The Amulet

The Amulet

Chapter One

Amarin hurried through the morning mist, one hand clutching his left side, blood oozing from the wound. He stopped listening. For now, he had lost his pursuers. They would catch him soon, though. Near exhaustion, Amarin saved what energy he had left to cast one last spell. Removing his amulet and holding it in his free hand, he gasped in pain, stumbling through the incantation. The sounds of pursuit could be heard once more as he finished casting the spell. The amulet vanished just a moment before his pursuers caught him.

“Give up, old man; you’re in no condition for any spell-casting. Surrender now, and I will spare your life.”

“As always, my king, your tongue betrays your true intent. I could always see through your lies. You know, that too.” Amarin raised his hand as if to cast a spell. Startled, the king reacted by stabbing Amarin in the chest with his sword. Amarin gasped in pain, falling to his knees.

The king shook his head, “Why did you make me do it. If only you went along with what I wanted.” The king said, sighing; he knelt down beside the stricken sorcerer. As the king’s men gathered around

Amarin struggled to speak, staring definitely at his king. “You know too well… I could never go along with the betrayal… of your people.” His last thoughts were of revenge against a king he once considered a friend.

The king sighed, getting to his feet. He suddenly stopped and looked around, missing something. “The amulet? Has anyone seen his amulet? Quick, now find it.” The king commanded, telling his men to backtrack the way he came. The king waited as his men searched. “There is no sign of the amulet Sire. Shall we keep searching?" This area of the forest is overgrown and unused Sire it would be difficult to find anything even if you knew what you were looking for."

The king felt reassured but wanted to be sure. “Make sure they search again thoroughly if they still can’t find it likely, no one else will. He had second thoughts “Bury the body here, and when we return, make arrangements for rumours to spread about this part of the forest that will disuade people from straying from the usual forest trail and send someone to keep watch for anyone who may enter the forest.”

“Aye, Sire.” The knight replied. Turning, he commanded his men to make a final search.

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Yasmin sat by the stream happily, dangling her bare feet in the water and humming to herself. The sun had risen, and she could feel its warmth on her back. A shiny stone in the water caught her eye. The stone seemed to change colour as she stared at it. Yasmin stood wading into the stream; she bent down, reaching for the stone. It felt warm to the touch despite being in the cold water. She studied it for a moment, fascinated. She thought the changing colours were just reflections in the water. But holding it in her hand, the colours still changed like the colours of a rainbow.

“Yasmin. Yasmin Ardal!”

“Coming, mother.” Yasmin wrapped the stone in her kerchief and tied it around her waist as she waded out of the stream; she sat, pulling on her sandals before heading back to her house. She still had some chores to do before lunch. Later that night, alone in her room. She got the stone out, staring at it again. The changing colours were hypnotic. Looking closer, she noticed two holes in the stone. She surmised someone had found it before her and must have attached a chain. “Perhaps it was given to a betrothed as a sign of their love.” Yasmin thought dreamily. She placed it under her pillow and went to sleep. That night, she had a strange dream, and for many nights afterwards, she had similar dreams. She dreamt she was someone else. Also, strange symbols appeared in her dreams. At first, Yasmin found the dreams confusing and even frightening. She tried to brush them aside and think of anything else, but she couldn’t escape them. Even sometimes during the day, the dreams haunt her, and the strange symbols kept reappearing in her mind’s eye. Nearly two years later, she finally realised what the symbols were. She practised in secret, casting the spells, although she failed many times. She persevered because she knew the dreams would never stop until she mastered the spells in her head.

At the age of twenty, her mother passed. It was a bad time for Yasmin. She was all alone and cried herself to sleep at night. Even so, she still had the dreams, but not as often. They, too, were beginning to fade from her memory. Yasmin also recently realised that the stone she still carried was the cause of her dreams. Several times, she wanted to throw it away but, for some reason, could never bring herself to part with it. After several weeks of wallowing in despair. Yasmin finally got herself together and decided to go into the town. She visited the local apothecary; the owner dealt in rare items and knew a little about magic. She thought he might be able to tell more about the stone and why it gave her such strange dreams.

Yasmin handed the stone to the apothecary. “It’s magic, right? What can you tell me about it?”

The man stared at the stone and quickly glanced up at Yasmin. “Well, erm, let me see, it has some magic properties but very little. If you like, I can buy it from you for, say… ten gold.” Yasmin stared at the man. She didn’t like the look in his eyes. He was clearly lying.

When Yasmin didn’t reply, he spoke again hastily. Clutching the stone in his sweaty hands, Jasmin could tell he really wanted the stone. “Twenty… no Thirty golds, and I’m being really generous. That is more than it is worth to anyone.”

Yasmin snatched the stone back. “ It’s not for sale at any price.” She turned to leave as the apothecary stared, confounded. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she could imagine his eyes burning holes into her back as she left. On foot, Yasmin hurried through the outskirts of town with the occasional nervous glance back over her shoulders. She hadn’t liked the look the apothecary gave her as she left. She was halfway home before she felt sure she was being followed. She stopped thinking fast, and symbols appeared in her mindsight, a spell that would stop her pursuers. Three men suddenly came from behind, two armed with swords, one with a bow.

“We don’t want to hurt you. All we want is that amulet you’re carrying, and you can be on your way, no harm done.”The one with the bow spoke menacingly.

Yasmin didn’t answer. Her hands at arm’s length, close in front of her, moved in quick, precise gestures unnoticed by her attackers. The three men were lifted off their feet and thrown to the ground, their bodies jerking up and down. They screamed in pain as raw energy coursed through them, finally lying unconscious. Yasmin checked the three. “They will live; it might be a few hours before they wake up.” Yasmin decided to go back to town and inform the town guards what had happened. The captain of the guard was surprised when Yasmin showed him the three unconscious robbers. Later, the owner of the apothecary was arrested for conspiring with the robbers. Apparently, it wasn’t his first offence either. The next day, Yasmin went to a jeweller and had a chain made for the amulet. From then on, word spread about Yasmin. As time passed, she built a reputation for capturing bandits and pacifying troublemakers. Yasmin was respected and feared, for all knew she could work magic. Eventually, she hired her own men at arms and owned a small mansion. But Yasmin felt restless; something was nagging at her, urging her to leave. She felt there was somewhere she needed to go and needed to do. Yasmin didn’t know where or what. So, with her men at arms, she left all she knew behind and took the ship to the mainland.

Chapter Two

Yasmin sat towards the back of the inn, observing what was going on around her. It had been two weeks since her arrival at Port Caladyn. The first couple of days of her arrival were spent recovering from seasickness. However, in those first few days, she still managed, with the help of Hector Gambison, to get organised and send a couple of her men to scout not only the port but the surrounding countryside. The men were mainly loyal to Hector, more than herself. They didn’t entirely trust a woman, albeit a sorceress. However, they give Yasmin due respect and fear her because of her magic ability. Hector Gabison was one of the first to follow her, and he understood her the best. Yasmin knew he would follow her to Hades itself if she asked it of him. Yasmin’s feelings for Hector were reciprocated, although she had never told him so far.

Yasmin looked up as Hector entered the inn and made his way toward her. The site of him always made her heart race. He was tall and tanned with well-groomed fair hair, deep blue eyes and a pencil-thin moustache. He walked with a swagger, pulling out a chair he sat opposite. His handsome features regarded her with his usual calm air. “So, have the scouts returned? What do we know?” Yasmin asked seriously.

The scouts reported back just a while ago. Hector produced a map and spread it out on the table, pointing out several locations. “Here is where we are now, port Caladyn; about thirty leagues to the east is Tarmarin, ruled by Queen Germina. It’s a small country but with fertile, rich land. To the west is Sidaro. I believe the king there is called Luthor and is currently engaged in a pretend war with Queen Germia.”

Yasmin frowned, “Pretend war?”

“Technically, they are at war, but neither side has admitted it openly. There are forces amassed on both sides of the borders, and King Luthor regularly raids across the border. Only to be repelled by the Queen’s army. It is a deadlock at present.”

“So why is this King Luthor waging a war of attrition on his neighbour? You say Queen Germina’s country is rich. Is that the reason why?”

“Hector nodded, “Mostly, he claims, so the rumour goes they were both one country a long time ago and that they should be united again with him the ruler, of course.”

Yasmin grimaced, “No mention of what would happen to the Queen if two countries become one?”

Hector shrugged, “ He’s not married. He could take her as his wife. Failing that…” Hector raised a hand and drew it across his throat meaningfully.”

Yasmin’s face was blank, “I’m already taking a dislike to this King Luthor.”

Hector pointed to the north on the map, “It gets better. To the north is Emoprian, ruled by King Morgan. Who tends to favour King Luthor if he gets involved, then it’s over Queen Germina. King Morgan has the largest army of the three rulers. So far, he has remained neutral. But it’s rumoured he might soon join in support of King Luthor.”

Around Yamin’s neck, the amulet suddenly flared, something it hadn’t done for several years; it had been dull and lifeless for some time now. Hector noticed it also but didn’t say anything. “Why does the northern King favour King Luthor, and why intervene in a war that does not concern him?”

Hector shrugged, and his expression grew grave, “Unknown, but my guess is King Morgan is playing his own game.”
Yasmin frowned, then nodded, “Perhaps this King Morgan wants to rule, not just the north!” Hector didn’t answer, but he looked down at the map with a heavy sigh. “The wise move would be to support King Luthor for now. ” He said, finally looking up at Yasmin. He had a feeling that Yasmin would do the opposite. “I know you always favour the underdog, but taking on Two armies may be too much for even someone with your powers.” He concluded, trying to persuade her to take the safer course.

Yasmin was silent for several moments, biting her bottom lip and contemplating what to do. “Did you find about about any other magic users anywhere on the mainland?”

Hector shook his head. “Most who claim to know magic are just tricksters and the like. So, magic is not taken seriously here. People tend to laugh at anyone claiming to be a magic user or lock them as a fraud or insane. Like I said, Yasmin, when we arrived here, it was best not to let be widely know you can do magic.”

Yasmin smiled; as always, you are looking out for me, Hector, but you should call me my lady in public at least.”

Hector returned the smile and grinned, “But we both know you are no lady. My lady.”

Yasmin chuckled and gave Hector a playful punch in the arm. “Behave, remember where we are.”

“Ouch!” Hector faked being hurt and rubbed the offending arm. “Oh, I just remembered one story about King Morgan. About twenty or so years ago, King Morgan put down a rebellion with the help of a sorcerer, so they say. But during the uprising, they had a falling out for some reason, and the sorcerer left, never to be seen again. So the story goes anyway. If true, that might mean there is a sorcerer out there, which is something you might need to consider.”

Yasmin frowned, looking down at the map. She brushed a golden lock of hair from her face. She had made her decision. “ What lies just outside the port?”

“There are a few scattered settlements and empty land until, as I said, Queen Germina lands.”

Yasmin pointed to a point roughly halfway between north and south. “ And this area?”

“Ah, the Kasin forest. It is said to be haunted, so not many people go there.”

Yasmin tapped her fingers on the table and nodded “I doubt it is haunted.” She paused, biting her lips. “There is no such thing as ghosts. Tell the men to get ready, and we’ll leave first thing in the morning.”

“You have decided then.” Yasmin nodded as the amulet again flared into life.