Eyes wide in wonder, Telyn rose slowly from the floor. She was enchanted. She couldn't think of another word to describe the awe that stole her breath and clenched in her belly.
On her feet, she noticed tiny motes of light dancing around the cavern, free of any kind of flame source. She shook her head, sure she'd rattled her eyes in the drop. A series of silvery bells tinkled in her ears.
Bells? It sounded more like... laughter. Telyn swiveled her head as far as she could, seeking the source of that laughter. All she saw were more of the tiny, disembodied flames. There was no one around.
I must have hit my head. Telyn gave her head a series of testing shakes, to make sure she didn't feel dizzy or nauseous. Whatever impact she'd taken, clearly it didn't cause pain. Odd.
She shrugged and looked around, and a panic she couldn't explain clutched her chest, cutting off breath. If she was truly alone, then how did she get here? What terrible magic was this, and what did it want with her? Pushing beyond fear to find her wits, she cleared her throat.
"Hello? Is there anyone here?"
More of those tiny bells answered her, but no one appeared.
"I am Sera Telyn Gwndal. Who is Master or Mistress here?"
"Ashes' daughter." A familiar, cheerful voice giggled near her ear. It was one of the voices from her waking dream. "Ashes' daughter is Mistress here."
Telyn whipped her gaze toward the sound of that voice, expecting to find someone quite near to her side. There was no one. "Who are you? Where are you?"
Another giggle. "We are all around you."
"Show yourself!" Telyn challenged the voice. She was done with this game -- she didn't play games with invisible people.
A chorus of silvery giggles answered her challenge, and something tugged her hair. Turning, she found one of the tiny lights -- no bigger than her forefinger, exquisitely beautiful, and undeniably real -- lounging comfortably on her shoulder. She blinked in surprise. She had to be dreaming.
"'Tis no dream." As if it could read her mind, the tiny flame-creature grinned up at her
"Who, or what, are you?" Telyn breathed in awe as she realized all of the tiny motes of light were more of these human-like creatures.
"We are Fire," the little flame announced proudly as she stretched languorously on Telyn's shoulder. Her motion, however smoothly intended, ended up with her clinging to a lock of Telyn's hair to save herself from plummeting off her perch. Telyn couldn't understand why this little flame's proximity hadn't singed her hair and clothes. She didn't even feel more than a little warmth on her shoulder.
Cautious, Telyn plucked the tiny creature from her hair, and was amazed when the only sensation in her hand was no more than slight, tingling warmth. Curious now, she deposited the creature into the open palm of her other hand.
"Fire, you say. Who is your leader? Who created you?"
The little flame laughed, flaring a cheery orange color. "Made us? Who made the sun, the stars, the moons? We are Fire. We are destruction and creation combined, as ancient as time itself. We are the warrior's skill and the healer's hand. We are Fire."
Telyn's jaw dropped as she realized at last what these tiny creatures were. She'd heard tales, all her life, of the living embodiments of Nature, the world given physical shape.
"You're Elementals!" She gaped at the little creature in her palm. "I thought you were a myth."
The Elemental laughed again. "Everything is myth, Telyn Gwndal, until it is revealed. In time, you will learn that nothing is impossible, and everything has its purpose. Even Fate -- what you call Kishfa."
Telyn swallowed back the retort that she was already old enough to know that there was plenty which was impossible. She wasn't sure she wanted to argue with something older than the stars. "So, what do I call you?"
"We," the Elemental announced proudly, gesturing about the cavern, "are Fire. You may call me Sala."
Telyn nodded. "And do you have a ruler, Sala? Who protects this place?"
"Ruler? Only Fate governs us. But the Daughter of Ashes is our protector."
"The daughter of ashes," Telyn murmured to herself. She kept hearing that name, over the past few hours. Whoever this woman was, the Elementals clearly respected her. "And who is this daughter of ashes?"
"Telyn." Sala's eyes widened in clear shock, and her color paled to a light yellow as she turned to the cavern at large. "She does not know who the Daughter of Ashes is? The daughter of Gwneth? The child of the Phoenix? She does not know?" She returned her attention to Telyn with a flare of blue-white flame. "Telyn. Telyn is the Daughter of Ashes."
Shock avalanched through Telyn, wrenching a gasp from her. This couldn't be. She'd never heard anything about this place, or what the daughter of ashes was. Sala couldn't possibly mean this. "What, or who, is Ashes?"
The horrified silence that greeted this question sent a sickening wave of dread through Telyn. There was clearly something missing from her education that Sala and the rest of the Elementals expected to find.
"You wear his sigil, and yet do not know? Our greatest hero was the powerful and kind Ashes. The warrior-prince who sacrificed his life for our sake. It was our greatest gift we offered him in return."
"What gift was that?"
"Creation, child of Ashes."
Shock froze Telyn in place, and her mind rushed back the cycles, to all the unanswered questions she asked her mother, all the times Gwneth Cryd-Gild had answered her pleas to know her father with stony silence. Sick dread curdled in her gut.
"You mean I...? No! It can't be!"
"It can, and it is. Ashes' line was dying. He was the last living heir of an ancient warrior-clan. He heard the tales of our home, in legends of his youth, and braved great danger to seek us out. He had but one request -- if it be the will of Fate, could we assure him that his line would not die with him. He vowed his life to our protection, if we could heal the breach which cost the lives of his entire clan."
"So you killed him?" Anger kindled in Telyn's blood.
Sala answered this accusation with an indignant flare of light. "Of course not. He was our protector."
"Then... what happened to him?"
"The House of Gild came. They would have killed Ashes, as they slaughtered many of his people in the cycles since, but for our promise to him. He could not die until we fulfilled our vow. In time, we had an ally in our work. A daughter of the House of Gild, wearied by the constant pain and suffering she saw, wished only an end to the war. She found common ground with Ashes' plight, and gained our trust in saving his life."
Sala's story began to sound eerily familiar to the bits and pieces she knew. "Mother!"
Sala bobbed in agreement, before her light dimmed. "Gwneth Cryd-Gild might have wished to see the war ended, but she feared exile so strongly that she refused the pledge of noble Ashes, though we knew that she cared greatly for him. Fire is passion, and Raiador is its home in all forms. We remembered our oath to Ashes, and saw that it came to pass, Telyn, daughter of Ashes. Though Ashes' body forever rests in Raiador's womb, the Phoenix will ever rise. It is your task, if you are worthy, to recover the sacred Book his clan guarded. That was the quest which Ashes gave his life to complete."
Pain lanced Telyn's soul at the knowledge that she would now never meet the father she spent so long in search of. "What happened to him? Mother would never even tell me his name."
Sala flickered and spluttered in fury. "He was betrayed, on a sacred quest, by the House of Gild. Murdered by a man who seeks our power, and would turn on his own people to gain it. We cannot be bought with such disloyalty."
"A Traitor? Is there one here with Brun-Gild? Is it a Bathron spy?" Could the old man actually be right in his paranoia, for once?
"Who is this Brun-Gild? Ashes' people are far to the South of here. These others who have come wear the chill of the sea upon them. They defile our sacred ground, and will kill your Gild, to lay blame on Ashes' people. They will slay everyone, to start war they do not intend to fight themselves.
There is no time for your laws and conventions. They must be stopped."
"Who are they? Who sent for them? Sala!" Telyn cried out in desperation as everything went dark around her, and she was falling yet again.
This time, when she landed, sharp pain stabbed her. Her landing spot was unyielding and littered with rocks. Light flickered against her lids as she groaned, and her muttered oath as a jagged piece of rock tore through both sleeve and flesh earned Telyn an admonishment not to move. She recognized that voice. Carefully, she cracked one eyelid to find Lysha Darl crouched beside her with a worried frown on her face.
"What are you doing out here?" Telyn croaked, and then groaned as she tried to sit up. Pain sliced through her head and left shoulder. Carypdor, she was lucky she hadn't broken her neck in that fall.
"I should be askin' the same a'ye, Sera." Lysha's tone was stern with censure. "'Tis beastly cold 'ere, at night, and there's nah light ta be scoutin' the mountain by, neither. Ye coulda died."
"I think I did," Telyn muttered, then winced as she struggled to a sitting position. She rubbed one hand across her face, and was pleased to see it came away without any blood. At least she hadn't landed face-first, then. The night chill seeped through her torn shirt, and Telyn nearly laughed. She certainly didn't need reminding how cold the nights were this close to the Caryptus Sea. As for scouting the mountain... She'd had no intention of going anywhere near it, but those little Salamandars were persuasive. She chuckled, but her humor died as she recalled what Sala told her, right before she ended up out here.
"We don't have a choice -- we have to scout the mountain tonight."
"Now?" Lysha's eyes overflowed with disbelief as she pulled her parka closer against a gust of chilled wind. Her tone implied that she thought Telyn had come unhinged.
I might, at that. But I'm right about this. "Aye, now."
"Why?" Lysha demanded, casting a wary glance toward the looming mass of Raiador. "'Twould be suicide without the nightguiders. Specially if those blasted Bathron're--"
"They're not Bathron," Telyn cut her off sharply. "There's someone else out there, and I think they've been paid to start a war."
Lysha snorted disdainfully. "There already is a war. Who'd pay someone ta start what ye an' the Bathron do fer naught?"
This wasn't going to be easy, but she had to convince Lysha, if she even had a chance of swaying the rest of the Minegards to her side.
"I know you have no reason to trust me. Few who swear allegiance to the House of Gild have ever found cause to trust one with Bathron features. But I'm asking you to put aside whatever doubt you might have, for the moment, to help me save the House I swore to protect. There is something at odds here, and it stinks of treason, not Bathron. It's better that we know now, rather than find out when we've already been mired down in another pointless war. We can't wait for daylight, or a conventional patrol."
Lysha nodded slowly, as if measuring every word Telyn spoke. After a long moment of silent consideration, she sighed. "If war's the end of it, elsewise, ye've my support, Sera. Gildgard are bound to loyalty, so I've nah cause to doubt ye. But I'd still be askin' what craws at ye ta assume it treason."
This was more complicated. She hadn't yet come up with a good explanation for herself, let alone one anyone else might believe. She sighed. Might as well just be out with the truth. "I dreamed... well, I'm not sure if it was a dream or not, but that doesn't matter. There's a race of Elementals who live deep within the core of Raiador. They told me that there's a traitor in our midst, and that he's brought in these others from across the Caryptus Sea, to invade the Minanx Camp and start a war they have no intention to fight themselves."
Lysha looked perplexed. "What's that supposed to mean, then?"
"No idea. I ended up out here before I could get that answer."
The blonde woman blinked in surprise. "Ye saw these creatures, then? With yer own eyes?"
Telyn nodded.
Lysha's eyes went to the mountain again, even as her hand closed about her sword's hilt in reverent gesture. "A Warrior's Dreamin' is what ye've had. Me da useta tell o' them, when 'e spoke o' the last great Majik War. Sacred places in danger'd call the worthiest a protectors ta them, 'e said." She turned her respectful gaze from the mountain to Telyn. "Blessed Gods a'Old! Raiador has called ye. I'd heard, but I din't believe ye could be--"
"Lysha." Telyn cut off the woman's ramble, a shudder lunging through her as she remembered what else she learned from the Salamandars. "Enough. Gather a tracking party of only the most trustworthy Minegards, and meet me at the mountain's base."
This time, Lysha didn't question the order. With a nod, she took off for the Camp.
Telyn turned to face the mountain again and drew a deep breath. Surprise jolted her as she realized she no longer feared Raiador. While it pulled at her, the pull was subtle and familiar, like an old friend. She smiled. The Phoenix will ever rise.
Phoenix. A Bathron word. She turned it over in her mind, knowing it was somehow associated with Bathron legend, but unable to remember how. Was it a place? A creature? A title? And if it was, was she supposed to be the Phoenix? She sighed in frustration. Before, she'd wondered why Raiador obsessed her so. Now, she knew. Raiador, and the Salamandars, called her. Now, she had even more questions than before. Especially about her father. Sala said he was on some sacred quest to retrieve a book. Only, Sala hadn't said what kind of book, or what it was for.
Telyn swallowed a frustrated oath, and shoved her questions to the back of her mind. Now was definitely not the time.
Her gaze on the mountain, she soaked up the surprising sense of peace it now gave her. Now that she knew it was a source of good power, she no longer dreaded the sight of Raiador. She recalled the skeletal remains -- her father's -- she found all those cycles ago. Sadness settled in her heart, chased away only by pride. Pride in a man she never met, because he refused to compromise his ideals, or go back on his promise to the people he swore to protect.
The anaqueri at her side hummed to life, and Telyn's brow furrowed. Had her experience affected the living blade, as well? Now, it was more than just a weapon she wielded. It was an extension of her senses.
The soft sound of muffled footfalls drew her attention, and Telyn turned to see Lysha and her Minegard party approaching.
"Up there." She pointed up the darkened incline of Raiador's face. "Somewhere up there, or on the other side of the mountain, rests an army of mercenaries brought in by a traitor amongst our own Gildfolk."
Murmurs of surprise went up from the group, and the looks of disbelief were disheartening. These were the most trusted of Lysha's Minegards?
"What traitor? Who would betray us?" The boldest of the group -- a young woman with thick red hair demanded. "How can you be so sure?"
"That's enough, Tyrni." Lysha leveled a stern glance at the younger woman.
"No," Telyn stopped her with an upraised hand. "She has a right to know. They all do."
She studied each of the six young men and women in turn. In some, she saw skepticism, in others, blind devotion and admiration. But they all had courage, and they were willing to hear her out. That gave her hope.
"There are many here at Brun-Gild's Camp who hold neither blood nor oath bond to the House of Gild. Some here will never do more than despise the House we are sworn to protect. The Gild do not use their own as Miners without good cause, and least of all here at Raiador, where the danger is made greater by the very rocks they mine. You all know that. "
There were murmurs and nods of assent, and she knew they were listening more closely, considering the possibility that one of the Miners might be behind this.
"These Miners are captives, outsiders, and misfits. Any one of them could be the traitor. We needn't worry about that, right now. We'll flush out the traitor when the time is right. Right now, we have more important things to do. We must eliminate the threat these mercenaries pose to both Raiador and the Camp. I'm sure the mercenaries will be willing to part with the nam
e of the one who hired them, for the right reward."
"Ye plan ta pay them?" Lysha sounded surprised.
Telyn's mouth tugged in a wry smirk. Hardly. "Only with their miserable lives."
Understanding dawned on Lysha's face. "An' how'd ye be doin' that, then?"
"If we can get to their leader, he or she is the most likely to know the traitor's identity." She drew a breath, and her gaze skimmed over the group again. "What I'm asking of you requires speed and stealth. The mercenaries will be relaxed, believing themselves safe from discovery, but that won't hinder their response time if they sense a threat nearby. If we remain unseen and unheard during our approach, we should be able to get close to the leader without encountering resistance. However, there could be great danger involved, so I won't make the choice for you. If any of you think it's not worth the risk, speak now, and you can return to the Camp without shame or rebuke."
Lysha studied her grim-faced squad, and then nodded to Telyn. There was no mistaking the pride in her aqua eyes. "We mightn' bear yer mark, Sera Telyn, but that don' mean we've nah as much pluck as ye've. We'll go the distance."
Bleak humor tugged at Telyn, but she nodded and attempted to smile, anyway. She disliked taking these children into cloak and dagger battles, but there was no hope of avoiding that, now.
"Let's get started, then. Lysha, divide them into two groups of three. You'll take one lot and track around the base of the mountain. Be sure to watch for attack from above and behind, as well. I don't know how well trained or defended these mercenaries are. I'll take the second group and scale the mountain to the paths above. My team will scout the other side of the mountain from the higher pass. I, alone, will go to the places Brun-Gild has forbidden anyone to venture, and have a look over the enemy. We'll meet at the base of Raiador, Kishfa willing."
Lysha nodded. "Nola, Tyrni and Jes'll go with me. Ye take Reni, Dec an' Bur."
Telyn glanced toward the lightening horizon, and knew there wasn't time for proper introductions. Already, the starlight faded at the edge of the horizon. "We must hurry. There's little time left before the cover of night will no longer work to our advantage."
Daughter of Ashes Page 5
