The Lighter That Shone Like A Star (Story of The South) (26 page)

Bernard arrived in Naegis sixteen years ago because Naegis needed him. He was the first person to be called by the land that no longer existed, and he would be the last.

To begin with, Joz Domen was unclear about his reasons for summoning Bernard. But he did tell him one thing: a war was coming. As he spoke to the Clemari of Naegis, the man about whom Bernard was reading just moments before in a fairytale, he realised the grave danger that everybody was in. And he could help, apparently.

The first problem he encountered was that almost nobody in Naegis could speak the language of The South. As Bernard was a celebrated writer in Hurburt and beyond, teaching his language to the Naegean population became his prerogative.

It was an arduous task. He first taught classes to several schoolmasters and people in high positions, who would then teach others and so on. Eventually, the entire population of Naegis would have some grasp of the Southern language.

It took many years for the language to spread, and it did not reach all parts of the vast land, but his first mission was well and truly under way.

As well as this, Bernard was asked to help some creators with a brand new invention. They were asked to create a gadget that would allow people from all over The South to communicate. Like a telephone, only much more advanced. It was Bernard who came up with the name ScribblePad.

These devices went through various stages, starting as basic portable phones. Joz kept demanding more and more until, after twelve years of producing prototype after prototype, making alterations and improvements, it was finally ready.

When the ScribblePads reached the rest of The South, they were an overnight sensation. It was an incredible invention – millions and millions of people able to
communicate, share ideas and voice opinions, all at the touch of a button. Nobody questioned just how the devices worked, because nobody cared. The fact was they did work. Beautifully.

During his sixteen years in Naegis’s castle, Bernard asked Joz time and time again if he could see his family. The answer was always no.

“
In times of trouble, Naegis will call.
Be warned:
Naegis is a secret and secrets must be kept,” Joz recited every time Bernard asked him. There was no way out of Naegis once you had been summoned.

Bernard watched Max grow up. He had been told that Max would be the New Clemari and that he would be the one to save The South from Eimaj. If everything had been properly prepared before his arrival, he would be the one to defeat Eimaj. He was not told how or why. But Bernard also watched on as Joz make mistake after mistake.

The Clemari decided that the world would be safer if nobody knew magic. He claimed that Eimaj would not wage war on the other lands if they did not pose any threat. Bernard saw the flaw in his plan, but he had no voice. Not in matters such as these. Bernard was there to offer his skills, not to advise the ruler of The South.

Unfortunately, when Joz finally did regret his decision to help Naegis, Terexe, Salmont, Hurburt and Rysked forget their magical capabilities, it was too late. While the lands still held unfathomable power, their people did not.

Except for two.
Sofia and Freddie Vassallo. They were the anomaly – the only two people in The South who had not forgotten their magic. They still believed, because they had not seen the magic of their land fade into near non-existence.

That was when Joz decided that Sofia must fall in love with Max Myers. And fall in love they did.

Manipulation was how Joz controlled The South. And Bernard could not watch any longer. He confronted the Clemari, told him that was he was doing was immoral and unethical. And that’s when Bernard realised that he too had been manipulated.

He had done exactly what Joz had requested, no questions asked, and as soon as he doubted his past actions he was thrown into a cell. By trying to prevent Eimaj from becoming omnipotent, Joz himself had gained complete power over everyone and everything. He was not quite as bad as the enemy. He was the better of two evils.

Several weeks of living, or surviving, in a small concrete prison had driven Bernard mad. If he ever escaped, which he knew he would not, he would stop Joz. He would kill him if he must. Joz Domen was more of a threat to The South than he was a protector and all Bernard could do was hope that Max would do better.

Then one day, a young girl arrived in his cell clutching a bracelet, making him a promise that together they would escape. She was working for Eimaj. Or so she had told Max.

The truth was that the girl, Anne-Alicia, was trying to help her friends. Her problem: she was being constantly watched by Eimaj. And the only place Eimaj would not be able to see her was in these cells, so protected by Naegean magic that the only way to see inside was to be inside. Eimaj’s mind-magic was useless now.

Cleverness had saved Anne-Alicia’s life and now she planned to use her wisdom to save her friends, too. Matthew had been killed, but that was not her fault. Had Eimaj chosen the clever girl first both Hurburtans would have lived.

She broke Eimaj’s orders only once, when she told Max that Matthew was still alive. Hopefully, to Eimaj it would seem that Anne-Alicia was giving Max false hope in an attempt to break him further. In reality, Anne-Alicia gave Max false hope because hope is a much more effective weapon than revenge.

Acting on Eimaj’s orders, she helped Max bring his friends together by bringing up ScribblePads. Only, Eimaj had not considered that her plan was foolish. To fight Max alone would have been an easy task, but to fight Max, Freddie, Sofia, and Luc was a one-way road to defeat. She would be outnumbered and the bond she had with her army was laughable compared to the relationships between those four people who would stand side-by-side in battle.

And now Anne-Alicia was doing her final task – bringing Bernard to Eimaj. Unwittingly, Eimaj had put her trust in the wrong person. But as she could not see Anne-Alicia and Bernard’s meeting, she would not know that she was being disobeyed.

Anne-Alicia’s proposal was very simple, in the end. Work with Eimaj, learn her strategy and help her fight. They may have to commit crimes or do things against their will, but it was imperative that Eimaj trust them both. That way, when the time was right, they could use their inside information and aid Max in bringing her down.

Together, they might be able to help their friends and rescue The South. There was a real chance to do something great, to make up for all the horrible things that Bernard had watched Joz do.

Maybe, just maybe, Anne-Alicia would be reunited with Sofia and the others, and Bernard would see his wife and daughter one more time.

END

I’m one of those people who love to read the extra stuff at the back of books, so I thought I’d probably enjoy writing it too. Right, here goes – my attempt at the ‘Acknowledgements’.

I’ll try to keep it short and simple.

All of these people have my eternal gratitude because without them, I would never have accomplished this:

*Mum, for simply being the best mother a man could hope to have.*

*My awesome big sister, Jess, who read drafts and edits and got excited with me about a story that I couldn’t wait to share.*

*
Nich Angell, the super-talented artist who created the book cover.*

*Maria, Arianne & Sheryl.*

*Kim & Tom, for their patience.*

*Mrs Pittaway, whose name I stole shamelessly to fulfil a role in fiction that reflects reality.*

*All my family and friends for having more confidence in me than I could ever have in myself.*             

*LT, who was there throughout my LotL research and helped to define my 5 stars and their Lighters.*

*Every single fangirl and fanboy. The people who have lost the ability to even and whose autocorrect recognises ‘asdfghjkl’ as a word. Those who, like me, find it impossible to just like something, but instead become compulsively obsessed with every aspect. The boys and girls who dedicate so much of their time to musicians or movies or books, because they have found idols and heroes, inspiration and reason, happiness and life… Because I had a brief insight into your wonderfully impossible world and born from it were some of the chapters I enjoyed writing more than any other.*

*But ultimately, my appreciation goes to my grandparents, Mum & Lee, Dad & Sally, Jess, Daisy, and Josie.*

*And you.*