Dagornan provinces and across the eastern and southern borders of Morthaurnan; those energies trickled into areas that had, up until then, been relatively free of the presence of Unlife.’
So, that is how the Tharn Sea was affected,’ Galvarex responded, as he continued to walk toward the town. ‘But how could, as you say, a master wizard, not even an archmage, do such a thing?’
‘I learned that those energies released by the wizard Mordru were from a fragment of a source crystal. Somehow he acquired a Quellien crystal,’ sent Neston ‘That and other strange and powerful energies released by Nossus-Thoth in the battle in the Greenway region several weeks before had a side effect that affected creatures of Chaos as well as those of the Unlife.’
‘We and those like us are descended partly from lesser lords of Chaos and Entropy as the Alor call them’, remarked Galvarex. ‘Yet, because of our dual parentage, we’re anchored to Illúmaril. Our leader Thatos is more powerful than several of us combined; surely he is now awakened by the previous entrance of Nossus-Thoth.’
‘I have not yet been in contact with Great Thatos and, Galvarex, it seems you are one of the last of the Twelve to return. I have already communicated with Delvos and Markuz, and they with most of the others,’ sent Neston.
“Good, the time is nigh for us to make our enemies pay for daring to strike at us,” Galvarex spoke aloud. He sensed that some greenish-skinned Urshkaar and a few dark Alor had finally noticed him or his aura and were heading toward him. ‘Neston, I will meet you in Urundi Province in what will probably be the remains of your citadel. First, I must converse with these allies and gain my own answers.’ Neston’s mental presence faded, and Lord Galvarex, still looking more like a shambling undead than a dreaded member of the Twelve, moved toward the Urshkaar leader to get some answers.
Chapter Two
GIDEONS JOURNAL
Gideon glanced over his journal after he finished writing another entry. He had been thinking about many things, about his heritage, his mixed lineage, and why he had been hidden on another world, even made to blend into that society. Ragan, one of his mentors, had called the world Kara, but which he called Earth. Gideon was working in one of several of the Order of the Platinum Griffon citadels in Calendor Province, where he shared an office with another squadron wing officer. The units here were completing joint training with the Order of the Horn, Order of the Owl, The Grey Legion, and the Order of the Shield. Over the year, such joint training with different orders or militant groups was part of the normal training for the more regular members of most orders.
For just a moment, Gideon shuddered, recalling relatively recent events when he and some of his companions had confronted an extremely powerful dark entity called Nossus-Thoth, during the battle in the Greenway region. It had been several weeks since the Lord of Chaos and Entropy Nossus-Thoth had been summoned by the Darkspawn leaders and had succeeded in breaching on to Illúmaril. During the battle, great releases of energy had then been sent in a wave across the land to stir anew the Unlife. Gideon learned that, originally, the negative energy force, referred to as the Unlife, had seeped across during the second age, which had started the presence of the undead. Earlier, the leaders of the dark lord’s forces that had arranged for the arrival of Lord Nossus-Thoth had succeeded in gaining new territory by using the ruse of attacking uprisings of undead and other forms of the Unlife that at first appeared to be enemies of all the peoples of Illúmaril.
Gideon had taken a shower earlier in the nearby officer’s quarters. Now using a mirror behind the office door, Gideon looked at himself, wearing the blue trimmed silvery grey uniform of the Order of the Platinum Griffon. He had allowed his blond hair to grow neck length and had used a cord to bind it back. His blue eyes looked down over his clothes at the wrinkles. Gideon was tall and muscular; he was lean and fit, every inch an officer. He had earlier taken off his imbued chain-mail shirt and now wore one of the shirts he had purchased in the city of Mindon more than a year and a half ago.
Gideon had developed strong muscles and other enhanced traits after his plunge into the Pool of Tetherin and later the nexus or source water of that pool. Even before that, however, he was strong and healthy; he had practiced martial arts and had been working on a doctoral degree in archaeology before he returned to Illúmaril. He noticed after his bath in the mystical pool’s waters that he had been augmented in many ways. The nexus of the Pool of Tetherin even triggered hidden memories and a transformation of sorts. He had developed some Alor traits, or what he liked to call his Elven side. His ears seemed to retain more of a human quality outwardly, but his face, nose, and eyes had been altered. The waters of the pool had caused a transformation internally as well. His many-times-removed noble aunt, the Herendal Faiella, whom he had met in the city of Andrim, did the final alteration. She removed a spellweave that she used many years ago to allow him to blend in when he was originally placed on Earth and hidden for his safety.
Gideon had recently returned from a trip to the seacoast. He had needed to relax after the small war he had found himself involved in. So he went to a beach that had been recommended and swam and even wave-surfed using a board he had designed and constructed by an Alor shipwright in the city of Andrim. Gideon thought back and recalled when he was joined by two of his Elven friends or, as they called themselves, Alor. The Alor reminded him of the elves of the old Norse legends he had learned about while in school. One of his closer friends, actually more of a girlfriend, Laurelin Leaflock, had earlier given him an Alor-style name; she called him Finelen and he eventually adopted it and added it to his own name. Alor customs were different and courting relationships moved very slowly. Gideon was still learning the norms involved with the virtually immortal Alor society.
He recalled a few short visits during his relaxation time on the seacoast of Lindorien from, among others, some of his mentors, including Ragan the Red, one of the senior Tauri, and Lord Talmor, one of the greater Guardians. They wanted to make sure he was safe and feeling in better spirits. Others came to visit cautiously and inform him that it appeared that the Valharri now knew there was a scion of the ancient high king or aharonthal, Lith-Gilad, but few of the enemy had evidently gotten more than a glimpse of him, as his armor and helm obscured his features easily enough for a partial view at best.
If any enemy forces were after him, it seemed he was a lower priority than they originally believed. Few of the enemy still alive saw him, and reports indicated that the Urshkaar soldiers who might have seen him had not long afterward died fighting undead, which had turned on them. Probably no one other than the Darkspawn Valharri, Lady Vasha, and Nossus-Thoth, the Lord of Chaos, even had an idea what he looked like or even what his mystical aura might be. And Vasha had not gotten up from the battle, and Nossus-Thoth had been banished by the Sword of Order Gideon had wielded during the battle.
Once Gideon got to the Order of the Platinum Griffon’s Citadel in northern Silmir Province near the border with Calendor Province, he was presented with encouraging private messages from those individuals and other powerful people who wanted to help guide him to a recovery of his heritage. The Alor, the most ancient and wisest people of Illúmaril of course would cautiously approach Gideon, being who he was, a direct descendant (albeit a distant one) of the ancient high king Arel Lith-Gilad.
In the office with him was Kol-sphenate Lorien. Lorien was a senior captain and leader of one of the Griffon regiments. Lorien was an Alor with platinum-blond hair and blue eyes. He was not wearing his armor. Since they were in garrison, he wore the Order’s uniform, emblazoned with an embroidered Griffon with wings spread on the shirt, and platinum colored trousers. Gideon was presently in command of a squadron wing under Lorien in the Order of the Platinum Griffon. Gideon heard he was up for a promotion and would be the same rank as his friend Lorien soon enough.
Lorien walked into the office as Gideon was finishing reading some reports and reading equipment and supply requisitions. “Have you