Free The Veredor Chronicles: Book 03 - The Gate and Beyond by E J Gilmour

control it. When men first came to Veredor we were not received by Veredor as the Astarians had hoped we would be. There is something in the nature of men that prevented us from crossing this barrier. The quest to overcome this problem was called Fiora’s Bridge because the Astarian Fiora held onto the hope that men would one day be welcomed by Veredor. That day has not yet come. For us to control the Cosmic Gate we must find a way to forge the relationship with Veredor that was never forged.’
    ‘Did Casimir tell you how to forge such a relationship?’ asked Meara.
    Eben shook his head. ‘He didn’t say. He only said that we revere power and seek it all of our lives.’
    ‘Wait a minute,’ interrupted Duke Egil, shaking his head. ‘If we came to Veredor in the Forgotten Age then where did we come from?’
    ‘Men come from a world far across the cosmos,’ said Meara. ‘The Astarians, who were the first people of Veredor, welcomed us toward the end of the Forgotten Age. The Prince of Shadows hopes to annihilate us and replace us with creatures that will be his slaves.’ Duke Egil shook his head in disbelief. The company were looking to Eben for an answer.
    ‘I do not know how to take control of the Cosmic Gate, but I know that I’m going to save Princess Apherah. I plan to leave soon with whoever is brave enough to go with me.’
    ‘I doubt you would make it to the Fortress of Zarkanor even with your mighty unicorn and the Sword of Light,’ said Baftel. ‘The walls of Zarkanor are surrounded by hundreds of thousands of muckrons, hundreds of wyverns, and a multitude of lindworms. There are also many Northern Sorcerers and Skatheans among the enemy army. The dragon is waiting for you in the tower where the Princess is imprisoned. The Prince of Shadows is using Princess Apherah as bait. He knows you care deeply for her, and he wants you to try to rescue her. It would be impossible to attack the fortress alone.’
    ‘Baftel is right,’ said Meara. ‘You cannot attack the fortress directly without an army, and we cannot possibly bring an army to Kaznor without ships.’
    ‘What about sneaking into the fortress,’ suggested Red.
    ‘Much too risky,’ replied Baftel, shaking his head.
    ‘There is one person who could help you sneak into the fortress,’ said Garnock of the Fire Order. They all looked to Garnock for an explanation. ‘High in the Great Mountains there is a secluded cave. In the cave lives a mysterious individual. His name is the Star King. He is a relic from the Forgotten Age. It has long been said that he can open gateways to any place in Veredor. With his help you may be able to open a gateway directly into Zarkanor. You could secretly enter Zarkanor without the Prince of Shadows knowing.’
    ‘The Star King is an evil monster and cannot be trusted,’ stated Mostyn firmly.
    ‘True, the Star King is not known for his hospitality or generosity’ said Garnock. ‘But desperate times require desperate measures. You know the place that I speak of, Mostyn; it is a dangerous place to visit, but even so, the Star King has the skill you require to enter Zarkanor and save your princess.’
    ‘What if he tries to kill us when we request his help?’ asked Meara sternly.
    ‘He may just do that,’ said Mostyn. ‘That’s another reason this is not a good idea. The Star King is not a man, neither is he an Astarian. He is of some other race not related to anything else in Veredor. He has been a menace to men throughout the ages; a one handed creature in the shape of a man, but he is nothing like a man in his heart or mind. I do not think he will help us. He hates all creatures that live in Veredor.’
    Eben stared at Mostyn for a moment. ‘You said he only has one hand?’
    ‘Yes. There is an old song which tells that the Star King stole the Chalai from the Oran Oracle. The Oran Oracle set a trap for him and cut off his hand.’
    ‘Do you know the words of the song?’ asked Eben.
    Mostyn nodded