forest... but how beautiful to finally be able to look down on it instead of being buried in it. A song began to play in his head. A song that his mother had sang to him so long ago. He couldn’t remember all the words but it was so beautiful. Something felt strange here and yet somewhat familiar… but how could it? He had never been here before. There was so much he would never understand. He looked down at his bag lying on the ground and picked it up. A single piece of paper was sticking up inside. He pulled it gently out and began to read it.

This darkness is slowly going to kill us all. You are the only one that can stop it. you are brave valiant and there is no fear within your heart. You must ask Maethorin to help us. Do not be afraid of the magic that lies heavily on this land. And do not be a coward as others have. Your Father.

He felt valiant and he read the note over again. He was actually doing something. Who was it that had been a coward? Something came back to his mind. It was still shrouded in a darkness, the darkness that comes from time. He was playing in a field of soft, green grass. There was someone else playing with him, a small boy. But then his memory failed. Everything that he had called home would be his again. He felt a hot tear fall down his cheek. Could it ever be the same though? If Maethorion would help, then maybe all those lost souls would come back. The sun shone down on the land and Calmar smiled… for the first time since he left. The song began to play in his head again. Something about being held when everything else is falling, something about being loved when there is no love in the world around you. He began to cry. Happy tears mingled with sorrowful ones and formed rivers on his cheek. This is what it feels like to be loved, he thought. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze in his hair and felt it ripple through his skin. His hand was still burning but all he could feel was warmth and icicles. He turned from the window. It was too much to look at.

“Calmar, come with me,” Maethorion said.
“Yes your majesty.”  Suddenly Calmar found himself riding on the back of a beautiful steed with more power than he had known existed in these noble creatures. They galloped through forest and meadow, through desert and river. They came to a small gathering of trees by the river and Maethorion whistled. He looked up and saw many great birds. They were beautiful as they soared over the land, above the darkness and evil of the world.  
“Where are we going?” Calmar asked.
“Wait.” Maethorion said. Calmar looked down. They were crossing the desert that had taken him a days to cross. He could see their shadow in the sand. They were across it already. They flew over the forest and Calmar saw the spot where he had fought the Wolves.
“See, Calmar. Without you, this forest would stay this way for millions of years. Never seeing any light, the creatures would die and leave it behind.” Calmar shivered.
“So you are going to help us?” Silence. They turned abruptly and flew west. They flew for some time, feeling the breeze and the sunshine together in silence. Then the sun became black and the clouds gathered mysteriously behind it.
“What’s happening?”
“It is the magic Calmar.” Calmar looked down at dark craggy mountains jutting into the sky with naked trees barely  able to stand on the edge of them. The dirt was pure black and black smoke rose out of the ground. Several threads of lighting threatened to break the mountains in half. Ancient ruins peeked through the darkness.
“What is this place?” Calmar asked.
“This is Tarole’s home. His evil animals lurk here and plan their next move.” It became so cold that Calmar could see his breath in smoke.  Who would want to serve such an evil person? Nothing was happy or bright here and nothing was right either. Everything they did was for themselves.
“We have come here because one day you will be a king and you must know what evil lies behind the world you have always known. Evil will always be here. But you must know how to overcome it. Do not underestimate its power and never let it take over like your father has. You must try to be a better king than your father.” Maethorion explained.
“But my father is a good king.”
“Your father was a good king to his people, but he was a coward and fearful to face the evil and protect his people. You however, are brave and kind. You must learn how to be both kind and brave together. Your father was kind but lacked courage.” A silence hovered in the air. The horses flapped their wings slowly and started to circle south. Calmar looked down and saw the Southern Falls… his home. He could see Aviri the puff-dragon up on his hill. Calmar wanted to call down to them and tell them that he was alive. My father, he thought, is down there somewhere waiting for me. I will promise to be a better king and to be brave and courageous, he told himself.
They began to fly back to Maethorion’s tower. The sun came back out and shone kindly down on them.
“The wind twirls around my hair and makes golden strings to decorate to decorate it with. The sun sparkles through my eyes and even the fog wraps itself around my body.” Calmar remembered his mother’s words again. What was it like when she was my age? He thought. Was the world beautiful? Where was she now? Was she beyond the Great Sea? No, he couldn’t think about that. Remember? No one thought that the King of the West had anything to do for us. They turned and headed for the Eastern Mountains. Calmar had never seen them before but he knew that all the people there had the spell on them. He stared down at the dark and scary mountains. He could see vague forms wandering around. Then he saw some of them fighting each other. They raised their swords against them and began to spill blood all over the black ground. Calmar cringed. So that’s what it did to them. They had become blood-hungry maniacs. He couldn’t believe that some of his friends were down there wandering around. Could things ever be the same again? He asked himself. Everything seemed to different and dark.
“Calmar. You need more courage. I know what you are thinking. It’s starting to make you feel hopeless. You must start thinking about the light and the hope that is above this dark world. Things can happen, you just have to help. The Great Terrain needs you, but you will have to have valor and courage and love. It takes courage to make a knight, but love to make a king.” Maethorion talked softly… like the wind in the quiet tree branches.
Calmar closed his eyes and began to think. He thought of everything and nothing at the same time. He thought of quiet pastures with the sun making them shine like gold. He thought about winters of snow and beautiful ice droplets. Then he thought about the dark magic and the evil things that lurked about; how the world had changed so much… and he wanted to fix it forever. So he could hear laughter again and happy tears. It had been too long since they had cried tears of rejoicing. Could anything bring that back?
“Calmar… you need to stop thinking about the darkness everywhere. We will help, and it will be good again. You will hear laughter and see happy tears making rivers down your cheeks. Don’t cry now Calmar, your journey is just beginning.” Calmar put his hand on his cheek and felt warm water dripping down. It was so beautiful to think of the world he used to know. Yes, he whispered, I won’t let you down father… we can hear laughter again. It seemed liked hours just circling around the sky and feeling the breeze rip through his hair. He closed his eyes and dreamed.