Severance

by Fergal F. Nally

  “You made it!” a familiar voice spoke. Ossian reached out for her from the edge of the pool.

  Q’uaina took his hand and stepped out of the water. “What an experience, like diving from a great height…” her words trailed off.

  “Where’s Agathe?”

  “She’s gone to scout ahead, see for yourself, this is very strange,” Ossian waved his arm around and pointed ahead.

  Q’uaina saw they were in a stone chamber, the pool at its centre. Four wide doors let in daylight in each wall. The atmosphere was heavy and humid. She stepped outside and gasped. They stood on top of a huge pyramidal structure and far below lay the canopy of a dense tropical forest. Flocks of birds flew in the distance bringing life to the scene. Ossian joined her side. They were silent, stunned.

  “How can that be?” Q’uaina said, her voice faltering.

  In the distance beyond the rain forest, in a perfect circle as far as the eye could see lay pure, white snow.

  “It’s as if summer reigns here where we are, in this pocket and winter rules far over there,” Ossian spoke in wonder.

  “The Shiffante have power over the seasons, that’s not right. How did they do it, what have they done to the Erthe here?”

  “Over here, I’ve found a way down,” Agathe’s voice shouted from the other side of the pyramid. They found her and looked down an impressive row of steps carved in a zigzag fashion down one side of the pyramid. In the distance, the sun was dipping towards the horizon and a warm breeze had picked up.

  “Let’s get down from here and find a place to stay before nightfall,” Agathe said.

  They headed carefully down the path, Agathe taking the lead. From far off to the north came a distant roll of thunder. Q’uaina watched puzzled; the sky there was cloudless.

  ~

  LeSouris in the black raven lands stood transfixed. He knew the drow, S’Jukdara was witnessing the same events. He had sent through to the Shiffante realm two hundred of his resurrected lizards. Towering taller than trees, some of the beasts had required restraining by dark magics. They were as phantoms bathed in his dark spellcraft. It had worked well enough; the beasts had passed through from their inanimate state, through animacy and onwards into the black mirrors that the vampire mages had fashioned.

  S’Jukdara smiled in satisfaction as the last of his giant flayers passed through the crystal pools, deep in the drow domain far below ground. “Go my pets, go, bring destruction and death to the Shiffante. Show them the true power we have harnessed. Bring us victory.” The dark elf closed his eyes and trembled with the beauty of the moment.

  Far away, in the Shiffante dimension, the blood red waters of the mirrorpool rippled softly at first but then with increasing agitation. Then, with great violence huge forms emerged from its depths, each coated in a red film from the pool. The coloured liquid unsuccessfully tried to restrain the beasts. The birthing process escalated with the sheer number of giant lizards.

  The Shiffante stirred. They had been waiting. They were prepared. They had such cold, such armour of ice; winter incarnate to meet this horde.

  ~

  Q’uaina only noticed it when they were almost down off the pyramid. Her clan tattoos and the butterfly shapes on her hands had disappeared. She wasn’t sure about losing the butterfly shapes but losing her clan tattoos upset her deeply. They were her identity, part of her in life’s journey. She could not stop and had to keep following the others, but her mind spun with inconsolable loss.

  Ossian was focusing on his feet and taking care with each step. One stumble on this narrow trail would spell disaster. They could still not see where the path finished. After a while, they became level with and then passed through the forest canopy. It was a whole new world. The heat became oppressive; the noise of birds and insects filled the air. The closer they came to the ground the less light was able to filter down from above.

  Finally, they reached the forest floor. The heat was a barrier and each step leaden. The air was thick with the smell of rotting vegetation, decay. Light was fading.

  The stone of the pyramid finished on the forest floor. Its surface here was less weathered than higher up and they could see intricate carvings and glyphs on its surface. Agathe ran her hand along an image depicting an eagle with outstretched wings.

  “This pyramid is ancient, these carvings tell of a great people, but there’s no one left, the place is overgrown, abandoned. I wonder what happened here…” Agathe shivered despite the heat.

  “Let’s move on, we should find shelter soon. There are bound to be hunters in this forest,” Ossian urged. They had come prepared with short swords, a spear, bows, arrows and throwing knives.

  They walked along the earth at the base of the pyramid and followed the great structure for some time. It was easier to walk on the smooth stone of the pyramid ledge than on the tangled roots of the forest floor.

  “Look over here,” Agathe pointed ahead.

  In the distance, there was an opening in the pyramid. It was hard to see as the light had faded. Overhead, a few stars peeped through the forest canopy.

  They came to the opening and saw it was a small door. They looked in and saw nothing but darkness.

  “Your gloves Ossian, use your light gloves,” Q’uaina spoke.

  Ossian produced his gloves and put them on. Almost immediately, they shone with an intense light. Ossian closed his fingers into a fist and relaxed the tension of the muscles and the light intensity dropped to a lower level. He had experimented with the gloves before leaving and had learned how to control their effect. The sounds from the jungle behind them grew with the gloves’ light. Moths and winged insects started to gather around them.

  “Come on let’s go in, I’ll lead,” Ossian stepped forwards into the opening.

  They entered the pyramid and after a few steps, the sounds of the forest were left behind. Silence grew. It became cooler, the stone acting as a barrier to the heat outside. The passage continued for a while before coming to a large chamber with a high ceiling. Ossian increased the level of light so as they could see. The stone was covered with carvings and painted images of men, women and beasts. Images of buildings, ships and other wonders surrounded them.

  “The stone tells stories and harbours much knowledge. If only we could read what it says,” Q’uaina spoke.

  “Still no sign of life, this place has been abandoned for some time,” added Ossian.

  The chamber was empty. It was a good place to spend the night and they decided to stay there before exploring further the next morning. Once they had taken a light meal, they returned to the entrance and sat on the cool stone. The rain forest in all its strangeness stretched out before them. Noise from all manner of screeching animals; hunters and the hunted, came from its depths together with the constant hum of insects. They looked up and saw that stars had appeared in great numbers.

  “I don’t recognise this night sky, none of my ancestors’ fires lie there,” Ossian said tonelessly.

  “They’ll be someone’s ancestors, that’s for certain,” replied Agathe.

  They fell silent. Then Q’uaina spoke. “I lost my clan markings in the journey here,” her voice small, vulnerable.

  “I noticed, earlier on, but didn’t want to speak for fear of offence,” Agathe replied. “When I first came here, I too was changed. My skill at home had always been archery and secondly, hawking. When I arrived here, I found that I was able to become the hawk. I could possess the bird in flight with my mind, see what it sees, feel what it feels and choose what it hunted. Such an incredible feeling.”

  “These skills, can you use all birds or just hawks?” asked Ossian.

  “I’ve only ever used hawks, but it would be good to try other birds, perhaps with the new day I will try. Q’uaina do you feel different in any other way? The changes can sometimes take a while to reveal themselves. Days even.”

  “No, nothing yet, I fear sleeping though. That’s when the bridge can form between the inner world and the out
side. Carutha came to me before in this way. She is of this world. The Shiffante killed all her people, all her family. Perhaps even this pyramid was built by her clan,” Q’uaina said.

  “What are we to do? We’re expecting this Carutha to reveal herself with some great plan to overthrow the Shiffante? This seems unlikely to me; one girl against the most powerful race the Erthe has ever seen?” Ossian said.

  “That’s the only plan we have, at least it’s something. As to how it’s to unfold I’ve no idea,” replied Q’uaina her voice taut with strain.

  A shooting star streaked through the sky above and they all watched wide-eyed. “A sign, from her ancestors maybe?” suggested Agathe.

  “I noticed a grate in the floor in the room behind,” Ossian said after a while. “I’ll take a look come morning. We’ll need to set watch tonight. I’ll take first watch, then Agathe. Q’uaina you’ll sleep, no guard duty for you. We have to make sure Carutha can come to you unhindered through your sleep. Agreed?” The others nodded.

  Q’uaina lent forwards and spoke. “Ossian, what about you? Have you felt any change yet? The Beekeeper said something about a bear and then there was the wolf you slew back in the forest.”

  “Nothing,” Ossian replied his voice neutral. He did not want to think about such things. These were the concerns of Shamans and mages not for warriors like him. He would wait and accept what came. Time would reveal all.

  After a little while they retired back to the room. Ossian took up watch at the passage entrance into the chamber. The others made themselves as comfortable as possible on the stone floor with their cloaks as blankets. Soon Q’uaina and Agathe were asleep, their breathing steady and rhythmic in the stillness. Ossian’s mind turned back to his family and memories of childhood returned to him as clear as day.

  Chapter 12

  Revelations

  Ossian awoke with a jolt. Darkness was absolute. Something was wrong. His senses prickled alarmingly. He heard a heartbeat, not from their party. He smelt a predator. Outside, nearby. Ossian crept forwards down the passage towards the entrance. It must have been at least three hours since they had returned to the chamber. He cursed himself for falling asleep on his watch. His mind became focused.

  A padding of feet outside. Ossian reached the entrance. His vision, smell and hearing were acute. His thoughts became fluid, wordless. He responded to his senses, they directed him. Silently he blended with the shadows and left the confines of the opening. He looked down and saw that he had changed form. He walked on four legs and bore a thick coat of fur. His teeth and hunger were keen. Excitement coursed through his veins.

  Movement below. He entered the trees performing a flanking manoeuvre. Breathing ahead, more movement, shadows, images in the scents carried to him on the breeze. Then he saw it; a panther, black as night, climbing the ledge towards the entrance he had left moments before.

  It hesitated. Perhaps aware another hunter had passed that way. Ossian, or the wolf that was Ossian, rushed up the pyramid ledges and attacked the panther from behind. Fangs and claws flashed in the starlight, blood sprayed. The panther let out a surprised cry and leapt away, limping noticeably from a wound in its underside. It vanished into the forest.

  Something stopped Ossian from giving chase. Instinct told him to pursue the panther, but a stronger command prevailed and his blood lust relented. He looked up at the stars and instead howled as their light bathed him in silver. He turned around and went back to the entrance. Soon he found himself in the chamber as if nothing had happened. He felt strange and looked down. His fur was gone and gore covered his arms. The copper taste of blood filled his mouth.

  Ossian cleaned away the blood as best he could using water from his canteen. Then he sat staring at the darkness, shivering. He could not remember exact details of what had happened, but he knew it had felt good. His spirit had soared, a different kind of freedom.

  Agathe came to take her watch in the gloom. Ossian suddenly felt exhausted. He gratefully went to the back of the chamber, laid his head down and fell asleep instantly.

  Agathe sat stock-still and contemplated their situation. She wondered if she would be affected by her second journey to this land. It was something she dreaded and welcomed in equal measure. Her ability to live through hawks was exceptional, something she would never have dreamt possible. It frightened her too, what would it lead to? Where would it end?

  Q’uaina slept deeply. She was surrounded by blackness. Slowly, shapes began to collect before her eyes. The shapes turned into the carvings on the walls of the room. The carvings and pictures became words in her mind. She could understand their meaning. She started to read the words and slowly Carutha’s world revealed itself to her.

  The Shinalese had been a proud and peaceful people. They had ruled over and tended the Wild Forest for generations. Theirs had been a world of abundance, of reason and science. Mathematics and philosophy stood side by side, finding strength together. They had built great pyramids to study the sky and honour their ancestors. They had also discovered how to control the green power of the Erthe. They could grow and shape the forest to their designs. Trees could be woven, blended and formed into buildings, dwellings, great halls. Erthe power even allowed the Shinalese to bring forth crops from the ground all year round. They prospered for generations in balance with the Erthe.

  However, within Shinalese society there were those who wanted to use Erthe power to prolong life, to dominate time. They experimented and abused Erthe power, first learning to control the seasons and manipulate weather. Then encouraged by their success they delved deeper into the dark nature of Erthe power, the elemental side.

  They discovered the secret of long life lay in singular consciousness, a collective. They pursued this goal ruthlessly. At first, the Shinalese leaders tried to reason with their wayward kindred, but when met with stubborn resistance they banished them from the protection of the Wild Forest, to the unknown coastal lands beyond.

  The dishonoured Shinalese left and fled across the great ocean to distant isles where they continued their dark work feverishly. Bitterness grew in their hearts, in the grim harshness of banishment. For years, they worked and searched the dark paths of Erthe power. One by one, they died away until a few remained. A forgotten few.

  The words swirling in front of Q’uaina’s eyes suddenly stopped. A voice came to her out of the blackness, a young girl’s voice:

  They returned from across the sea once they had discovered the great secret. The secret of singularity, they were able to become one with every living thing, they had even been able to bring their dead back to life. Our army was destroyed; our Wild Forest was changed and corrupted by their interference with the weather. Our trees were turned into what you saw today, a distortion of what they once were. Our land was turned against us; we were now strangers on our own soil.

  They called themselves Shiffante, which means many voices in one spirit. They drove my people to madness. They forced Shinalese brother and sister, mother and father against each other. They caused my people, innocent people, to kill each other. My father Silurian saw this coming and tried to warn those in power but they were too affected by the Shiffante madness to hear. He wanted to protect me, save my spirit from the Shiffante onslaught. The only way to preserve my freedom was through the soulcapture spell. He would sacrifice my physical body and release my spirit to keep me free.

  Q’uaina my sister, you must go to the centre of this pyramid and reunite me with my physical remains for the cycle to be complete. I will then be able to take the fight to the Shiffante. In their arrogance, they believe we are all destroyed, but we too have Erthe power, we too were busy when they were in exile on their islands. I will have retribution for my people, for my father.

  Carutha’s voice stopped. Darkness swirled in her dream. Q’uaina fell. The sensation of falling, of weightlessness continued for some time. Then she saw something that terrified her. She saw the Shiffante stain spreading through her own world, reaching the Beekeep
er, then her village, then the sea. All perished in its path.

  She awoke in a cold sweat, shivering, her muscles in knots. She heard a sound and dully realised she was whimpering.

  “It’s alright, it’s alright Q’uaina we are here with you,” Agathe was by her side. Ossian huddled around and held Q’uaina until her breathing returned to normal. His gloves emitted a soothing glow.

  Q’uaina stilled, her muscles relaxed. “I know what we must do, Carutha spoke to me. We need to search this place, we need to find her bones.” She went on to explain all that had been said to her. Ossian and Agathe listened in amazement.

  Agathe nodded when Q’uaina had finished. “We’ll have something to eat, then we’ll check the grate Ossian found, perhaps it leads somewhere?”

  After their simple meal, they moved to the back of the room and examined the grate using the light from Ossian’s gloves. The opening was wide enough to admit one person at a time. They could see steps disappearing into the shadows below.

  “Can you move it?” Agathe asked Ossian.

  Ossian gave the gloves to Agathe and lent forwards. He gripped the metal bars and pulled. Nothing happened. They were solidly embedded in the stone.

  “What’s the point of having steps leading up to a grate and a room above if you can’t open it? There must be a key or lock or trigger somewhere…” Ossian said.

  They examined the grate closely and the stone all around it but found nothing. Then Q’uaina looked up.

  “Agathe lend me the gloves,” Q’uaina asked. They emitted a pale green glow when she put them on. She reached out and touched the carved wall immediately above the grate. Her eyes followed the shapes and her hands felt their contours. She concentrated focusing on what she remembered from the words revealed to her in her sleep.

  Her hands played along the characters in front of her. Their shapes rearranging themselves in her mind and she found her fingers followed a pattern. She suddenly saw the word open as clear as day. She placed her fingers on the letters of the word and pressed. The letters glowed blue, as they were touched. The grate in the floor retracted into the surrounding stone silently. When she had finished the way was clear, the grate had vanished completely.