The Custodian

“When will this end,” sighed the Custodian.

For a thousand days, the keeper of the books has sat deep beneath the abbey, searching the tomes for a clue.

“Prophecy clearly states that the one who shall destroy the world will appear during the fifth of Po. Why is there no Yarin mentioned?” muttered the Custodian.

The Order of Shadows has kept the lands safe from all malevolent beings for over two thousand years. During that time, tomes were collected and stored in the Room of Books beneath the abbey.

The Custodian was the keeper of the books, and it was his duty to search them and provide the Order with the information the monks needed to destroy the incoming threats to life and limb.

High Councilor Hedar sent an urgent plea for information about the prophecy of the end of times. “Custodian, please search for the year he returns. The Order of Shadows has received signs that this may be the Yarin, and the fifth of Po is only weeks away.”

“I have searched for over a thousand days, your grace, and still I have found nothing about the Yarin. Since you have received signs, perhaps I can recheck the older tomes,” replied the Custodian.

“What is it I am missing? Perhaps it is in a script no longer used, and I overlooked it,” remarked the keeper of books.

After retrieving the oldest tomes in the room, the Custodian meticulously checked each page for any script he had failed to understand.

“Well, this is the last of the books of prophecy. We will never know the Yarin if not in here,” said the keeper.

“What is this?” said the Custodian excitedly, spotting several pages containing ruins scrolled in the lower corners.

Fetching his seeing glass, the Custodian carefully examined each rune, which he copied to parchment for the scriptorium to decipher.

After sending it to the scriptorium, the Custodian told the High Councilor, “We shall have our answer within a day, whether it contains the Yarin or not.”

“Custodian, please confirm our findings,” said Brother Manard, who rushed to the Room of Books the following morning.

“A moment, please. I need my seeing glass,” said the keeper. “It appears true and correct. These runes do indeed provide the Yarin. I shall seek the High Councilor immediately,” said the Custodian.

“Madam, I have the information you requested. The Yarin is the current one, giving us little time to warn the Twins and Ursala, the wise woman.

“They must open the door to the Elementals now, or Mörken and the necromancer will open the portal to the dark void and release the destroyer upon us.

“Take this to Fern. She will know what to do. Godspeed, Custodian. The world depends upon you reaching them before the portal is opened,” said the High Councilor.

Mounting a steed, the keeper whipped the beast and sped off. “Pray the Elemental’s door can be open, or this world will cease to exist,” muttered the Custodian as he raced to the Marsh Wizard’s home.