Remnant Pages Spearhead

by J. B. Kleynhans

  ‘It is a far way from here. Be patient okay, it’ll help me focus my sight,’ said Vanapha.

  Cid closed his eyes, breathing deeply, waiting for something to happen.

  Suddenly something intruded into his consciousness and then colours streamed in, giving his mind’s eye a picture only after his logic adapted to them. Cid felt a flying sensation as his mind was fooled by the soaring vantage Vanapha was sharing with him. He could understand how the Valkyrie cherished the stars so much, for in this instance their Farsight was like looking down from a heavenly body in the sky. He could only imagine what they saw when they turned their gaze upwards, at the stars themselves.

  The farther they moved north the less detail they could see. He wasn’t sure whether or not he was imagining it, but Cid was getting the feeling that Vanapha was straining to sight across such a distance while maintaining her bind with Cid. He willed the vision softly forward, yet still eager not get impatient like Vanapha urged.

  Already the experience was invaluable, for Cid managed to observe and surmise many of the Basin’s fundamental logistical parameters, noting its valleys, ridges and terraces. The vision floated farther, reaching out to the north, gliding above and over the hills… and then they saw the Fallen.

  Jacanta point was an altogether higher ground than the Basin; a large flat stretch of land before narrowing down to some mountain passes that ultimately divided into Nimroth’s gate to the north and the Ghost pass to the north-west.

  What should have been a lonely plain of dust and rock though, was a war camp, undeniably massive. Hundreds of tents stood there, black ones with royal orchid embroidery on the edges as though the enemy could afford and appreciate vanity.

  Fallen soldiers moved through the camp like ants, working or wandering, their continuous patterns enough to lull the mind. Cid and Vanapha’s vision wasn’t clear or focused, but the scale of the camp made up for that deficiency.

  They saw the robed Priests on black horses and the menacing Reavers scavenging at the perimeter. Among the clusters of tents, those comprising the commanding circles, stood the catapults, the devices recognizable by their size and dark lacquered frames. Cid made notes in his mind, pushing down shock as he tried to calmly measure the prowess of their enemy.

  His effort was interrupted. The vision was suddenly pulled to the side and became focused on a mound at the front of the camp, the vision gaining clarity. There stood but three men - two men purposefully flanking one. At that moment Cid thought that Vanapha no longer had control, that they were being watched.

  The experience became increasing alien and Cid actually felt like he was standing on that mound, looking up at the giant.

  Upright he was in fallen armour, his hands clenched on a dual set of battle hatchets, as though he was already waiting for his enemy, hungry and vengeful. The men at his sides were heavily robed Priests and their spread hands convinced Cid that they were indeed aware of Vanapha’s scrying and in turn were trying to leash her efforts in order to look back.

  He was sure then that they were successful, for the man in the middle’s dull white eyes were fixed on Cid, brimming with as much recognition as fallen eyes could ever show. For now the giant went without his skull helm, his clean shaven head and hard features worsening the pit in Cid’s stomach, the fate of Lanston encapsulated by this one man.

  The vision mercifully faltered and disappeared. He returned to his own mind and opened his eyes, the sudden wrench back upsetting his balance for a moment.

  ‘I’m sorry, I cannot sustain the vision at such a distance,’ breathed Vanapha, looking a bit pale.

  ‘It’s all right,’ said Cid, ‘I have seen all I needed to see’, not sure whether the Valkyrie had seen all that he had seen. She did not raise the matter, so Cid was not sure what to make of it.

  ‘So they are indeed waiting at Jacanta?’ asked Lidayel.

  ‘Yes. It was difficult to estimate, but I would say they are one or two regiments short of ten-thousand soldiers, and that’s not counting the men they can call from the surrounding valley. In any event it’s much more than Bennam prepared Lanston for,’ said Cid morbidly.

  ‘Do you think Bennam was fed false intelligence as well?’

  ‘I just don’t know Alex. He made me think he knew more than he was telling, but I can’t believe he would allow Lanston to march if he knew the Fallen were this many,’ said Cid.

  Staring up at his surroundings, Brunick said, ‘it’s a massive range of attack, if they push a few thousand men over that ridge and down the ramp then Lanston will be dead down to the last mule. The way home will not be safe either, I’d wager they’d have cells and strike groups in the woods still, just waiting to cage any that might flee.’

  ‘We have to stop the army from making contact,’ said Cid, turning as he spoke, his mind mapping the battle and its inevitable outcome. ‘Once Lanston enters the Basin it will be like Brunick says; the Fallen will seek to surround and seal off the entire site.’

  ‘How do you suppose we stop the army? We have no leg to stand on in any circumstance. If we try to communicate with the army Stelinger will have us killed,’ said Vanapha.

  Cid considered his options, each more desperate than the last.

  Eventually he turned to look at Lidayel. ‘It has to come from you Summoner. We need something big, something that can buy us time!’

  ‘Like what? Creating another eclipse isn’t going to do us much good,’ said Lidayel almost defensively

  Cid observed his surroundings, studying the vast expanse, trying to gauge an answer from it. He turned his gaze into the sky, his eyes running up the peak of Mount Hashur and beyond.

  ‘Those are some pretty heavy clouds, rain season is bound to start any day now,’ said Cid, focusing on the woolly whites rolling tentatively above the rugged land.

  ‘I know where you’re going with this; it’ll take an enormous amount of rain to flood this valley. I cannot do it Cid, I can’t make rain out of nothing.’

  ‘And you don’t have to, we have all the clouds and moist we need. You just have to find some way to get the natural process of rain to work for you,’ said Cid.

  Lidayel was intently staring at the clouds now, holding up his hand to block out the bright of the sun.

  ‘Clouds reach a threshold point, then release due to heaviness,’ supplied Brunick hopefully.

  ‘And they do so because of pressure caused by compact moist, again, I can’t create water by myself,’ said Lidayel

  ‘You moulded the fire the other night, why don’t you do the same with the clouds?’ said Vanapha.

  ‘I get what you’re saying, but it’s a bit too much, exercising so much control on such a scale and range is beyond me. You can’t lecture me on how practical this idea is,’ said Lidayel.

  ‘What about something small then, at least at first, like a chain reaction, you know, just tweak nature to work faster?’ suggested Alex, despite Lidayel’s reprimand.

  Cid nodded. ‘Alex’s got a point. How about it?’

  Lidayel paced away, his wits trying to formulate something at the behest of his comrades.

  ‘No it won’t be enough, I need to have direct control if we want a proper cloud break, but it’ll take far more energy than I can muster.’

  ‘More than the eclipse?’ asked Brunick after the Summoner.

  ‘Remember! I had a scroll for the eclipse and it didn’t use as much energy as you would imagine, as it sustained itself from the sun, this however will not happen simply because I want it to!’ said Lidayel.

  ‘Come on, dig deep, you’ve got to know something that could help,’ said Cid.

  Lidayel was thoughtful, wracking his mind. It then struck him, but then just as quickly wiped the excitement from his face.

  ‘What is it?’

  Lidayel kept quiet.

  ‘Don’t hold back on us Summoner, more than four thousand men’s lives are depending on you,’ said Brunick.

  ‘There is something,’ Lidayel started
hesitantly, ‘the old Summoners, in order to assure survival for our kind, stored great amounts of magical power in the land itself, accessible by the Calophrite channels. They passed down the secrets to call on these powers very carefully and are now guarded by both Grandmaster Tabacher and the King himself. Each Summoner of the Asheva council is taught one ritual in order to use some of these powers in the face of an ordeal. It is one of the reasons we are so often made to forget; so that we do not reveal our secrets to one such as Arumcas when captured.’

  ‘And this power can help us create the rainstorm! Can you remember how to call upon on it?’ asked Cid excitedly.

  ‘I’m not even sure I should be even telling you this, much less doing it,’ said Lidayel.

  ‘Come now Summoner, our cause isn’t going to get much more desperate than this. Think of it this way, if we can somehow beat the Fallen here, then the Ghost pass to Durandal and your wife will be cleared clear open,’ said Alex.

  Even now Lidayel wasn’t swayed.

  ‘Lidayel, we either take this risk or we all lose,’ said Cid, ‘how do you think this is going to end if we don’t intervene now?’

  Eventually Lidayel nodded, conceding.

  ‘We have to get to the centre of the plain, and don’t dare get impatient; this is going to take the remainder of the day.’

  It was a painfully slow process. Lidayel had spent two hours in meditation before he seemed ready to assemble his powers. Several times he allowed Vanapha to enter his mind in order to help him remember parts of the ritual that remained elusive to his memory.

  Cid and the others watched uncomfortably as Lidayel made markings and symbols in the red dust with his staff, talking to himself all the while. They proceeded to stand further and further away as Lidayel’s eccentric ramblings became louder, his drawings growing bigger.

  What started out as simple etched lines in the dust later became a circle with a thirty yard diameter of intricate design, symbols containing symbols. Somehow, the canyon wind did not even touch these inch deep drawings. Then Lidayel started to chant rhythmically, walking all around his symbols, his gaze fixed as though he was reading them.

  ‘We should start finding higher ground,’ said Vanapha.

  Cid knew better than to question her and thus agreed.

  After trekking arduously to the ridge of the western plateau they witnessed Lidayel finishing his spell. Far below Lidayel now stood in the centre of his patterns, his staff held above his head and his eyes set on the heavens. The earth around him grew dark and Cid looked up to see the shadows of the clouds outgrowing daylight.

  Clouds of deep blue and steel grey were massing right above the Basin, the epicentre of it all in line with Lidayel. They grew from out of nothing, feeding from moist still invisible, then twisted and swirled with such conviction it was as though Cid could see Lidayel exercising every motion of control. Tied down the clouds loomed closer, leaning over the land. Soon thunder peals sounded overhead as though the heavens were voicing their discontent at the attempt of someone leashing them.

  ‘It’s coming,’ said Vanapha with a knowing smile.

  As the first drops struck them Brunick laughed, stretching his arms wide. Small puffs of dust jumped up at the impact until the first layer of ground was sated. The drops were heavy and cold, promising, but nothing worth mentioning.

  Even after ten minutes of varying intensity, the land was barely wet. Cid did nothing else than keeping his gaze locked on Lidayel’s unchanging stance, his staff still held aloft, certain that if the Summoner faltered the entire effort would go to waste.

  ‘Is he struggling…?’ asked Alex.

  ‘I don’t think he can manage it,’ said Cid disappointedly, the clouds were heavy, but the rain remained feeble, ‘he did warn us.’

  Cid grimaced as Lidayel lost his balance in the far for a moment, planting his staff in the ground to hold himself up, his exhaustion understandable.

  The clouds grew to an impasse, soon to escape his grasp. Cid bit in his lip as he saw Lidayel suddenly casting the staff away, spiralling to fall in the dust.

  The Summoner lifted his hands up again, staring deep into the heavens, reaching up as though he was standing on his toes. His fingers contorted above his head, like he was grasping the clouds.

  ‘Look at that!’ said Brunick first, Lidayel’s determination coming to life as the pattern he drew in the dust started glowing with hues of blue and purple.

  Like an orchestrator he wrenched his hands dramatically, as though pulling on something heavy. The mightiest of clouds above him responded, tugged out of their comfort, spinning unnaturally as Lidayel seemingly tore through the layer he himself had so carefully built.

  A crack of light and thunder heralded, the drops pulsating from above, pushing away from the clouds. There was a brief anticipation before the cold and the wet sagged in completion.

  …and then the rivulets ran. The rain became incredibly hard, the sky widening its maw to douse the land. Cid and company tried to find cover vainly under an outcropping as the onslaught soaked their clothes within moments, yet all of them could not help but show elation as this giant dry Basin met its match against the waters of the sky.

  The canyon flooded, nothing escaping the downpour as even Hashur was obscured in the veil. Lidayel, down below in the Basin, remained fast to sustain his magic, his hands spread open humbly now at his sides, his stance seemingly welcoming. Already the Basin hungrily accepted the water into its folds so that Lidayel’s ankles were submerged.

  And then his knees…

  And then later his waist…

  Past a certain point Cid accepted that Lidayel was using his power to keep the water from swallowing him completely.

  The rain lasted with incredible intensity as though the clouds were saying collectively: “you’ve asked for me, now I’m here to stay.” The pinnacle itself must’ve grown nervous as the water crept up its base.

  The outcropping where underneath Cid and the rest found shelter was the only dry ground in sight as it split the waters before it cascaded down the plateau steppes and into the fold, saving them from being swept by the flash of muddied water raging past.

  The mix of dust and moist gave a unique and refreshing scent, overpowering on this scale, and it reminded Cid of when he was doing patrols on Lanston’s countryside with Brunick as young soldiers. When the rain came, the local farmers would invite the havenless men to find shelter at their houses, standing alongside the hardened sun-beaten men and women under their veranda’s, watching in silence as the waiting land received its long overdue gift. It was never lost on Cid and Brunick when they stood there how much the farmers appreciated the rain, for they would remain as statues for all the duration of the downpour, watching, much like they were watching now.

  It was when it seemed that it would never stop raining that the clouds thinned out, sun beams tearing desperately through the sullen cover. Down below the sights and sounds of rushing water converged from every direction onto the Basin. The entire landscape changed colour and when the sun made its comeback a spectacular rainbow presented itself, stretching across the expanse of the valley. The Basin now resembled a lake, the water lively with movement as it would not come to rest until it all gathered at the lowest point possible.

  Cid felt a strong hope, as though things were finally swinging back into their favour. With the Basin as it was neither Lanston nor the Fallen could approach it, the water barring the path. Lanston had a chance now, as long as Cid could get his say.

  From afar they saw Lidayel slowly walking from the centre, wallowing toward them, using his power sparingly to part the waters and carve an easier path. Cid could only imagine how tired he must’ve been. Nevertheless he allowed himself to grin as the Summoner approached, Lidayel himself smiling quietly.

  In the Lanston warcamp…

  The downpour had hit them hard as well. So intense did the rain come that some of the tents were crushed flat under the rapid weight, men crawling out of them
soaking wet, either laughing or cursing in helplessness. Luckily for the soldiers all the water was running downhill into the Basin. Stelinger however knew what this meant. He kept his tent flap open aslight, peering to the outside as Reighler stood behind him.

  ‘This is the Summoner’s doing,’ said Stelinger.

  ‘To be sure young master, he called up a phenomenal power to create this storm,’ said Reighler.

  ‘Impressive,’ mumbled Stelinger, ‘although delaying us will not stop the war.’

  ‘My master, I wish to express concern. If the Summoner calls on-’

  ‘He won’t,’ stated Stelinger. ‘Tomorrow we will ride out and take care of them. I will not allow Cid to be a thorn for a day longer.’

  ‘Master, there are only so few a man you can confront them with, and honestly, we do not stand a chance against them,’ said Reighler with concern.

  ‘You are right, but I do not intend to take them face on,’ said Stelinger, turning to Reighler. ‘Cid carries his spear, Mindevhier, a Hethellean weapon like mine. With it he can dispatch both Brunick and the Summoner.’

  ‘You wish to corrupt Cid,’ said Reighler, a malevolent grin growing on his face.

  ‘We will ride out and isolate him. I will work my magic, you see, I know how to anger Cid, anger and hatred is the key. Then you can work your magic,’ said Stelinger, picturing a set of dull white eyes.

  They sat but huddled around a wet, smoky and struggling campfire that night, ensuring that they would all turn to sleep quite early, none more so than Lidayel.

  ‘Who was that man we saw with the Fallen today?’ asked Vanapha finally.

  Cid raised his eyebrow.

  ‘I know you recognized him Cid… that man who stood with the Priests?’

  The rest look questionably at the two, Cid unsure whether to make assumptions and raise unnecessary fears.

  ‘I thought you saw nothing, I didn’t say anything because you didn’t,’ said Cid.

  ‘I was… caught off guard, I had not known the Priests could take hold of my Sight like they did,’ admitted Vanapha.