Coming Of Age

Coming Of Age

Amos asks Leonore, and Burke, would you both like to go to the Forest of Virtues; to the place where you uncovered the temple of Lord Mankota. We could remove the remaining overgrowth and if there are any other carvings or features. We could investigate to learn what it or if it has something to tell us of the Elfin Empire. After we finish this we could go inside the temple where we would be the first people to see the temple of Lord Mankota for over a thousand years.

What lye’s inside the temple, is it as it were a thousand years ago, or have the Elfin people destroyed it? Or have the minions of king Hoaxer’s the great destroyed the temple? If we go to the Forest of Virtues, to the temple of Lord Mankota, and you Leonore will lead Burke and I as you will someday lead others against Hoaxer’s the king of dark magic. Leonore this just may be the beginning of your legacy, your journey back to the age of the dragon. Amos why are you so sure I am the one of two, the one with the dragon? Well Leonore after we arrive at the temple of Lord Mankota, that which you have rediscovered. When we have finished what it is we have to do; I believe all three of us , Burke, yourself, and I will all know one way or the other if you are indeed the one with the dragon.

Amos, Burke asks, what is it you think we will find in this temple? Yes Amos Leonore cuts in, what is it you think we will find in the temple of Lord Mankota? An answer, we will find an answer Amos replies! Leonore if you are the one with the dragon, the one of two spoken of by Lord Mankota. If you speak his last words before his pedestal Lord Mankota’s sword in your hand will answer our question.

The pedestal of Lord Mankota is in the Goth cathedral is it not, why would we have to travel all the way to this temple so Leonore could speak words he does not know Burke says. That which is housed in the Goth cathedral is not the pedestal of Lord Mankota, that is of dark magic, and is meant to mark the one with the dragon for death. You see the one of two means more than just Leo, and Nora Trinity, and there is but one pedestal of Lord Mankota. There is however those that think the pedestal in the Goth cathedral is the real pedestal of Lord Mankota. On the same subject there is a third meaning which I will go into greater detail later, but first let me finish what I was telling you.

King Hoaxer’s forefathers knew of the prophesy of Lord Mankota, and in an attempt to put an end to the one with the dragon they created a replica of Mankota’s pedestal. Knowing of this prophesy and what it was prophesying they lazed this replica pedestal with dark magic so in the future if there was an one with the dragon, and if he stood before what was the pedestal of Lord Mankota and spoke Mankota’s last words he would be put to death by this curse. So you see, to the Forest Of Virtues we must travel, to the temple of Lord Mankota, where inside stands the only pedestal Lord Mankota has ever perched himself upon.

Leonore if in your heart you believe you are the one of two, you will know the last words spoken by Lord Mankota. Amos, asked Burke do you know the last words spoken be Lord Mankota? My friend I will not tell you how or why, but in time it will be apparent to you how and why. Yes I do know the last words Of Lord Mankota, I am other then the one of two the only person who does know his last words. Will you share what they are? I cannot share with you what has not been spoken, sorry my friend. One more thing, you said there was a third meaning to the one of two; can you at least share that with us.? Yes Burke this is the most important of these three meanings.

The first I will explain once more, and that is Leo and Nora Trinity and they're first born. The second is the two pedestals of Lord Mankota, the real one in his temple, and then there is the replica bathed in dark magic. The third is this, and it is that Lord Mankota is the other of the two with the dragon. As Amos was telling Amos of these things Leonore sat with a quizzical look on his face. Amos asks him if there was something bothering him. You said Leo and Nora and they're first born, and this lead me to think I have a brother a sister. Amos do I have a brother or sister? Yes Leonore you do have a twin brother, and he I know little about. What I do know is he was born after you, and your parents for reason they never told me wanted it knew you were second born and Dorado your bother would be known as the first born. Yes Leonore that is his name Dorado, and this is not his given name that I cannot tell you. Leonore that is all I know, and if you want to find out more about your brother you will have to find the priest from the Goth cathedral from the time you and your parents were separated. His name is Cosmotron, and he is now an old man living in the village of Midol.

will we going to the Forest of Virtues, and the temple of Lord Mankota, I await your answer. First I have to say sense we first meet at my tavern you have completely changed my way of thinking with all you have shared with me, and taught me. For answers to these questions you have raised in me I have to head to the place where legend tells is the home of great evil. Now here you are, telling me this is the home of a magical race of people. On top of that you say this lad Leonore whom I i at his birth is distend to be this great paladin warrior. I need go just to find if what you are saying is for real or just fantasy.

What of you Leonore, will you go to the Forest of Virtues with Burke, and I. It seems this decision has been made for me many hundreds of years ago. Am I the one of two, am I the one with the dragon, am I the other of the two. I must find this pedestal Of this Lord Mankota in his temple so I can do something which I have no idea of what, yes I will go. I will show you everything I have seen on my last voyage in the Forest of Virtues. Amos said ok, so we will meet here in the morning, bring with you you're hiking pack, and two weeks of supplies.

The next morning the sun was just starting to climb over the horizon, and with a soft breeze coming from the west as Leonore, Amos, and Burke headed out on their journey. They were expecting on at least two weeks on their journey into the Forest Of Virtues. Which meant a lot of supplies, they would not be able to carry in a back pack. Burke being a tavern owner meant be has to have a wagon and mules to go get the liquors he sells. They could not take his wagon, but the mules they could, and this they would. They used Burke’s mules to carry all the supplies it would take for a two week journey into the Forest of Virtues.

Leonore lead the way, and he went the route he had taken on his journey of seven days and six nights. As they had gotten further and further into their journey Leonore would explain what he saw and what he had done on his last journey in the forest. He took his time to show Burke, and Amos as they entered the Forest of Virtues the many types of trees and wildlife. See they're the chestnut, and over there the giant oak, and over there a vary old redwood, and look at the many species of birds and the squirrel.

There is a reason I am telling and showing you all these things. Leonore spent the first few days showing and explaining the things he did , saw, and thought on his first trip to this place. As they had gotten further into the forest on the second day Leonore ask Burke and Amos, have the two of you noticed any thing different here in this part of the forest; different with when and where we entered? It was late on the second day and Leonore ask them not to answer if they were not sure, we can make camp here and after we have eaten and relax I will ask you this again.

They made their camp, sat up their sleeping gear, and after this as Amos sat in thought not paying any mind to what Leonore or Burke were doing as they gathered wood for their fire on which they would fix their dinner. Amos made some of his tasty rabbit stew for the three of them, this is not my best cooking, but it will have to do he said. As they were enjoying their meal as the sun was sitting, and the air giving a small chill as Leonore again ask them if they noticed any difference as they had gotten further in the forest about them. Amos was the first of the two to answer when he answered he had noticed that the wildlife was non existent on the second day deep into the forest. Anything else Leonore ask him?

Before Amos could answer Burke said yes there is. What is that Leonore asks? A city said Burke, this seems as if it was at some point in the past a city. Yes said Amos; this seems as if once upon a time as if a great city sat upon this ground. Leonore said I noticed the same when I was here last, but could this be the lost city of the Elfin people you told us of recently Amos, Leonore ask? Burke you remember the map I mentioned during one of our many conversations, yes I do said Burke in reply.

Well in all my research of the topographies that map held, and the topography of the surrounding forest this may well be the lost Elfin city. In fact I would have to say with conviction that this is in fact the lost city of the Elfin people. If for no other reason then Leonore finding Lord Mankota’s Paladin warrior temple. If this was the location of the legendary Elfin city, where are the buildings, or the remains there of. When I was here last like I said I saw these same things, these things which speak of an ancient city, and as I got closer to Lord Mankota’s temple I never saw more than what we see here.

I n my dream the city I witnessed was a great and powerful filled with many people. The buildings were of beautiful architecture built of enormous stones cut so precise one could see no defect. They were of every shape and size, and the city was flat with the building becoming grander and grander the closer to the temple you were. The temple of Lord Mankota was the centerpiece of the great and powerful Elfin city. In my dream the city was laid out with the temple in the center and four streets going outwards from the temple to the corners of the city. The city was a perfect square, and from these streets going from the center to each corner was other streets running square with the city. Everything about this city I saw in my dream seems out of place, and the odd thing at least for me was that the city and its people all seemed to be relaxed, a little to relaxed. The streets were all paved in flagstones, and were vary neatly kept. The entire city was neatly kept, it was clean orderly, and vary quiet.

This may not have been the way the city really was in time passed, but in dreams this was the way the city was up till my dream ended. Leonore what happened to this city in your dream? I do not know, at the end of my dream the city and its people just faded away into nothingness. Leonore, Amos ask what is the one thing you remember more vivid then any other from your dream? Simply that was their culture, and the way it changed. At the start of my dream they and their culture existed with a purpose. At the end of my dream it was as though they had no reason for existing. Why this was I do not know, I cannot even say if what I took from my dream is what the dream was meant for me to take from it. These folks that traveled through my dream from beginning to end; they started out a happy people, and ended a sad people with no reason to exist.

By the time Leonore had finished telling of his dream it was getting late, and they wanted to get an early start in the morning. What you say we turn in for this evening, Burke said with a tired look on his face. Tomorrow I will show you from where I spotted the temple of Lord Mankota, and from where we will reach the temple in just a few hours. The next morning the morning of the third day the three of them had gotten up early, and ate some left over cold rabbit stew from the night before. They got the mules packed up after they broke down their camp, and was soon on their way.

A few hours into this day journey Leonore pointed out a giant redwood tree beneath which he sat his camp the night of his dream. Amos stopped immediately when Leonore said this, and said not a word to the other two. They watched Amos as he stared at the giant redwood tree as if it were a long lost friend. As Leonore looked on he thought he saw Amos saying something to the redwood tree in the ancient language of the Elfin people, but he said nothing of this to either Amos or Burke. After this the three of them continued there journey to the temple, and within a few hours they would reach the area from which Leonore had seen the vines entangled pyramid.

Leonore stopped ahead of Amos, and Burke, and he turned and said to the two of them, gentleman there is the temple of Lord Mankota. They came to a stop beside Leonore, and the three of them just looked on as the sun was now at its highest point in the noon sky. From here we will reach the temple in an hour and a half. Fellows if you look closely you may see the side of the temple which I uncovered on my last journey here just days ago. Though they could see this, they could not see any of the details of which Leonore etched on the stone.

Amos ask shall we be on our way, and with that they were on their way. As they neared the temple Leonore showed them the flagstone walkway he described earlier, and the one side of the temple he had uncovered. On which was carved the image of Lord Mankota. Leonore, Amos, and burke for a few minutes discussed what was carved on the wall of the temple. Leonore and Amos taught Burke how to read a few words of the Elfin language that was on the temple wall. In doing this Leonore realized he may just be the one Hamiota spoke of in the Mankota’s prophecy when he spoke of the one with the dragon. Everything Amos has told him fits and works together. After they were done teaching Burke the Elfin language, Leonore suggested they make camp for the evening was close at hand.

With their camp set up they sat by the fire thinking of how how they would go about what they were going to do. When Burke asks, just what are we going to do? We will first finish uncovering the overgrowth which I started to remove, and this I think will take at least a full day maybe more. For the moment lets concentrate on doing this, and when we finish we can discuss what we shall undertake afterwards. Again Amos made a stew for their dinner, but this time he would let it simmer for a few hours, and as he did treated Leonore and Burke to one of his many stories to pass the time and take their minds off the temple and the forest.

After they ate a wonderful stew they turned in for the night. As they have done the morning before they ate reheated stew for breakfast, but this time they were not going to break down their camp. They headed off for the temple where they prepared to start working on removing the years of vine growth and tree roots, and layer upon layer of dead leafs. The three of them did the rest of the day, and well into the next. They labored for nearly two full days when they finally reach the surface of the remaining three sides of the temple. The way they approached the mass and height of the temple which was massive was they started at the top and worked their way to the ground. As Leonore had done on his first trip to the temple, where he started at it highest point and work downwards.

He explained this to Amos, and Burke, and they sat off each of them would pick a side of the great temple of Lord Mankota. Where they climbed to the top of the immense pyramid to bring back to life that which has been lost for many centuries. After they finished this it was late on their fifth day in the Forest of Virtues. All three were fatigued, and dirty so Amos suggested the three of them take the rest of the day to refresh themselves.

In this unknown part of the forest no one knew if any water ways, such as a river or a creek, or even a small stream. Leonore, Amos, and Burke discussed this, and they ask one another if they know of any waterways that ran in or near the Forest Of Virtues. Burke was the first to respond when he said the main road north of Alkalis where it splits, and one road headed toward Creedal, and the other road headed toward Chesterfield which lye's just beyond the rapids of Tondew. Burke went on to say that the Tondew rapids should from the contour of that surrounding land and the way the imperial mountains ran the Tondew river should run in or near the forest we are now in.

On that old map you told us of Amos, did it show a river which ran in or near the Elfin empire capital city, burke ask? Yes there was said Amos in a surprised tone of voice; I should have thought of that. On that may there was a river that ran near the outskirts of the Elfin capital city. As the river neared the city it went underground, and as for where it goes from there I have no idea. On the map it shows a waterway, a river if you please, but this river does not reappear any where on the map. Leonore cut in and said listen it would be good if we had such a river to clean and refresh the days from our clothes, and our bodies, but we do not. Lets just take the rest of the day clean ourselves up with a little of the water we have, and take the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the forest. It makes little sense for us to search for this river, and if we were to find this river we would have to refresh ourselves from that excursion. Amos, and burke nodded in agreement, and beside that Amos went on we are sitting besides the temple of Lord Mankota.

We will do as you suggested Leonore, and on the morrow we shall undertake our mission in searching, and researching Lord Mankota’s temple. They spent the rest of the day sitting by the fire drinking some spirits Burke had brought from his tavern. The three of them were feeling pretty good by the time the sun was sitting. It was vary late and the sun had already set, and a soft breeze was starting to blow as one by one the three of them fell asleep. The next day as the sun rose on the sixth day Amos, Burke, and Leonore awoke feeling the effects of the spirits they had put down the night before. As had been the case each morning of this journey they would have for breakfast reheated what they had for dinner the day before.

After they ate and tidied up their camp they went about trying to find an entrance into this temple. The three sides of the temple they removed the overgrowth from also had carvings as had the side Leonore uncovered. These were all different, and the four sides of the temple all had a different inscription carved on them. The three sides they had uncovered had a one word inscriptions which were life, death, and honor. On the side of the temple which read life was carved a tree, a giant tree, and on the side that read death was etched a sword. On the remaining side of the temple was carved another dragon which they took to be Mankota, and between the legs of this dragon was the entrance they were searching for.

Leonore studies the temple door for a few moments for a hit as to how it opens, but he found no sign. Amos said to Leonore stand aside my friend, and let me approach the entrance. As Amos approaches the temple door he turns and faces Leonore, and Burke then says gentleman what we are about to witness is for the first time in ten centuries the opening of Lord Mankota’s temple. We will be the first to see the inner workings of this temple sense the fall of the dragons and the Elfin Empire. Amos turns and faces the temple door, and raises his hands over his head and joins his hands. As he spoke these words in the language of the dragon; I am Amos Paladin warrior suddenly as the dust from a thousand sleeping years stirs the temple doors starts to rumble. Slowly the temple door rises, and when it came to a stop Leonore, and burke looked at Amos with astonishment. Leonore ask Amos, how are you a Paladin Warrior? Amos replies to Leonore, this is not the time or place, but you will learn of this in the months to come, and with that said Amos says shall we enter.

The first thing they saw was a long corridor with a vaulted ceiling, and on the walls were lanterns which Amos lit when he said in the Elfin language firelight. Amos kept going down the corridor on whose walls Leonore read name after name, and somehow he knew these names were past Paladin warriors. Leonore followed Amos, and Burke followed them both. Amos stopped at the end of the corridor of memories, and on the wall were what looked like a hand print where Amos place hiss hand. As he removed his hand the floor begin to lower. When it came to a stop Leonore could see nothing so he did as Amos had done in the Hall Of Memories when he said firelight in the language of the dragon.

As in the Hall Of Memories the lanterns one by one lit , and Leonore seem the largest room of his life. Leonore asks Amos is your name written in the Hall Of memories? I am not Amos answered for I still live; until I pass from this age my name shall not appear in the Hall of memories. One day your name Leonore shall also be written in the Hall Of memories, and Leonore nodded in agreement. As the room lit up Leonore could see they were surrounded by crystal clear blue water. Amos, Leonore asks is this the Tondew river? Yes Leonore this is the Tondew river, But in the age of the dragon it was named something different During the age of the dragon The Tondew rapids were referred to as the Lemur river.

What is this place Leonore ask? This is where for the present we part company, this is there you will come of age my friend. This is where you will fulfill Lord Mankota’s prophesy. Amos, Leonore ask what am I to do, where am I to go, what am I to say? Leonore you are in the great and awesome temple of Lord Mankota. Ask me no more, Burke and I must go, but we will see you after you finish what you must do. Amos took Burke bye the hand, and in the language of old said water walker and upon the water they went and were gone before Leonore realized what had happened. Leonore wasn’t sure what it was he was supposed to do so he stood where he was, thinking why he was here, and how it was he had gotten here.

Why only a few short weeks ago he was just a man with no skills for a lively hood, just a passion for an immense forest that everyone was afraid of. Then he hears rumors of this storyteller asking question about him, and Leonore avoided him cause he didn’t know what he wanted. After he returned from the forest he made up his mind when he decided to confront this stranger upon his return home. Amos beat him to it, and now he finds himself standing upon a giant slab of granite having been told he would be this great warrior representing an age past. Where on the back of this dragon named Mankota he would bring down the empire of king Hoaxer.

Leonore spoke aloud saying Lord Mankota what is it you want from me, and what is it I’m supposed to do. What Leonore spoke next would forever change his and many others lives. I am he you spoke of, I am the one, I am of Leo and Nora, I am the one of two you spoke of in your prophesy to Hamiota. I read that which I cannot write, Lord Mankota I am one with you, I am the other of two.

A great and blinding light burst forth, and the entire chamber was flooded with this light, and Leonore saw coming up out out of this crystal clear body of water the first dragon. The lord of all the dragons, and the chosen people, the Elfin people. With a voice that had a roared Lord Mankota said to Leonore; together we are one. Leonore we together will bring a forgotten and misunderstood age to the forefront of this age the age of the ghost. Together we will bring the evil and darkness of the past to an end. The empire of Hoaxer’s the great will be no more.

While Lord Mankota was telling Leonore this he listened, but he had one question he wanted to ask Lord Mankota. Lord Mankota Leonore began, but Mankota cut him off before he was finished what he was he was going to ask him. He said to Leonore I am not your lord, I am your equal, and you are my equal. Now what was it you were going to ask me. How are we going to defeat he who has never been defeated. My friend we can discuss this at a later time, there are many things you must learn. You will learn the art of my sword, and the art of the dragon, and our language.

You see Leonore the language of the dragon is a magical language which we dragons and the Elfin people used for good. There is however a dark side, for everything good there is an opposite, and in this case, evil. The dragon language can be used for evil if the caster of word is evil at heart. This is what happened, and what brought the age of the dragon to an end. Leonore cut in, But you are still here so the dragons must not have come to a complete end. You speak wise Leonore, and you are right. The only way the dark magic king Hoaxer’s and his forefathers used can exist, and work as they intend it to is a dragon has to live. You speak the language of the dragon, but the magic comes from a dragons stone. What is a dragons stone Leonore asks?