Old Wood Treasures had iridescent green bellies and gold or silver markings. Gold for the males, silver for the females. During mating season the males also sported a scarlet crown. They also had opalescent eyes.
Apparently, Tre’shriha didn’t care about the point of the markings. Only that she liked them. Her markings were a mix of gold and silver, and she sported the scarlet crown. Also unlike the normal Old Wood Treasures, her eyes were an emerald green. But instead of being the size of a large apple, they were now easily the size of my head. Those emerald green orbs peered down at us from Tre’shriha’s avian head.
I felt Jay shake his head. “They’re not supposed to be that big. They don’t ever get that big.” He muttered. He was right. Old Wood Treasures were typically thirty feet long with their main wings spreading to thirty-two feet. This creature, Tre’shriha, was easily more than twice that in size.
“Out of time for what?” I found myself asking.
Tre’shriha focused on me. “To turn back. To go home and be safe.”
“Even if we were not out of time to change our minds about turning back, we wouldn’t anyway. I understand that you have chosen my cousin to be part of your Test.”
Tre’shriha rumbled. It was alarming, but I figured that she was amused based on the humor in her eyes. “My Test? Who do you think I am, mortal?”
“Are you not Tre’shriha? The Spirit of the Wood? The one who has been sending our searchers away? If you would only return her to us, folks wouldn’t be bothering you.” I pointed out, though I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. This was a test, after all.
She lowered her head to peer closer at Teilnon. “I must say, you must like it. Being sent away. I told you that you were not right for this test.”
“I – I was just showing them the way. I am their protector.” Teilnon stammered to explain.
“Hmm.” She turned back to me. “While I am the Spirit of the Wood, this Test is not my Test. I am simply its guardian. It's proctor, if you will.”
I nodded. “Are we then acceptable to take it? I gather that is the only way that my cousin will be allowed to go home.”
“Passing the Test is the only way for her to go home, yes. As for the four of you being acceptable… Tell me, how many elemental magics exist?”
“Earth, water, fire, air…” I heard Jay whisper. Out of the corner of my eye, I noted he was counting them out on his fingers.
“Storm and nature,” Zara added.
“Six then,” Jay said somewhat louder.
Tre’shriha slowly closed her eyes. They opened just as slowly as she turned her attention toward Jay. Her mouth started to open, her body tensing. Without thinking, I shoved Jay out of the way. “That wasn’t our answer!” I shouted. “Seven. There are seven. Spirit was first. Then fire, water, and air, earth. Storm and finally nature.”
The great elemental froze. After a tense moment, she pulled back. “Correct. Now answer me this: ‘What am I? Everyone knows me. In many forms, I’m found. Ideas are mine, and yet it is through nothing that I am understood. Tell me, what am I?’”
“Do we have a time limit?”
“Take as long as you need.”
I bowed my thanks and began to pace. My three companions shared a look. This was one of my worst fears… on the list, but just barely considering what else concerned me. It was almost the humorous kid brother on that list. Here was a test and I hadn’t studied.
Zara approached me. “Perhaps we should work together on this?” she suggested.
I nodded and gestured. “So…what do you guys think?”
“I think I hate riddles,” Jay mumbled.
Teilnon glanced down at my cousin. “Not helping.”
“Sorry.”
“Well, the first part kind of reminds me of what we know of her,” Zara said with a gesture at the patiently waiting Tre’shriha.
She was kind of well known. And she could be found in many forms… I shook my head though. “You’re right from what we’ve learned. But not everyone knows her. Sorry if you were hoping for worldwide fame.” I said to ancient elemental.
“Mortal, I have no need for fame.” Tre’shriha pointed out.
“Was just saying,” I said. I couldn’t help it, I started pacing again. Softly under my breath, I repeated the riddle “What am I? Everyone knows me. In many forms, I’m found. Ideas are mine, and yet it is through nothing that I am understood. Tell me, what am I?”
“Let’s break it down into smaller parts,” Teilnon suggested. “What is something that everyone knows?” he asked.
Jay started listing a few things. “The sky. Rain. The wind. Earth… Stars!”
“But has many forms?” Teilnon added.
“Oh, um…” Jay fell silent thinking.
“Don’t forget the ‘idea’ thing. And is understood only through nothing.” Zara pointed out with a frown.
I stopped pacing as the pieces started to click into place. “Conveys ideas…Oh, I think I might know it.” I whispered.
“Well? Don’t keep us in suspense.” Jay muttered.
I grinned as I turned to them. “Something that everyone knows, in one form or another. Something that conveys ideas.” My grin grew bigger. “Language.”
The other three blinked then frowned as they mulled the idea over. “But what about the ‘through nothing that I am understood’ bit?” Zara inquired.
“The spaces or pauses between words,” I explained.
“Oh. Well.” Zara waved toward the waiting Tre’shriha. “Why don’t you see if that’s right. I pray that she doesn’t eat you… or the rest of us.”
With that encouraging thought, I turned to Tre’shriha. “What am I? I am a language. Everyone knows me. In many forms I am found; different languages, spoken and written. Ideas are conveyed through language from one person to the next. And yet it is only through the pauses or spaces between words that I am understood.”
Tre’shriah bowed her head. “Come, the true Test awaits you.” She then uncoiled from around us and moved into the forest. We followed her.
“Kel!” Nimla called. I glanced back to see her in the shadows of the trees. “We cannot come with you. Be careful. Be smart. Be wise. And remember to always be compassionate.” I stopped in surprise at that. But before I could ask or say something, Nimla broke into a thousand ribbons of deeper darkness and vanished.
“Stop looking behind us like that. You’re freaking me out.” Jay grumbled his hand on my shoulder. I turned and resumed following the large Old Wood Treasure through dense forest. My mind turned from mulling over Nimla’s parting words to trying to understand how Tre’shriha moved so lithely through the forest. Even if she was in the form of a Sianatyl, her size alone should make moving through the thick foliage a hassle. Yet she moved as if she had a clear path. Peering at the foliage around her I realized that it seemed to bend out of the way. It all moved out of her path as if she was tearing through the fabric of the Wood to go where she wanted. It then came back together. Since we were following closely, we had a path in which to walk easily. But behind us, everything returned to the Wood’s usual closeness.
The elemental led us to a ruin that was easily the size of the Plavean Estate. I brightened with excitement. I had always wanted to see the ruins of the Old Wood. “What is this place?” I asked gazing about. What was left made me think of a fortress. There was a large building surrounded by tumbled walls. Many side buildings had lost their roofs. The main building had taken a hell of a beating at some point. Small plants and trees had found places to grow on the tumbled walls. Much of the main building looked like it had been scorched….
“These, Mortal, are what remains of the mortal dwelling once known as Ardiheim.”
Chapter 23
“Ardiheim?!” I repeated excitedly. “The fortress Koal Carigrin built?” I asked.
“Koal Carigrin rebuilt it. These ruins are far, far older than that. Come.” Tre’shriha commanded. “Your cousin and the Test are this way.” She led us to
the ruined main building. “In there.” She said indicating that she wanted us to continue.
“How?” Zara inquired. “There’s no door. And that place is probably structurally unsafe to even try to dig our way inside.”
Tre’shirha made a chuffing, snort-like sound. “Mortals are so simple.” She said to herself.
Zara opened her mouth to argue. I just know it. Not wanting to hear it, I put my hand over her mouth. She gasped and glowered at me. I simply shook my head sharply before mouthing/ hissing “no point. Remember she is an ancient elemental. Be wiser in choosing your battles.”
Zara’s mouth snapped shut. I’m just grateful she didn’t decide to bite me. She nodded to me. I removed my hand.
All four of us gasped when we witnessed what Tre’shriha did next. She sketched a huge symbol (probably because of her size) before the ruins with the tip of one claw. The air behind that wicked talon seemed to solidify slightly, giving the symbol form as Tre’shriha continued forming it. Apparently finished, she then breathed through the elaborate symbol.
Beyond the symbol, the ruins trembled. This went on for a second before the building began to rise. Pebbles rose and joined with larger rocks that rose to where they must have been before the attack that demolished them. The mostly rotted wood splinters lying about un-decayed before dancing back together. They formed back into two solid, reinforced oak doors that assumed their traditional position under the newly formed arched doorway.
I glanced about the rest of the fort, but it still remained in ruins. Only the main section of the large building had been returned to its original form.
“What kind of magic was that?!” Zara exclaimed.
Tre’shriha didn’t reply. She just looked mildly smug. Turning to me she said. “Go. The Test and your cousin are through that door, Mortal. May you and your companions succeed.”
Seeing nothing else to do I glanced at my companions before going to the doors. I pushed hard. To my embarrassment, the door didn’t immediately open. But then with a groan, it began to accede to my will. Teilnon joined me in pushing the door open. Which was nice and made the going much faster. What made me feel a bit better about myself was that he was frowning at the door as if bewildered at how heavy it was. That and the possibility that the hinges had been rusted shut or something.
We got the door open, and I gasped at the large great hall spread out before us. There were long tables along one side near the hearth. A massive hearth, by the way. It was large enough for three horses to stand nose to tail inside. No fire burned, however. The other side of the room was open, used for through traffic. Hanging above were three great candle chandeliers. Like the fireplace, they were dark. The only light came in through the open doorway behind us, the windows up high, and the only other door into the hall that was open. From there came a soft bluish light.
I looked about with open amazement. Ardihiem! The place where Lady Kata Kimbri dae Ano and General Travis Ketera had been. The place that had featured prominently in General Ketera’s journal that I had read a few years ago. I wished I had that journal with me now. Reading it here where it had been written would be… ah… it would be amazing.
Desperately I wanted to look around, but I didn’t get that wish. For as soon as Zara and Jay entered Tre’shriha peered in “now the Test begins.” The door slammed shut and crumbled into ruin before our very eyes.
“We’ve been tricked!” Zara snarled.
Jay sighed unhappily. “It is said that Wood Treasures are cunning and known to take great pleasure in tricking the unwary.”
“But I thought we were wary,” Zara grumbled.
A horrendous crack thundered through the hall. I glanced up to see that the ceiling was reverting to its present-day ruination. “No time for that!” I yelled. “We need to go! Now!” They glanced up too and paled. Then they followed me to the only open escape route. At least, I was praying it was an escape route: the open door with blue light.
The ceiling collapsed around us, filling the air with dust. Firelight suddenly flashed into existence before being smothered away. It unhelpfully added ash to the dust that stung our eyes and made it very hard to breathe. Only the steady blue light guided the way. I got to the door first and waved everyone inside. Teilnon pushed me inside and down the stairs before turning and grabbing Zara’s arm and yanking her out of the way of a falling chunk of ceiling. We all ended up in the stairwell. No sooner had they made it inside then the open door was shattered under the collapsing ceiling.
We fled down the stairs a bit farther, fearful of further collapse. Besides some dust and ash, nothing else entered the stairwell. The stone under our feet trembled as the building continued to fall in on itself.
Coughing filled the staircase as we tried to clear our lungs of the dust. Shirts were used to wipe streaming eyes. After a few moments, we felt a little better. But not by much. Not when the only way we knew out was buried under a ton of rock. The only way forward was down in a blue-lit stairwell. The light came from a carved out niche. In a small hallowed out, cup burned a blue flame.
“What kind of flame is that?” Jay asked curiously.
Zara peered closer. She cupped her hand over it. “huh.”
“Yeah?” I pressed, wanting to know what she was thinking.
“I believe it is Moon Flame. It’s a kind of fire that only the most skilled of my family can use as it is a diluted and cold form of sunfire. It can be more readily used, like this, when a Luniza Soul Quartz is activated. When mom and I went to Inais Telka last summer for a diplomatic meeting of sorts, I saw these things everywhere.”
“Inais Telka?” I gaped at her. “You got to go to Inais Telka?” Oooh, I was jealous. I’ve read of Inais Telka, of course. As well as the ruins of Inais Lorha and many other elmoran cities. I wanted to see them all!
Zara saw my look and smirked. “Sometimes being a princess does have its perks.”
“Hey, do you guys hear that?” Teilnon asked. He was a little further down the stairs than the rest of us at this point. I guess he hadn’t been that interested in the blue flame. As a metal mage and a mage of the Terrizien clan, he had probably seen similar sights before.
At his words, Zara and I listened. Very faintly I thought I heard someone calling out. “I think so,” I replied.
“Ferna!” Jay exclaimed. “She must be here. Come on!” He then made his way down the stairs. Teilnon stopped him with a single arm.
“Hold on.” The metal mage said calmly. “As the only actual mage here, I’ll go first.”
Jay glared up at him. “Then hurry up. That’s my cousin!”
“And my friend.” He replied gravely. By the look in his eye, I wondered if he was hoping for more than that. Hmm. I thought I had seen something between them the other day. Then I sighed at the hopelessness of that. It could never happen.
Our little group followed after Teilnon. He had his sword out, but it wasn’t glowing anymore. No need with the regular wall niches and their flickering Moon Flames. The stairs soon began to drill into the earth in a long spiral. The closer we got to where the voice was emanating, the surer we were that it was Ferna.
“Ferna! Keep calling. We’re coming.” Jay called when she went quiet.
“Jay?! What the hell – you know? Never mind. I’m down here!” Ferna replied. She sounded really close at this point. So we picked up the pace… and found the bottom of the stairs. There was an arched doorway ahead of us now. Brighter blue light welcomed us. Inside the room beyond was a sizable pit. Wells of blue flames surrounded the room above the pit. My eyes actually ached from the stronger light.
“Ferna? Are you okay?” Teilnon asked rushing to the edge of the pit. The rest of us followed soon after.
There she was, my older cousin. She looked a bit worse for wear, but it had been an interesting time for her. She peered up at us, naming us one by one. “Teilnon? Kel? Jay? Princess Zara? How did you find me?”
“Teilnon remembered the way.” I supplied. “Are you okay?” I a
sked again.
Ferna gave herself a once over then shrugged. “I’ve been better. That Tre’shriha snatched ahold of me and stuck me in this old ruin… then collapsed it on me. If that stair door hadn’t been open, I would have been paste!”
“Same here.”
“I thought that rumbling sounded familiar.” She said with a nod to herself. Then she continued. “I came down here and stared down at this pit for a moment. Then all of a sudden – oh shit! You guys need to get out of the room quick!” She warned, but it was a bit too late. The floor jerked under us. Suddenly there was no flat ground. Just a slid down into the pit. With surprised cries, the four of us ended up in the pit too. It was a distance to the ground.
Our cries turned to groans. While falling into the sand was better than falling onto rock, it was still painful. Ferna had run to the other side of the pit before any of us could fall on her. I was surprisingly the first to really recover. Ferna rushed over to me. “Are you okay?” She asked with a sympathetic grimace.”
“I’ve been better,” I said, using her earlier words.
She smiled when she realized that and shook her head. “Has anyone ever told you that you are a scamp?’ she asked.
I tilted my head in thought. “You know? No. I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before.”
“Shame on them.” She helped me to my feet, and we went to check the other three. All of them were fine, if somewhat bruised and sore from the landing.
“Is there any way out of here?” I wondered looking about. The walls of the pit rose easily ten feet above us. Probably somewhere around fourteen to fifteen feet. They were cast in shadow due to how the fire wells lit the room above. It was enough for us to see each other, but not too much else. The pit itself was probably fifteen by fifteen feet. The room above likely twenty by twenty, with a domed ceiling.
“You think I would still be down here if there was?” Ferna inquired somewhat sarcastically.
“So magic doesn’t work?” Zara asked, somewhat incredulously.
Lore Rune (Rune Trilogy Book 1) Page 16
