by TR Cameron
She slashed her sword in a backhand strike at Kaeni's head. The woman interposed her blade to block the blow and slipped in a solid jab at Ruby’s cheek with her metal-covered fist. As she stumbled backward, the tiger targeted the extended arm, slashing it deeply with her claws and immediately causing blood to flow from the wound. Their opponent pulled the damaged arm in against her body with a hiss, and the amusement that had graced her face from the beginning of the battle vanished. She growled, “Very nice. You remind me of my challenge from so long ago.”
Ruby circled to her right while Idryll matched her to the left, keeping the woman directly between them. She snapped out a quick strike at Kaeni's thigh, but a flashing crescent kick that knocked against the flat of the blade and pushed it out of line blocked it. Idryll had moved simultaneously and took another one-handed slash from the other woman’s claymore as a reward for the effort. The weapon’s longer reach was proving a problem, and Ruby only saw one way to deal with it. Her left arm was responsive enough to grab her dagger and draw it so she sheathed her sword and charged forward. The claymore came around in a tight arc, more a block than a strike, but nothing Ruby wanted to feel hitting her in any case. She interposed the dagger to push the blade farther along its arc and slipped through after it had passed to deliver a punch to her foe’s cheek.
Kaeni pulled her head back enough to blunt some of the blow’s power and tried to step out to gain distance. Ruby moved with her, stabbing with the knife and reaching down to control the other woman’s sword hand with hers. A head butt was her reward, Kaeni's forehead crashing down into her nose, which snapped under the impact. Ruby howled in pain but didn’t let it distract her from keeping that all-important sword under control. I’ve had my nose broken before, wench. You’ll have to try harder than that.
Her foe’s back arched, and she cried out in pain as the tiger clawed her from behind. Ruby couldn’t see the wound, but the other woman’s reaction suggested they’d managed some serious damage. An explosion of force magic from their foe threw her away from Kaeni, and she landed hard, rolling until she slammed into one of the low walls that separated the arena floor from the stands. She pushed herself to her feet and ran randomly ahead to avoid any follow-up attack, dashing tears from her eyes and whipping her head around to find the other woman.
Kaeni stalked toward Ruby, blood dripping from her arm and in a trail from her back as she advanced. Behind her, Idryll floated in the air, her paws scrabbling but unable to gain purchase on whatever held her there. The woman’s sword glowed brightly now, making Ruby wince as she tried to track it. Still a dozen feet away, Kaeni stabbed the weapon forward, and a fireball leapt from the tip. Ruby waved a force shield into place in front of her, a semi-circle that protected her from damage as the flames washed over her. Ice came next, then electricity creeping around the edges of the shield and scorching her arm. The burns sang along her wounded left limb, which succumbed to numbness again, causing her to drop the dagger from weakened fingers.
She reached for the throwing knife in her right boot, part of her training kit on Oriceran, unfortunately, not the enchanted one that was at home in her dresser, and whipped it at the other woman. The magical onslaught stopped as the sword shifted to block, and Ruby charged ahead. She created a large force shield attached to her right arm that extended from her feet above her head and positioned it immediately in front of her. Her opponent realized what she was up to a moment before impact and tried to dodge, but Ruby was ready for it and adjusted to match her movement.
She slammed bodily into her foe, sending the other woman sprawling, and most importantly, separating her from her sword. The magic that held the tiger in place failed, and Idryll jumped as soon as her paws touched the ground, landing with all her weight on Kaeni's chest. The breath went out of her in a rush. Ruby extended her right hand and called the dagger to it, then knelt and placed it at the other woman’s throat. “Do you yield?”
A grin blossomed, displaying bloody teeth from her split lips as Kaeni said, “Very well done. Simple but effective. I yield.”
The ghostly audience erupted into cheers and applause. Ruby stood and peered at them. They seemed genuinely pleased at her success. She nodded in appreciation, and they faded. She turned back to the downed woman to find that Idryll had reverted to her humanoid form and had taken hold of one of the other woman’s hands. Ruby took the remaining one and pulled her up to her feet. Kaeni said, “Let’s take care of urgent matters first.” She waved her hand in a wide circle over her head, and what felt like a light mist rained down upon them. As it touched wounds, flesh closed and the pain receded. When the spell finished, they were whole again. “Now, you are free to continue.” She lifted her other hand, and a section of the stands vanished to reveal a tunnel beyond it, leading up.
Ruby groaned. “More walking. I swear, by the time this is over, I’ll have climbed the mountain thirty-seven times.”
Kaeni laughed. “I see much of myself in you. I said just about the same thing. It’s a short climb, and the mystics await. I dare say they do so eagerly, as it has been a century and more since anyone followed this path.”
Ruby asked, “Can you reveal what lies ahead? Maybe give a sister a clue or two?”
Kaeni laughed. “No. That would be telling.” She waved and faded into transparency, then disappeared in silence.
Idryll observed, “You keep trying for those shortcuts, but it never seems to work out.”
“Worst thing that can happen is they say no, right?”
“Or smite you for your impertinence.”
Ruby snorted. “Wow, that word-a-day thesaurus is really working out for you. Let’s go, fancy talker.” She ignored her partner’s growl at the insult as she headed for the exit.
Chapter Three
Ruby and Idryll emerged from the tunnel after only a short climb, blinking in the sudden daylight. Ahead of them in a semi-circle stood the mystics: men, women, and children of varying ages, body types, and appearances, clad in simple white robes. One thing they all had in common was an apparent pleasure at their arrival, indicated by the smiles gracing their faces. A man directly in the center of their arrangements stepped forward and bowed shallowly to them. The lines on his face suggested age, but his energetic movement and long dark hair argued the opposite. “Junra, companion, welcome. We are so very glad to see you.”
Ruby lifted an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. “Sure didn’t seem so when you were hurling avalanches at us.”
Many of the others echoed the man’s carefree laughter. He nodded enthusiastically. “I am sure, I am sure. Still, we must follow the rules of the process, which required you to undertake the Contest of Might. You did feel pulled toward that location, did you not?”
Idryll whispered, “Just like Keshalla said.”
Ruby whispered back, “Shut up, you,” then raised her voice. “That’s a fair point. I’m Ruby, and this is Idryll.”
His grin widened, something she would not have thought possible. “It is our pleasure to meet you. I am Nadar, and my friends will introduce themselves as they choose, or not. You have successfully navigated the first phase of the trial, and you may rest among us for as long as you wish until you are prepared to move on.” The others bowed shallowly and walked off to their duties or pleasures, and he gestured them toward a two-story stone building jutting out from the side of the mountain. “Please, come inside.”
A large wooden door that swung open at their approach guarded the entrance. Almost everything else was stone, seemingly carved from the mountain itself or quarried and turned into blocks. He explained, “The mountain supplies much of what we need.” They passed through a sitting area with comfortable-looking couches of wood and fabric. Tapestries that looked handmade and depicted historical scenes from the Mist Elves’ past adorned the walls. He led them on to a most unexpected revelation, although it confirmed what her ears had been telling her. A mountain stream ran through the middle of the building, with narrow wooden bridges arc
hing over it at multiple crossings. “This cools us in the summer, provides mechanical power in all seasons, and suffices for all our water needs.”
The next section back was a kitchen area and a dining room, the former filled with bustling mystics preparing a meal. Ruby asked, “Do you have workers other than yourselves?”
Nadar shook his head. “No, we are more or less self-sufficient. Occasionally we will trade with villagers for luxuries, or when our gardens don’t produce as much as we might need, but in general, we keep to ourselves and share all work equally.”
“What do you do up here?”
“We think. We let our minds wander to consideration of things that may never have been considered before. Sometimes, we gain insight into the future.”
Ruby gave a soft snort. “Like prophecy or something?”
He nodded seriously. “Exactly like that. In fact, should you complete the current trial, you may turn out to be referenced in one of them.”
Although her parents had mentioned it before, hearing it from someone else surprised her as much as the first revelation. She stammered, “What?”
Beside her, Idryll gave a soft chuff of disgust. “Surely you didn’t think the things happening to you happen to everyone, did you? Like every random Mist Elf gets called to the venamisha not once, but twice?”
Ruby cocked her head as she pondered the question, then shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it.”
The tiger-woman laughed. “That’s why you would make a terrible mystic.”
Nadar joined her companion’s laughter, and finally Ruby joined as well. “Fair point.” She turned her attention back to him. “Can you tell me anything about the rest of the trial?”
Idryll muttered, “Always with the shortcuts.” Ruby kicked her in the leg with the side of her foot.
The mystic nodded, surprising her. “I know the next two parts follow one after the other, much like the three of the initial trial did. I also know you will face them without your weapons or your companion.”
Ruby frowned. “That isn’t exactly good news.”
He smiled softly. “I can see why it may appear to be that way, junra. Have confidence that you would not have reached this point if you were not capable of handling what lies ahead.” A slightly snarky reply rose to her lips, but the clanging of a deep bell forestalled it. Nadar clapped his hands once. “Dinnertime. Please, come.”
He led them to a large room and beckoned them to a pair of chairs beside the one he claimed on one side of the long table. No hierarchy was in evidence, as mystics arrived and seemingly sat wherever they pleased. The ones who had been cooking delivered family-style platters to the table’s center and the dishes were passed around once they, too, were seated. Dinner proved to be an array of delicious things, roasted vegetables, fresh breads, a soup with a spice she couldn’t identify but loved immediately, and a variety of pickles and seasonings.
The most reclusive Mist Elves were surprisingly talkative, not like she’d pictured them to be, although the discussion topics were somewhat less everyday than they might be at a typical table. Deep thoughts and simple observations mixed without prejudice. She found herself engaged in conversation several times, with others asking about her life and experiences. She told them about living on Earth and of the first venamisha, which she could apparently now speak of freely. Once they had eaten their fill, a different set of mystics gathered the dishes and headed for the back, doubtless to handle the cleaning and tidying duties. Nadar touched her arm. “Please come with me. We can talk a little before it is time for sleep.”
Idryll replied, “I think I’ll go help in the kitchen. I wouldn’t be against finding something sweet to snack on.”
The mystic laughed and nodded. “Please do.” Ruby followed him into a small sitting room around a fire. The chairs were simple wood but comfortable, and he offered her a glass of mead. “We keep the bees, grow the flavorings, and brew it ourselves. It is one of the things that people are most willing to barter for when we have need of trade.”
She tasted it, and sweet honey blossomed on her tongue along with a soft bite from the alcohol. “Delicious.”
He wiggled to get comfortable and settled with a satisfied sigh. “You must have many questions.”
Ruby nodded, then wrangled them into some sort of order. “I guess the biggest one is what’s up with this second venamisha? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
He set his drink down on a convenient side table and laced his fingers over his stomach. “It is rarely spoken of, perhaps because the magic prohibits it, or perhaps because it is so rare. We do have records of those who have completed it, as at least those are allowed. That has not happened often, once a generation at most, based on our entries. It has been almost a century since the last.”
“And the woman I faced earlier? Kaeni?”
He nodded. “Mirra Kaeni was the last to complete it, or at least the last to make a note of doing so in our book.”
Ruby frowned. “That title seems familiar, but I can’t quite place it.”
He lifted his glass to his lips and took a deep drink. “It has fallen out of use over time. It is a historical title of respect for royalty. Princess is perhaps the closest thing to it.”
She followed his lead and drank off a quarter of her mead before replying. “But Mist Elves don’t have a ruler.”
He shrugged. “Mist Elves have had rulers in the past. It could be they shall do so once again. That is something I have no knowledge of.”
“No prophecies?”
The mystic chuckled. “None that clearly mention such a thing, no.”
Ruby nodded. “She referred to having gone through the second venamisha. Is this the end of it?”
“That, too, is beyond my knowledge. Our records do not say anything about what comes after, only a list of dates and names.”
She sighed in disappointment. “That’s not much information.”
The mystic gave a sympathetic smile. “I know. Perhaps you can content yourself with this. You are on a path that no one in a hundred years has traveled. Doubtless the answers to all these questions will be revealed when you reach the end.”
She laughed. “Or I’ll write my name in your book, and nothing more will come of it.”
He chuckled in response. “Or that. Certainly that’s possible. Somehow I doubt that you will have gone through all this only to find yourself the same at the end. Experiences like this create their change. That is, of course, the point of them.”
Ruby snorted. “The only real change I’ve seen so far is that now I’m stuck with a snarky tiger for the rest of my life.”
He laughed, full-bodied and joyful. “A fate many would gladly embrace, my young friend.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is this the route to becoming a mystic, perhaps?”
He shook his head. “Most definitely not, unless we are all unable to remember it. Becoming one of us requires only the desire to step away from the mundane world and focus the mind on other things. It is the rare person who can handle it for more than a short time, maybe one in ten, but we welcome anyone to make the attempt.”
“Idryll would say I don’t have the temperament for it.”
He nodded with a smile. “From what I’ve seen so far, your companion would likely be correct.” He laughed again, softly. “At this moment in your life, you are a person of action. Perhaps the time when you might be fulfilled simply by thought has not yet arrived. When it does, you will of course be welcome.”
She finished the mead and realized she had no other questions because there were no answers to be had. “Then I guess it’s time for a solid night’s sleep and onward in the morning.”
“A good plan, I think. For what it is worth, Ruby, every one of us wishes you success with all that we are. We can’t wait for you to return and tell us what lies next on the path.”
Chapter Four
The mystics were true to their word and provided Ruby with a warm white robe to belt
around her simple trousers and tunic. She left her weapons and gear in Idryll's hands, and the confident expression on the tiger-woman’s face buoyed her spirits. “Take care of those for me. Between you and me, these mystics look like kleptomaniacs.” She grinned at Nadar, who chuckled and nodded.
He said, “Yes, certainly, having no particular sense of personal property, we desire yours.” She wouldn’t have imagined a mystic might have a sarcastic sense of humor, but then again, she hadn’t pictured a tiger having one either. New revelations all over the place, courtesy of the venamisha.
She shook her head at her rambling thoughts. “Let’s get on with it then. Where do I go?”
He led her forward, and as they walked out of the building and back toward the mountain, the rest of the mystics fell into line. When they stopped walking, she and Idryll were again the focal point of the semi-circle of mystics, their expressions serious but hopeful. At a wave of Nadar's hand, a section of the mountain’s face vanished to reveal a tunnel behind it. She drew a deep breath. “Okay, then. I guess I’ll see you on the other side.”
He nodded. “Doubtless you will. Good luck to you, Ruby.”
“Thanks to you and your people.”
She exchanged a nod with her partner, then turned before anyone else could speak and marched forward into the opening. As soon as she stepped inside, the barrier snapped back into place, cutting off the light from beyond. She stopped moving as the tunnel’s surfaces began to glow. Golden bricks, each as wide as her hand and as long as her forearm, lined the passage, carrying the same intricate carvings she’d seen before. The etched areas shone with orange light, giving the whole space the illusion of warmth. She cinched the belt of the heavy fabric robe around her, wiggled her shoulders to get it into position, and strode ahead.
