Shades of the Past_ Book Six of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [25]
“Shouldn’t we go get your son and his family out of jail?” questions Miko.
“All in good time,” he replies. “They’ve been there for months, another hour won’t do them any more harm.” Entering through the door, he takes the stairs down to the basement.
Signs of looting are everywhere. Shelves smashed, boxes and chests opened if not outright destroyed. “They took everything!” exclaims James.
Illan turns to him and asks, “Can we have some light?” An orb springs to life on the palm of James’ hand, flooding the basement with light. He glances to the others and says, “They didn’t take everything.”
He moves to the far wall where two chests stand smashed open. “Give me a hand,” he says and the others move to help him slide the chests away from the wall. Once they’ve been moved back four or five feet, he leaves the chest where it sits and returns to the wall. He simultaneously presses four bricks and a soft ‘click’ can be heard.
Another brick looks to have been damaged at one time, a jagged hole, barely an inch in diameter sits just off center. Illan inserts his finger into the hole and then pulls. The wall swings open to reveal another room on the far side.
Indicating the smashed chests and boxes in the outer room he says, “In case of thieves, we kept some of our money and treasures out here, those we were willing to lose. The important items lay in this room.”
Several chests sit undisturbed against one wall. Many weapons of master craftsmanship are displayed upon the walls. Other items, including statuettes and figurines are situated upon various shelves lining the room.
“Magnificent,” James says as he comes into the room.
“Why did we come in here?” Jiron asks. “I mean, we have plenty of coins and gems.”
“That’s not why we’re here,” Illan says as he crosses through the room and comes to the far wall. He again removes a key and slides it in a crack between two bricks and turns it. Pulling on the key, he opens yet another secret door.
When the door opens, James hears Jiron gasp when he sees what lies on the other side. Looking within, he finds a breast plate, a helm, a shield, a sword, and a banner, all bearing the same insignia. A black bird of prey in flight poised to strike, upon a red heraldic field. Behind the hawk are two crossed swords.
“You’re the Black Hawk?” Jiron asks with a trace of awe in his voice.
Nodding, Illan says, “I was.” He begins removing his old sword belt from around his waist and casts it aside. Stepping within the room, he takes the sword belt with the Black Hawk insignia and straps it on.
“Black Hawk?” questions James.
“The Black Hawk was a ruthless leader during the War of Barrowman’s Field,” explains Jiron. Glancing to Illan, he says in a subdued voice, “Said to have committed all manner of atrocities upon the enemy.”
“I heard that the Black Hawk once put an entire village to the sword as an example,” Miko says.
Illan continues putting on his accouterments bearing his insignia without commenting.
“What supposedly happened to this Black Hawk?” questions James all the while watching Illan.
“None knew for sure,” replies Jiron. “Some thought he had been killed while others claim he went to a far land in search of more blood.”
James looks to Illan as he puts on the last item, the helm. “Illan?” he asks.
Turning back toward the others, he stands there in all his glory. From head to toe he looks like a hero out of the sagas. “It’s true I’m sorry to say,” he says. “When the war was over, I put Black Hawk away and became Illan. I had enough blood and death to last a lifetime. We did what needed to be done to stop the Empire, though I’m not proud of it.”
“My Alaina knew and some close friends,” he explains. “There are others from my men who came to live here with me, many joined the regular army. It was a bad time and one which I wished to put behind me.”
“So why come here and don your old armor?” asks James.
“My Alaina is gone. There will be those