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The Power of Seven

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by Peter R. Ellis




  The planets inexorably head for the Conjunction that presages September’s greatest challenge

  September Weekes found a smooth stone which took her to Gwlad, the Land, where the people hailed her as the Cludydd o Maengolauseren, the bearer of the starstone, with the power to defend them against the evil known as the Malevolence. Now, having reached Arsyllfa she is re-united with the Mordeyrn Aurddolen with whom, together with the other senior metal bearers that make up the Council of Gwlad, she must plan the defence of the Land.

  The time of the next Conjunction will soon be at hand. The planets, the Sun and the Moon will all be together in the sky. At that point the protection of the heavenly bodies will be at its weakest and Gwlad will be more dependent than ever on September. But now it seems that she must defeat Malice, the guiding force behind the Malevolence, if she is to save the Land and all its people. Will she be strong enough; and, if not, to whom can she turn for help?

  The Power of Seven is the second volume in the thrilling fantasy series, Evil Above the Stars, by Peter R. Ellis, that appeals to readers, of all ages, of fantasy or science fiction, especially fans of JRR Tolkien and Stephen Donaldson. If old theories are correct until a new idea comes along, does the universe change with our perception of it? Were the ideas embodied in alchemy ever right? What realities were the basis of Celtic mythology?

  Evil above the Stars

  Volume 2

  The Power

  of Seven

  Peter R. Ellis

  Elsewhen Press

  The Power of Seven

  First published in Great Britain by Elsewhen Press, 2015

  An imprint of Alnpete Limited

  Copyright © Peter R. Ellis, 2015. All rights reserved

  The right of Peter R. Ellis to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, telepathic, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

  Elsewhen Press, PO Box 757, Dartford, Kent DA2 7TQ

  www.elsewhen.co.uk

  British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

  A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 978-1-908168-61-0 Print edition

  ISBN 978-1-908168-71-9 eBook edition

  Condition of Sale

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.

  Elsewhen Press & Planet-Clock Design are trademarks of Alnpete Limited

  Converted to eBook format by Elsewhen Press

  This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events are either a product of the author’s fertile imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places or people (living or dead) is purely coincidental.

  Contents

  Part 3 ~ Conjunction

  Part 4 ~ Partnership

  To Alison

  Pronunciation guide

  The ‘old tongue’ used by the people of the Land is derived from Celtic languages such as Welsh. General guidelines on pronunciation are as follows:

  ‘ll’ does not occur in English, in the glossary it is written as ‘LL’. The sound is made by partly opening the mouth, pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth and blowing gently.

  ‘dd’, written as ‘TH’ in the glossary, is the hard th sound in ‘this’ and ‘that’ but not as in ‘path’.

  ‘a’ is always as in ‘cat’ and not as in ‘ape’.

  ‘e’ is always as in ‘pet’.

  ‘f’ is the v in ‘van’ while ‘ff’ is the f in ‘fan’.

  ‘c’ is always the hard ‘k’ sound in ‘kid’.

  ‘ch’ is similar to ck and pronounced as in the Scottish ‘loch’ and not the English ‘church’.

  ‘g’ is always hard as in ‘god’ and not as in ‘german’.

  ‘o’ is like in ‘on’ but not ‘open’.

  ‘i’ and ‘u’ are pronounced ‘ee’.

  ‘r’s should be rolled.

  ‘si’ is between the sh in ‘shone’ and the j of ‘john’.

  ‘w’ is oo as in ‘cool’.

  ‘y’ is sometimes the u sound in ‘run’, sometimes the i in ‘bin’ and occasionally the ee sound in ‘been’.

  ‘yw’ is pronounced ‘you’.

  ‘ae’, ‘ai’, ‘au’ and ‘ei’ are all pronounced ‘eye’.

  ‘eu’ is the oy in ‘boy’.

  Glossary

  Word

  [Pronunciation] Meaning

  Adarllwchgwin

  [ad-ar-LL-ook-goo-in] giant eagle bearing red devil-like figures with tridents, air manifestations of the Malevolence

  Adwyth

  [ad-oo-eeth] The Malevolence, the evil from above the stars

  Afon Deheuol

  [a-von de-hoy-ol] Southern River, one of the great transport links of Gwlad

  Afon Gogleddol

  [a-von gog-leTH-ol] the great northern river

  alcam

  [al-kam] tin, a silver-grey malleable metal

  Aldyth

  [al-dith] a sword

  Amaethaderyn

  [am-eyeth-ad-er-in] Farm of birds, a village on the Afon Deheuol, the southern river

  Arfordir Dwyrain

  [ar-vord-eer doo-ee-rine] the coastal region on the east of Gwlad

  arian

  [ar-ee-an] silver, a rare silver metal

  arianbyw

  [ar-ee-an-byou] mercury, dense silver liquid metal

  Arsyllfa

  [ar-siLL-va] The observatory-cum-fortress in the Bryn am seren in the west of Gwlad

  Aur

  [eye-er] gold. A rare, maleable, yellow metal

  Bryn-am-seren

  [brin-am-ser-en] Hills of Stars, a range of low mountains in the west of Gwlad

  carregmam

  [kar-reg-mam] mother stone

  Ceffyl dwr

  [kef-ill doo-er] Water horse, a giant aggressive winged horse, a water manifestation of the Malevolence

  Cemegwr

  [kem-egg-oo-er] Creators, chemists, the Makers of everything

  Cludydd

  [klee-deeTH] bearer or wielder

  Coblynau

  [kob-lin-eye] dwarf-like creatures with rock crushing hands, earth manifestations of the Malevolence

  Coedwig Fawr

  [koy-doo-ig vow-er] The Great Forest south of the mountains

  Cwn annwn

  [koon ann-oon] fiery hounds, a fire manifestation of the Malevolence

  Cyrhyraeth

  [kir-hir-eyeth] a moaning, disease-bearing wind, an air-manifestation of the Malevolence

  Cysylltiad

  [Kuss-uLL-tee-ad] The Conjunction, the lining up of all the planets

  Daear

  [die-ar] Earth, the planet at the centre of the universe

  Diffaithmawr

  [dif-eyeth-ma-oo-er] The great desert at the southern end of Gwlad

  Draig tân

  [dry-g tarn] Fiery dragon, comet. A fire manifestation of the Malevolence

  Dwytrefrhaedr

  [doo-ee-trev-rheye-der] The two towns by the waterfall, on the River Deheuol

  efyddyn

  [e-vu-TH-in] copper, a malleable red metal

  egwyddorpum

  [egg-oo-eeTH-or- pim] the quintessence, the fifth element that
forms the stars and the Maengolauseren

  Glanyrafon

  [glan-ur-avon] Village on the bank of the river Deheuol

  Gwener

  [goo-en-er] Venus, the 3rd planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  Gwlad

  [goo-lard] The Land – the occupied continent on Daear

  Gwyllian

  [goo-iLL-ee-an] old women, earth manifestations of the Malevolence

  haearn

  [heye-arn] iron, a hard grey metal

  Haul

  [h-eye-el] Sun, the 4th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  Iau

  [ee-aye] Jupiter, the 6th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  Llamhigwyn y dwr

  [LLam-heeg-oo-in u doo-er] giant flying frogs, a water manifestation of the Malevolence

  Lleuad

  [LL-eye-ad] Moon, the 1st ‘planet’ from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  maengolauseren

  [mine-gol-eye-ser-en] stone of starlight or starstone, the stone of power held by September

  Malevolence

  [mal-ev-o-lens] the power of evil from above the stars

  Mawrth

  [ma-oorth] Mars, the 5th planet from the Earth in the geocentric system

  Mercher

  [mer-ker] Mercury, the 2nd planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  Mordeyrn

  [mor-day-ern] Leader

  Mynydd Tywyll

  [mun-iTH tu-oo-iLL] the dark mountains in the north of Gwlad

  plwm

  [ploom] lead, a dense, soft grey metal

  prif-

  [preev] chief, head

  Pwca

  [Poo-ka] a shape-changer, an air manifestation of the Malevolence

  Sadwrn

  [sad-oo-ern] Saturn, the 7th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system

  seryddwr

  [ser-iTH-oor] observer of the stars and planets

  symudiad

  [see-mud-ee-ad] the ability to transport instantly from one place to another

  Toddfa Penbaladr

  [To-TH-va Pen-bal-ader] The Alkahest or Universal Solvent. The liquid that dissolves and combines everything

  Trefyncoed

  [trev-in-koyd] Town in the trees on banks of the northern river

  Tylwyth teg

  [tul-oo-eeth teg] pale, fairy-like creatures, earth manifestations of the Malevolence

  Dramatis Personae

  Alawn

  [ala-oon] young guide to Bryn-am-seren

  Anarawd

  [an-ar-owd] chief bearer of copper

  Arianell

  [a-ree-an-eLL] bearer of silver at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn

  Arianrhod

  [a-ree-an-rhod] Chief bearer of silver

  Arianwen

  [a-ree-an-oo-en] The cludydd o arian, silver-bearer, of Amaethaderyn

  Aurddolen

  [eye-er-TH-olen] chief bearer of gold and leader of the Land

  Betrys

  [bet-rees] Chief bearer of tin

  Breuddwyd

  [broy-TH-oo-id] September’s mother

  Cari

  [kar-ee] bearer of copper at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn

  Catrin

  [kat-rin] The cludydd o efyddyn, copper-bearer, of Amaethaderyn

  Collen

  [ko-LL-en] elderly guide to Bryn-am-seren and cook

  Cynhaearn

  [kin-heye-arn] Chief bearer of iron

  Cynddylig

  [kin-THil-ig] older man, boatman and river guide

  Cynwal

  [kin-wal] Chief bearer of lead

  Eluned

  [e-lee-ned] The cludydd o arianbyw, mercury bearer, of Amaethaderyn

  Elystan

  [el-is-tan] young guide to Bryn-am-seren

  Eryl

  [er-ril] astronomer

  Gwrion

  [goo-ree-on] mature guide to Bryn-am-seren

  Hedydd

  [hed-eeTH] astronomer's apprentice

  Heini

  [High-nee] Chief bearer of mercury

  Heulfryn

  [hoyl-vrin] bearer of gold at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn

  Heulwen

  [hoyl-oo-en] daughter of Aurddolen

  Heulyn

  [hoyl-in] chief bearer of gold and leader of the land at the last conjunction

  Ilar

  [ill-ar] bearer of tin at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn

  Iorwerth

  [ee-or-oo-er-th] The cludydd o haearn, iron-bearer of Amaethaderyn

  Isfoel

  [is-voy-el] bearer of mercury at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn

  Maerwen

  [my-er-oo-en] the name given to Malice by her mother

  Malice

  twin sister of September

  September

  The Cludydd o Maengolauseren

  Sieffre

  [jef-re] young man, lead guide to the Bryn-am-seren

  Tudfwlch

  [teed-voolk] young warrior and ironsmith, apprentice to Iorwerth

  Previously… in Seventh Child

  Part 1 ~ Arrival

  Looking at the stars through a glassy stone September has found she is transported to the world of her dreams. She is greeted by the Mordeyrn Aurddolen, a bearer of gold, as the Cluddydd o Maengolauseren, the wielder of the starstone, who will save the people of Gwlad from the Malevolence, the “evil from above the stars”. September is told that she has this position of responsibility and power because she is the seventh child. September is confused because she only has four sisters and a brother but nevertheless when she helps Aurddolen resist an attack by a Draig tân, a fire dragon, she discovers that the starstone does indeed have miraculous properties.

  September returns home till the time when the threat of the Malevolence will be reaching its peak. At school she is bullied because of her flab, white hair and silly name and is considered lazy and dim but she finds some answers to the questions her brief visit to Gwlad has posed. On her sixteenth birthday she learns that she had a twin sister who died at birth and that she is indeed the seventh child of her mother. In the evening she looks through the stone at the stars and is again transported to Gwlad.

  Her arrival in the village of Amaethaderyn is welcomed by the bearers of the other six metals but they tell her that she must embark on a long journey following Aurddolen to the fortress-observatory, the Arsyllfa. During the preparations for her departure the village is attacked a number of times by manifestations of the Malevolence and September realises that she is the focus for the attention of the evil.

  Previously… in Seventh Child

  Part 2 ~ Journey

  The metal bearers give her gifts of silver, copper, iron, mercury, tin and lead imbued with the powers of the six planets which, together with the Sun, orbit the stationary world of which Gwlad is part. She sets off on the river in a gold-powered boat accompanied by Tudfwlch, an apprentice warrior/blacksmith and Cynddilig a boatman/guide. During the weeks that follow September learns more about her task but they are attacked by various manifestations. The starstone will protect September but only when she is truly afraid.

  Tudfwlch and Cynddilig are killed and September is rescued by Heulwen, the daughter of Aurddolen. She is taken to Dwytrefrhaedr, the twin towns by the waterfall. From there, September and Heulwen, assisted by warrior/guide Sieffre and four other guards, set off on the final stage of the journey, on foot, across the range of hills known as the Bryn am Seren. Climbing the highest peak with the Arsyllfa at its summit they have to fight through hordes of manifestations. At last they reach the great doors of the fortress but September is hailed by a woman in black who appears to be directing the besieging monsters. She has white hair and a face that September recognises as her own. The woman warns September that the Arsyllfa will become her prison and then unleashes her forces. September steps through the doors of the fortress, her journey complete, but her task barely begun.

  Part 3

  ~

  Conjunction

  1
r />   September looked up and saw Nisien’s dark, lined face. She was resting in his arms, facing the closed iron doors of the Arsyllfa. This was her destination, the culmination of a month’s journey, but she felt drained and more frightened than at any time since she had been summoned to Gwlad. What was the apparition that she had just seen? It looked like a version of her, a shadow of herself; could it really be her unborn twin? What did it mean?

  “Are you hurt, Cludydd?” The deep, mellow voice of the Mordeyrn was familiar and the warmth in his tone so reviving. The burning in her birthmark on her hip was gone and although she was exhausted she discovered that she was actually unharmed. She pushed herself onto her feet and thanked Nisien.

  “No, I’m okay,” she said, seeing the entrance hall of the Arsyllfa for the first time. In contrast to the dull brown of the exterior, the inside was light. The floor and the columns that held the ceiling were of white marble, veined with gold. The walls were also white, and the ceiling high overhead was translucent. Despite the evil fog that had surrounded the peak, light streamed in from above.

 

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