Read Online Chronicles of Aurderia: The Balance by J. Steven Young - Free Book Online

 
    Moona set out a blanket on the floor of the pilot deck and set it with plates of cheese, hard bread, dried fruits and meat. They were in relatively calm water and sailing against a steady and straight current so Codger was able to continue while letting Shuran and Mally took turns learning to take the helm.
    Codger decided he would teach them what he knew of the Telukukal after lunch. “Any actual lessons on reading or speaking the ancient tongue will have to wait until we get home,” Codger said. “I can tell you about some history of what I know and perhaps some words I can remember easily enough.”  
    Codger told them of his trip into the ruins of an old Northern outpost built before the Lalli Mah. He found beneath the ruins, another structure. The ancient keep had been built on top of an even older structure. Below the foundation was a labyrinth of halls and rooms. Most rooms contained nothing of value, but it was in one of the rooms he found the remains of a sealed up library and work room. There he found the information used to build his ship as well as the now dead crystal that powered its flight. He spent months there in the ruins gathering knowledge and copying down what was not destroyed by the ravages of time and the elements. The journals, he told them, were back at the cabin hidden in a special place on the surrounding grounds.
    Codger is a sanctioned spell weaver, and a long time ago was an instructor of the art. That was another lifetime, before the Essence Academy was started he recalled, and changed the subject. Codger is much older than Moona and therefor lived through more of what has led up to the events of the prophecy.  
    Codger did not speak much of his time before Moona came into his life, not even with his wife. Codger continued on, telling the boys about ogres, trolls, imps, and other creates.  
    Moona grumbled most of the time about being treated like a serving wench and cook. Secretly she enjoyed looking after her boys as she was beginning to think of them.  
    Over the next few days of their trip up the coast, the boys spent time fishing and helping Codger taking care of the boat.  
    Once in a while, Moona would continue lessons for the boys on herbs and concoctions. Some of the mixtures she made were the foundation of potions. She of course left out the instructions on how they were to have been activated, telling them that would wait until they were safely back to Birchshire, and her isolated cabin in the woods.  
    “Mind you I wouldn’ object to the laugh we’d get out o’ Old Codger there throwing a fiddle fit over magic working on the boat,” Moona smiled.  
    The boys continued to absorb every bit of information provided by Codger and Moona. Mallick and Shuran had become thick as thieves like an older brother and younger. It was hard for Moona to comprehend how only a few weeks ago she had helped birth this sprat, who was now as old as any of seven harvests. It was as though now only five harvests separated the two boys before her, yet they were not effected by the strangeness of it all.
    Late on the last day of travel north, Moona and Codger found themselves alone in the pilot deck for the first time since this journey began.  
    “It feels like fate has brought us back together for a reason Moony,” Codger smiled as he talked. “I know we ain’ had the best o’ times of late, but maybe we have a second chance with these two lads.”  
    Moona turned to Codger and began jabbing him with her pipe. “Just you get this first in your addled thinker Codge, we ain’ on the mends and I ain’ ‘bout to forget nothing’ what happened back then,” Moona screeched.  
    “Why you hard skulled, temper driven, harpy of a wench!” Codger retorted. “I ain’ askin’ you to forget nothin’ nor forgive. What is done is done.” Their raised voices drew the attention of the boys who were now heading over to the pilot deck.  
    “Is something wrong?” Mally asked.  
    “No