Beyond the Summerland by L. B. Graham

Author:L. B. Graham [Graham, L. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy Fiction, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Fiction, Fantasy, General
ISBN: 9781596384279
Google: g8oMAAAACAAJ
Amazon: 0875527205
Publisher: P & R Publishing
Published: 2004-05-31T04:00:00+00:00

2

Synoki

On the evening of their seventh day at sea, the Evening Star entered a dense fog that completely enveloped the ship. Ulmindos brought the ship to a veritable crawl and stationed half of his crew as lookouts around the deck and up in the rigging. The mood at dinner was sober among the Novaana, as Caan and Valzaan kept their own counsel.

When they finished eating, Valzaan approached the circle and stood with Caan beside and a little behind him. “We are close. We should spot land tomorrow, if not tonight.”

“How do you know we’re close?”

“The voyage in good weather takes only about a week, but beyond this I feel it. The same way I felt it the night we saw the great flash of light from the beach. The same way I felt it the last time I was here.”

“The last time!” Aljeron exclaimed. “You didn’t say you’d been on the Forbidden Isle before!”

“No, I didn’t. The memory is dark, like the place itself. I don’t like to think of it.”

The Novaana stared at one another, amazement resting on their faces. Aljeron knew it was his place to ask, if any of them were to, so he did. “Though the memory is dark, would you tell us about it? It might help us to prepare.”

“I will not speak of it in detail. It was many years ago, near the dawn of the Third Age. Sulmandir had killed Vulsutyr, the Fire Giant, on the slopes of Agia Muldonai, then disappeared. The rest of the dragons, mourning their great father, had retreated to their mountain lairs, seldom to be seen after. Malek had also disappeared, into the vast, cavernous depths of Agia Muldonai. Men and Great Bear held councils to decide on a course of action, for Corindel had not yet laid assault to the Holy Mountain or betrayed the Great Bear.

“I came then to the Forbidden Isle, sent here by Allfather to explore the abandoned city of Nal Gildoroth. I was as disinclined then as I am now to set foot there, for the city where Malek, his followers, and the Vulstyrim dwelt is a foul place. The scent of evil was a stench that lay thick upon the whole land, like a shroud upon a decaying corpse. Even with almost a thousand years of fresh air blowing in off the Southern Ocean, I wouldn’t be surprised if the scent remains.”

Joraiem watched Valzaan stand, his eerie, white eyes wide open and fixed on the dense fog. “I had hoped,” Valzaan continued, “when I departed this shore so long ago that I was leaving for the last time. I know that when the time comes, Allfather will make all things new, and Kirthanin will once again be the blessed land Allfather intended. In that day, even the Forbidden Isle will be made clean. I know this, but it is hard to hold onto that vision of the future when there is so much darkness ahead, and when I have no idea how long the night is going to last.

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