CHAPTER 1 - DREAMS - Part 2

“Did it work?”
Dragos stood off to the side with three other men and an elf. He was still a young man but he had grown in the last three years. He was six feet tall now and burly, all muscle and anger. He wore breeches and boots, with a chainmail shirt and a jeweled sword at his hip.
Beside him was Hook, another tall man but rangy, muscular but thinner, not quite as wide as Dragos. But he was the most dangerous man in the room. He was the deadliest fighter in Rath, an area of the Kingdom where clans still fought other clans daily and men were tested early in their lives.
Hook wore the Rathian vest that all Horse Lords wore, with his hooked swords on his back. His hair was long and filled with bones braided into the hair. Rathian’s took the finger bones from their enemies and wove them into their hair. Hook’s hair had so many it clattered when he walked.
Next to Hook was the most powerful man in the room, as far as humans were concerned. King Nicu had finally gathered all the clans of Rath, all of the feuding Horse Lords and turned them into one force. He was as tall as the other two, but also thin like his Captain, Hook.
Nicu wore his vest over a bare chest as most Rathian men did, with wide legged breeches and tall boots. He carried a sword and dagger as well.
Sitting on the floor in the cold, dimly lit room was Hafr, the Rathian Shaman. He was sitting in the middle of a design drawn in chalk that surrounded his body and helped him cast the spell.
And the spell came from the elf, the former Daoine Sidhe Creator, Mabon. He was as tall as the men but more delicate looking. He wore a smooth robe of dark crimson that looked almost black. He had a cruel smile as he looked at the Shaman who was coated in sweat.
“Of course it worked human,” Mabon scoffed. You sent every image I gave you, yes?” he asked the Shaman.
“Yes, I showed him the broken crown, the mountains, the sun, the cities in shadow and the Dark Master, just as you showed me. I know he dreamed it, I could feel his emotions as it happened.”
“Excellent,” Nicu purred. “I am grateful for your magic Mabon. Now what is it going to cost me?” Nicu turned to face the mighty elf, who stood looking disdainfully at them all.
“Nothing my dear King,” Mabon said, his lips curling in disgust. “You just do what you want, kill the human High King, take over his Kingdom, whatever you desire. His son will soon be gone, where we will finally kill him. That is what we want and you helped that happen. We are in your debt.”
“Well then, I guess that’s settled,” Hook commented, laughing at the idea. “Soon we’ll go to Holdfast and kill us a King!”

***

Cullen walked through the forest behind his home, having sent Sonia towards the city already. He walked at a brisk pace; keeping to the deer trails that criss-crossed the woods. He followed them until he reached the small waterfall where he had been found by a local villager when he was a baby.
He had been brought to an old wise man called the Dreamweaver who had then delivered him to a man called the Outsider. The outsider raised him until he was in his teens and his friend Tik was captured by Kingsguard soldiers.
Cullen went after them to rescue his best friend and it turned into a long adventure. Now he was a grown man, a little taller, a little thicker and much deadlier. None of his teachers could best him in combat anymore and that was without the Sword’s magic.
He didn’t like to rely on the power of the weapons, preferring to fight without them if he could. He practiced with the magic, but he had become quite dangerous without it as well. His many teachers had been very proud of him.
When he reached the little waterfall, he kneeled down and took a drink. The water always tasted especially good from this small falls. It fell off a little rise in the ground, into a small pool that looked like milk under the moon. That was Cullen’s favorite time to be there, at night under a full moon.
A larger Redtree grew there, with gray bark and bright red leaves that had a light gray underside that was somewhat silver. It fluttered in the breeze and changed colors and Cullen stepped beneath it to find the path he was searching for.
This waterfall was connected to a much larger waterfall in the deep forest. It was connected by a magical path that cut the distance in half, so walking took hours instead of days. Cullen murmured the words of power, a sort of chanting song that opened the path and allowed him to walk freely through the forest.
He walked without pausing for a break, feeling his stride eat up the miles. The forest was clear to his vision but the edges looked blurry as if he was speeding through the forest. The trees all melded into one long bunch, all the different kinds bustled together until finally he saw the large waterfall.
Cullen stepped free of the path into a forest that was much different than the one near his home. The trees in the deep forest were so large; ten men couldn’t surround a tree touching hands. And they were tall, reaching up into the sky as high as you could see.
The deep forest was filled with animals as well, deer and raccoons and wolves, birds of all colors and shapes, with rodents scurrying across the tree branches overhead. The waterfall was usually crowded with animals because it was the domain of the Forest God, Cernunnous.
Cernunnous claimed there was no such thing as Gods but he and his brother and some other powerful Faeries were once worshipped as Gods by the humans that lived near them. Local villagers still referred to Cernunnous as a God and Cullen had been raised to think of him that way, and part of him still did.
There were dozens of Pixies fluttering about the waterfall as well and Cullen approached them slowly, waiting for them to notice him. They were colored the most brilliant shades, bright yellows and reds, dark blues and purples, or deep greens and browns that faded into the forest behind them.
“Cullen!” a bright orange one called, as she realized he was standing there. Then all of them came winging by him, touched his clothes and face. He let them fly around him for a moment while they asked him a handful of times what he wanted.
“I’m looking for Cernunnous,” he answered. “Have you seen him?”
“Yes!” four of them called, shooting through the air into the surrounding forest. The rest followed them quickly, racing to find the Forest God first and tell him that Cullen had come.
Cullen found a tall rock near the water’s edge and he decided to sit there and wait. While he was sitting, there was a shuffling in the giant ferns that grew at the water’s edge and a figure stepped clear near the water.
The figure looked made of wood, with tall legs and long arms, covered in leaves and berries. It was one of Cernunnous’s warriors, the Greenmen, coming to the falls for a drink. The wooden man leaned over the water and cupped his hands, dipping them in the cold water to drink.
Cullen watched the process, thankful that it wasn’t winter when the Greenmen get fierce. Their leaves fell off them and the changed, becoming more primitive and brutal. It was best to avoid this part of the forest then; they could be quite dangerous in groups.
Cullen heard the ferns near him rustle and he smelled forest loam and dirt and he turned on his rock to see the giant form of Cernunnous enter the glade. Made of wood himself, he walked on four legs, huge tree trunks that hit the ground without a sound. His head was a sunburst of wood that went from his upper jaw to spiky tips at the back of his head. Set deep within the wooden face were two gleaming blue points of light that served as his eyes.
“CULLEN,” the Forest God spoke with a voice that sounded like boulders rolling downhill. Cullen didn’t fear him, but he had a great deal of respect for him. He was a creature of vast age and wisdom, that had helped Cullen in the last three years as he tried to take on the duties of a son to a human King and a Faery Queen.
“Lord Cernunnous,” Cullen addressed h the God, “I had a dream.” He shifted on the rock he sat on, feeling the spring breeze blow past him. He gazed up into the twin blue lights sunk deep into the wooden face of the ancient Faery.
“TELL ME THEN,” Cernunnous said, urging Cullen to tell his story.
“I dreamed that my father’s crown was broken down one path I took. So I took another path and I crossed the Everwinter Mountains. I saw the sun and then a wall and then cities and castle that were covered in black, like under a dark cloud.”
“GO ON, TELL THE REST.”
Cullen stretched his legs out and leaned back on the rock. “Then I dreamed that I saw a dark monster, with huge teeth and red eyes! It came at me roaring and then I woke up.”
“YOU THINK IT’S THE HOST?” Cernunnous asked perceptively.
“I do,” Cullen answered. “I think they have taken other cities on the other side of the mountains and they have made slaves of whoever lives there. I saw people, weary and downtrodden, they looked miserable. And I think the monster was their Dark Master.”
“I SEE,” the Lord replied. “AND WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT THIS DREAM? CAN YOU TRUST IT? IS IT TRUE?”
Cullen rubbed his chin. He had grown a goatee in the last three years as he became a man, and he had shaved his head like Grimm to look more like a grown warrior. He wanted to shed his boyish image.
“I think what I dreamed is real. I don’t know why I dreamed it, but I need to go see what’s there, on the other side. No one has ever crossed over the mountains, so we don’t know anything about what’s there.”
“I CAN TELL YOU THIS CULLEN,” the God began, “WE FAERIES CAME ACROSS THE OCEAN SO MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. WHEN WE CAME HERE, THERE WERE NO HUMANS. IT WAS A RICH, FERTILE LAND AND WE WERE HAPPY.”
“IT WASN’T UNTIL MANY YEARS LATER THAT MAN APPEARED, HAVING CROSSED THE MOUNTAINS IN SMALL GROUPS AND MAKING THEIR OWN HOMES HERE IN THIS LAND.”
Cullen slid off the rock to stand before the giant. “Humans originally came from over the mountains?” he asked.
“YES, THEY CAME OVER IN SHORT WAVES, AND SPREAD OUT, MAKING THEIR HOMES HERE AMONG US. WE MINGLED WITH THEM IN THE BEGINNING AND THEY CALLED US GODS. BUT SOON IT WAS CLEAR THAT WE SHOULD SEPARATE OURSELVES FROM THEM. THEY WERE PRIMITIVE AND WARLIKE.”
“So the Host must have crossed under the mountains and found human villages and cities in other lands, and there they took over. Those humans need help Cernunnous!”
“AND YOU ARE THE ONE TO HELP THEM?” the Forest Lord asked.
“You called me the Chosen One not so long ago,” Cullen said, sliding down off the rock. “Perhaps I am still needed, but for a different land. The Dream makes it seem like if I don’t do something, it will affect my father’s Kingdom. It’s the right thing to do, but I’ll need help.”
“YOU SHOULD GATHER SOME CHAMPIONS CULLEN, OTHER WARRIORS THAT ARE WILL TO TRAVEL AND FIGHT BY YOUR SIDE. YOUR BROTHERS WOULD CERTAINLY JOIN YOU, BUT PERHAPS YOU CAN FIND OTHERS AS WELL.”
“I would ask Tik and Sonia, but I worry about Sonia’s reaction. She was troubled by the War and this would be more fighting. I don’t know if she’ll come.”
“THAT IS FOR HER TO DECIDE. YOU CAN ONLY TELL HER WHAT YOU PLAN AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT SHE SAYS. I WILL CONTACT YOUR MOTHER FOR YOU AND SEND WORD TO YOUR BROTHERS.”
“Thank you Lord Cernunnous,” Cullen said respectfully. “I think I will go to the Daoine Sidhe now to ask if any of the elves want to follow me again. Some of them are fine warriors. Could you send one of the Pixies to find Tik as well? I don’t know where his tribe is currently.”
“OF COURSE. GIVE MY GREETINGS TO KING DAGDA AND VIVIEN.”
Cullen nodded and waved and turned away to climb up the tall shelf where the water fell. He reached the top and found the path that would take him into the elven city. He walked quickly, hoping to reach it by the midday meal.
Soon he saw the colored fabrics that stretched from tree to tree, showing the way into the forest city. Most of the buildings were carved into or built upon the massive trees that grew in this part of the forest.
The bottom layer, on the ground, there were meeting halls, and dining hall, the King’s throne room and hundreds of gardens and clearing where elves congregated to speak to one another, or to dance, paint, or make music. It was always busy and lively there in the gardens.
Cullen entered the city, passing a few elves that were dressed in armor, acting as guard to the city. When Cullen had first come, the elves had forgotten their more military actions and were at peace with the world, mostly hidden away from everything.
Since the War, they had begun drilling and remembering their more aggressive paths, posting guards and scouts in the deep forest. If Cullen had been an intruder and not half Faery himself, he would have been stopped much earlier. But he was well known throughout the city and well respected, so no one stopped him as he entered.
He nodded and smiled at many of the faces he recognized, passing the many hued elves. Their skin was often as brightly colored as the Pixies, and their clothes, usually draping fabrics just like the walls of their homes, were bright and colorful too. They reminded Cullen of the Rom who loved bright colors as well.
He walked along the clear paths until he reached the vast tree that held King Dagda’s court. He walked up to the armored guards that were posted outside the doors and presented himself, asking for entry.
One of the guards went inside, slipping past the blue fabric door, and came back out a moment later, waving Cullen inside. Cullen entered the tree and glanced around at the carved chamber inside.
The walls of the tree had been carved with delicate features of a forest and woodlife. It was painted to look lifelike and Cullen could imagine the carving moving about the forest as if they were real. The ceiling was carved high above them and hung with globes of light that lit up the room below.
Seated on his throne of wood, carved to look like a Dragon, was King Dagda. He was dressed in the finest fabrics, all silvery to contrast with his golden skin. His hair was silvery with age and blended into his clothes well. He was thousands of years old but his eyes were still bright and just three years ago, he rode into battle at Cullen’s side.
Standing off to the side of the throne was Vivien, a stunningly beautiful elf lady that acted as the King’s right hand. She managed most of the Daoine Sidhe’s Kingdom alone and she was a power to be reckoned with. She also liked to tease Cullen often.
“My King, look who has come calling!” she cooed. “It’s the Chosen One, returned to us!”
“Greetings King Dagda, Lady Vivien,” Cullen said as he kneeled on one knee before the throne. “From myself and Lord Cernunnous.”
“Oh yes, your teacher, the mighty Lord of the Forest, who never come calling on the throne,” Vivien said with a fake pout.
“It is good to see you Cullen,” the King announced. “What brings you here? Is there trouble?”
Cullen rose again to stand before the court. Surrounding the King’s throne were many nobles, elves of high rank and power, all apart of the council of the Daoine Sidhe or Seelie Court. Cullen made eye contact with each of them before he spoke.
“No trouble for your Kingdom Sire, but perhaps trouble for my father. I have had a dream, I think of true sight.”
“Ooh a dream!” Vivien exclaimed. “Do tell young one!”
Cullen crossed his arms, trying to show Vivien he was serious. She just smirked at him instead.
“I dreamed that trouble would strike my father’s Kingdom. It seemed as though I had two paths. One led to my father and trouble, the other led over the mountains into a new land. But I believe the Host rules there.”
“The Host!” Vivien said loudly, all pretenses aside.
“Yes,” Cullen answered. “In my dream I saw cities all in shadow and black. I saw people enslaved. And I saw a dark monster that attacked my dream self. I believe it was the Host’s Master.”
“We have never crossed the mountains and we know nothing of the lands beyond. Why have you come to tell us this dream Cullen? Do you expect us to cross with you and bring War to the Host again?”
“No My Lord,” Cullen said quickly. “I am looking for volunteers to travel with me to try and discover the truth of the dream. It is likely there will be fighting, so I need someone strong and able. But I’ll go alone if I have to.”
The King looked at Vivien and she looked thoughtfully back at him. She seemed distraught but he calmed her with a touch. Dagda turned back to face Cullen.
“The Daoine Sidhe are a free people. We shall ask them and if an elf chooses to go, we shall allow it. Please wait here with us while the message if sent.”
Cullen nodded and thanked the King and removed himself to the side while messengers ran out of the throne room to tell the city what Cullen wanted. Vivien brought Cullen something to drink and eat while he waited.
“How is your training coming Cullen? I see you have added many tattoos.” The King’s voice was golden and warm. He seemed almost grandfatherly to Cullen.
“I have come close to transformation, but I haven’t mastered it yet. Something is holding me back but we haven’t discovered what that is. I believe that I will succeed soon however.”
The King nodded and smiled, glad to hear that the young man was training to be an Asrai warrior. The Asrai had been the clan to keep the Daoine Sidhe alive for many years. They didn’t fall into the trap of complacency and lose sight of daily living. It could be hard when you lived for hundreds of years to find the joy in living.
It was believed that such feelings were the reasons Mabon sided with the Host. He had become complacent and worn, with nothing to create. So he left the Daoine Sidhe and joined with the ancient enemies, to create weapons for them instead.
The curtain on the doorway moved and Cullen glanced over to see who entered. He recognized the elf that walked inside as Aki, the Lightbringer. He was tall and thin with an athletic build. His skin was deep red everywhere except for the spikes that grew out of his back and head like a hedgehog. They ended in bright yellow tips.
He was wearing bright silver armor, beautifully crafted to fit his body. And he was carrying his Sword, named the Lightbringer. Cullen didn’t know why he had that name but he had liked him well enough during the War and had seen him fight. He was a strong warrior.
He nodded to Cullen and then went before the King, kneeling down on one knee just as Cullen had done. He bowed his head for a moment of silence and then he stood.
“My King, I have heard of Cullen’s need, and I have come to say I would like to go with him.” He said it calmly and clearly with no hesitation.
“I see. Aki, you understand that you will have no more help that what comes with you and this may involve the Host as well as their Dark Master?” the King asked.
“I understood that to be the case, yes. I am willing to go.”
“Then so be it. Aki the Lightbringer, you are joined with Cullen on this quest. Determine the meaning of his dream and return to us with stories of glory and success! We wish you well and look forward to your return.”
Aki bowed and turned to face Cullen. He walked over to the wall where Cullen was standing and held out his hand. His hand had three fingers and a thumb, unlike a human hand, but his handshake was firm and solid.
Cullen grinned and shook Aki’s arm in return. “Looks like it’s just us then?” Cullen asked cheerfully.
“You and I and Fox, who is indebted to me. He insists on being my guard, so he will come as well.”
Cullen went before the King again, said his farewells and gave thanks, and then turned back to leave the room. Aki followed him and outside Cullen saw a three foot tall Faery waiting outside with a large backpack full of supplies.
“You are Fox?” he asked. He received a shy nod as confirmation. The short creature was all brown in deep shades and could easily blend into the ground anywhere. He wore green leather clothes, quite worn and carried a very large knife that seemed almost too big for him.
“He’s a Spriggan,” Aki informed Cullen. “Come along Fox, we’re ready to go.”
Fox lifted the backpack, adjusted his knife and grinned. Aki looked to Cullen as if he should lead the way and Cullen started the walk out of the city. They passed the gate guards quickly and soon entered the deep forest, headed back towards the waterfall and the passage back home.

***

Tik put down the brush and stepped back to look at his work. He stood before his very own wagon that he had just finished painting. It was long with a square base and a rounded roof. It had a window on each side and a front gate that allowed the owner to climb onto the front bench where he could direct the horses.
The back had another larger doorway with a little porch where he could sit. It had a folding ladder that went to the ground since it was quite high up on four wheels, two of them larger than the others.
The entire wagon had special trim that went around the windows, the roof, the edges of the door, even in strips along the side. And then it was painted with brilliant designs and pictures of bright fantastic colors.
Tik had been building his own wagon for months, cutting down trees and shaping the wood, building the box for the base and the curving the wood for the roof. It took a long time and was endless hard work, but now he was finished.
All he could think about was the same two things that ran through his head whenever he stopped to think. In this case he wondered what Sonia would say if she could see it? Would she like it? Would she approve of the colors and designs?
Then he shook his head angrily. He had no right to be thinking about her! She was with his best friend Cullen, and they had been together basically since they met when Cullen had rescued them both from the Holdfast Orphanage.
Throughout the War, while Cullen was often busy planning and often fighting as well, it fell to Tik to watch over Sonia. And they grew very close, depending on each other through it all. And now they hadn’t seen each other in almost a year, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
None of the other girls he knew could compare to Sonia. He knew it wasn’t fair to think like that, but Sonia was beautiful and amazing. The strength she had shown throughout the War had been amazing! But again, he tried to get her out of his head and anger swelled up in her place.
Then he thought about the other thing that seemed to be constantly on his mind. The sword. The cursed sword that Vlad had carried and tried to kill Cullen with. It had the same powers as Cullen’s sword originally had. It blasted the air with fire and a force that could destroy an opponent.
The sword meant power and never being afraid. If Tik could carry a sword like that, then he would be the best leader the Rom could have. His father was still a few years away from handing the clan over to Tik, but Tik wanted to be ready and he wanted to protect his clan from everything.
But he didn’t have the sword and he didn’t have the girl, and so even though he was proud of his wagon, something just wasn’t right. He had no one special to share it with, that was the problem.
His mother walked up behind him and rubbed his back. “It looks beautiful Tik!” she exclaimed.
“Its ok,” he said in return, his feelings already turning sour.
“Ok?! It’s far better than ok! It’s better than your fathers!” His mother’s voice grew louder as she tried to break through her son’s feelings. As a mother, she knew what bothered him but she would never say it aloud, his pride wouldn’t handle that.
“Do you think father will like it?” Tik asked quietly, loving his mother for trying to cheer him up.
“I know he will! We should let you lead the train when we move, that way everyone will see how wonderful your home is.” She continued to rub his back, trying to put warmth back into his soul.
“Tiktiktik!” a tiny high spirited voice sang out.
Tik turned to see a Pixie sitting on the handles of the door on his wagon. She was bright green and clashed with the colors he chose fro the door. Her wings were colored yellow and orange and her tiny face was smiling widely.
“A Pixie!” his mother said abruptly.
“Iamiamiam, Ticklepik the Pixie! That’s me!” She leaped off the handle and flew around the two human in a whirl, speeding through the air laughing in her tiny voice.
“What do you want bug?” Tik asked cheerfully, knowing it must be a message from his friends.
“Cullen had a dream!” she chortled. “Wants you to come to Holdfast to speak to him! Wants to go on an adventure, wants you there!”
“Oh dear, an adventure?” Tik mother sighed. She removed her hand.
“Alright Ticklepik, message received. Tell him I’m on my way.”
Tik turned to his mother, “You’ll tell father for me when he gets back?”
“Of course my son. Just remember, you don’t have to go with him, or her,” she said pointedly, “if it’s dangerous, which it might be, knowing Cullen. It’s been nice having you home for the last few years. I don’t want to worry about you again.”
“Yes mother, I know. I’ll send a message telling you what happening as soon as I know myself. I’ll take one of my horses and leave the rest with you.”
His mother hugged him tight, holding him for a moment trying to soak in his scent and feel. Then she let him go and he darted into the wagon, gathering a pack full of supplies. She retreated to her own wagon and bundled up some food for him to take, knowing he would forget.
He gave her a kiss on the forehead as he took the food and stuffed it in his pack. He ran to where his horses were picketed and he loosed the gray mare that he loved best. He leaped onto her back and was riding in a few short minutes.
His mother watched him go, fearful for her son’s heart. She knew he was in love with Sonia, she could tell by the way he spoke of her. She hoped that their friendship could withstand such feelings. She prayed he would come home safe from whatever adventure Cullen had planned.

***

Cullen, Aki and Fox entered the first gates of Holdfast at sundown. The Kingsguard at the gates welcomed Cullen home, recognizing him right away. There were some strange looks for Aki and Fox, but most of these men remembered the War when elves fought beside them against a common enemy.