Jens Hoffmann - Simon Knox and the Prophecy of Asragur

"Send the ravens throughout the land. They are to bring me daily reports. I've got to know who is foolish enough to stand in my way and who he has at his side", ordered Rodan.

"My time is almost here", he continued to think out loud and his narrow lips formed a grim smile.

"What are you standing around for? Get a move on, or else! Or should I feed you to the ravens, Oldur?", he asked his servant and laughed aloud.

"No, lord, don't do that! I'll hurry!", Oldur hurried off in haste to do what was commanded him.

Chapter 5

Simon was conscious of noise in his ears. "What a nightmare", he was thinking and didn't dare open his eyes yet. Where in the world was he? He remained very still. Something was moving under him. He could hear the wind blowing, but couldn't feel it.

They had been swept from the Great Hangman and plunged into a bottomless abyss. It seems that Grewels had played a deadly joke on them. Well, apparently they were dead and were on their way to nowhere. Simon slowly opened his eyes, first one and then the other. He froze! Were his senses tricking him? Richie lay next to him and began to stir and moan. He hoped that his buddy was all in one piece and would stay cool when he opened his eyes to take everything in, Simon worried.

"Hey Richie, wake up!", Simon whispered and shook his friend on the shoulder. Richie was holding his head. He felt like it was about to explode. He slowly opened his eyes, which at once opened so wide that Simon feared that they would pop right out of their sockets.

"Holy cow!", escaped from Richie's mouth. He sat up with a jerk and looked around in confusion. He and Simon were sitting between giant feathers on the back of a bird. At least he hoped that it was a bird, because he'd had enough of fire-spitting dragons.

"How the heck did we get here?", he wanted to know.

"Hmm", Simon tried to remember. "I believe Grewels literally blew us through the Gateway. And when we got through it, we fell into the deep. I can still remember a scream. Then all was dark. At first I thought it was you. But now I figure that it was the bird we are now sitting on, who is now taking us to who knows where. It looks as if the bird was waiting on the other side to catch us in the air", Simon concluded.

"That might all be true, but where is he taking us? And where the hell is Grewels? He's the one who got us into this!", Richie complained. And rightly so, Simon found. Carefully he got up on his knees, holding on to a giant feather, and signaled Richie to do the same.

Curious and yet afraid, they stuck their heads through the feathers, only to encounter an icy wind. They were in fact situated between the enormous wings of a mighty eagle. Nearly soundless, they glided through the air and saw nothing but water clear to the horizon.

"Greetings, Simon Knox, Deliverer of Morana and you too, Richard Dawson, welcome!", the boys heard the clear, friendly voice of the eagle. They looked at each other in disbelief. "I'm going crazy”, Richie whispered. "It’s a speaking eagle. Nobody would ever believe us", of that he was certain.

"Thank you for rescuing us. We are in your debt", Simon thanked him politely.

"It was my honour to render this service to you. My name is Nephtor. Grewels has told me a lot about you. Indeed, he did not exaggerate. You humans are really courageous."

"Where is Grewels?", Richie interrupted the eagle. "He almost got us killed", he added angrily.

"My friends, Grewels will meet you in Morana when the time is right."

"Whatever that means", Richie thought sourly.

"It was never his intention to betray or harm you in any way. He might be an angry and rude dragon. But believe me, his heart is in the right place." The two friends pondered the words of the eagle and hoped in their hearts that they were true.

"Tell me, Nephtor", asked Simon. "Where exactly are you taking us to and how long will it be, till we get to Morana?"

"Well, my friends, we have a long way to go. When the sun rises in the east, you will be able to see Morana in the distance at dawn. I have orders to accompany you to the edge of the moorland Xuria. Simon, the task before you will be difficult and extremely dangerous. Both of you have a lot to learn. Otherwise you will not succeed against Rodan. Which would mean your death but also the destruction of Morana", Nephtor explained to the two boys.

Destruction?, Death? Simon felt queasy when he recalled Grewels’ warnings about what awaited them in Morana. However, the words of the eagle had more of a calming effect.

"But what should we do, Nephtor? What can we possibly do against such a mighty Rodan?", Simon asked the eagle.

"Trust in the strong bond of your friendship, Simon. That bond, plus the wisdom of the elves, will give you the strength you need to fulfill your calling", Nephtor replied kindly.

"Thanks, Nephtor", Simon said. He and Richie crawled back into the warmth of the feathers of this friendly eagle. The events of the last few hours affected them hard and they fell asleep in no time.

***

“Wake up, sleepyheads!", they heard Nephtor's voice waking them up the next morning. Awake at once, Simon and Richie quickly made their way forward to peer between the feathers. The sun arose and the three flew along the coasts of Morana. High cliffs jutted upwards from the sea, slammed by foaming waves.

"Hey Simon, just look at that!", Richie was exited and pointed to the coast they were rapidly approaching.

"They look just like the cliffs at the edge of Exmoor."

Looking at the coasts of Morana drawing nearer, Simon had mixed feelings. Thinking about their trip to Exmoor yesterday, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. The two friends became pensive. What was awaiting them? Who and what dangers would they encounter? Was it really Simon who could save Morana? So many questions twirled around in their heads and they feared the answers they knew would inevitably come their way. Their future was like a blank piece of paper yet to be written on.

"Hold on!", Nephtor shouted. "We're going down!"

The eagle flew towards the cliffs in a nosedive. Simon's and Richie's stomachs turned. They closed their eyes and held on frantically to the feathers of the eagle. Before they crashed into the rocks, Nephtor slowed down their rapid descent with a few powerful flaps of his wings and flew in an elegant curve. They made a soft landing in the heather. Simon and Richie slid down Nephtor's back and were glad to be standing on solid ground again. Still a bit wobbly in the legs, they looked around in uncertainty.

"It seems to me like Aunt Aby's house should only be a few miles from here. Even the cliffs and the moorland look just like at home", Simon said in amazement.

"Nephtor, where exactly are we and what are we supposed to do now?", he asked the eagle.

"We find ourselves on the edge of the moorland Xuria, Simon. From now on you are on your own. Walk southwards along the cliffs until you come to the Andal River. Following the river in western direction, you will come to a big stone bridge that will get you over the river. Cross the bridge and continue your journey southwards. Not long afterwards you will reach the edge of a large forest.

Leyhda, the underground city of the moor elves, is located in the middle of the forest. You have to find Elian, their eldest and speak in front of the great council. You have something valuable with you, Simon: Asragur's scale! They will know what to do and you will be safe. Be certain of their protection, trust your heart and let them lead you".

The eagle spread his powerful wings and made ready to depart. "Many thanks, Nephtor", Simon called out to their new friend.

"We shall see each other again, Simon Knox. May the spirit of Asragur protect you, lads!"

Simon and Richie watched as the eagle slowly disappeared into the blue sky. "So what do we do now?", asked Richie, who was bewildered suddenly to be utterly on his own. Simon reflected a moment.