The Power of Seven

by Peter R. Ellis

  “No one on Daear can equal my power,” the voice of Heulwen went on, “My vengeance will be terrible on those who think they can strike at my servants.”

  “That is Mairwen speaking?” Breuddwyd asked.

  “Mairwen. Malice, whatever. She thinks she has all the power.”

  “My daughter,” Breuddwyd cried and pulling her hand from September’s, stepped forward, “Mairwen, listen to me if you can hear me.”

  “Who speaks?”

  “I’m your mother.”

  The column of red light was convulsed. Heulwen’s body was tossed from side to side and shaken. The light seemed to fade for a moment and then was restored.

  “Mother? I have no mother. I was born in the dark. Dark was all I knew for an eternity.”

  “No Mairwen. I carried you, with September, but you died.”

  “I was denied life. You cast me away. You, like everything in the universe, living or material, will feel my vengeance.”

  “There is no need for revenge. I held you after you were born. Your body was cold. Nothing could have been done to save you. I loved you. I named you. You are called Mairwen.”

  “Malice is my name and malice is my nature. You will feel my wrath as my sister did.”

  “You didn’t defeat September. She is here now and together we will make you understand that there is no need for hate when God loves you.”

  “God? What is god? You shall not stand against me. The Malevolence will complete its destruction of this world and I will direct its power.”

  “No, Mairwen. That is not the way.” Breuddwyd appealed to the figure of Heulwen hanging in the air, “Leave this poor girl. Let us meet so I can show you what I mean by God’s love and salvation.”

  “She has served her purpose, this daughter of the Mordeyrn. Her powers are weak. I will meet you myself with all the powers of the Malevolence to torment you.”

  The red light died and Heulwen fell to the stone table. She lay in a heap of contorted limbs. Somewhere above them there was a crash of thunder.

  “See if she is still alive,” September shouted as she ran from the room and bounded up the stairs. She ran into Aurddolen’s quarters. The bedroom was in ruins, furniture destroyed and stone ripped from the walls but the golden sphere was gone. Aurddolen was kneeling, his right hand still gripping his golden staff. September ran to him.

  “Aurddolen, are you alright?” She righted a stool and helped him on to it. His face was drawn with fatigue and his shoulders shook uncontrollably. He sagged in her arms and looked up at her, at first not seeing her. Recognition came.

  “Cludydd! You are still here,” he murmured, his voice weak and faint.

  “I’ve come back. I’ll explain later, but are you OK? I saw the golden light surrounding you.”

  “For an unfathomable time I have had to oppose that constricting light. It was the work of my daughter, or rather Malice working through her.”

  “What happened?”

  Aurddolen took several deep breaths, licked his dry lips and spoke.

  “It was the time appointed, the moment of the Conjunction. We were in the square – the cludyddau and the people. We expected a feeling of release and hope as you defeated the Malevolence and drove it back above the stars. We thought there might be a visible sign in the north, a burst of your violet light. Instead there was darkness. The northern sky became black and the stars disappeared. The darkness spread. Then the spirits came.”

  “They couldn’t get through the dome?”

  “No, but they were all around. We could feel their hate. Cari collapsed, her head filled with the cries of the spirits which deafened her to the calls of other cludyddau o efyddyn. Hordes of manifestations appeared all around and above the barrier. Ilar and Cynwal felt their energy drained by the forces trying to gain entry but thanks to you it held.”

  “I thought you would be safe inside the dome.”

  “So did we. Of course we knew something had gone wrong. We realised that somehow you had been unable to drive the Malevolence from the world and that its full power was being unleashed on the Land.”

  “What did you do?”

  “We didn’t know what to do. We had no plans for such an eventuality. Our hopes rested on your success, were focussed on you.”

  Tears welled up in September’s eyes. She held the Mordeyrn in her arms.

  “I’m sorry,” she cried, “I was ready for the Malevolence, but not for Malice. She overpowered me and I had to escape.”

  “Where?”

  “Home.”

  “But you have come back. The end has not come yet. You still have the Maengolauseren?”

  “Yes. Well, half of it.”

  “Half?”

  “Mother has the other half.”

  “Your Mother? The Cludydd Breuddwyd?”

  “Yes, she’s here, downstairs, with Heulwen.”

  “Heulwen? She is still here?”

  “She was. I’m afraid she’s dead.” If it was possible for Aurddolen to sink even more, he did so. His body seemed to shrink in September’s arms. The brief resurgence when he realised that she was back with all her power, gone.

  “Tell me what happened after the Conjunction,” September urged. Aurddolen didn’t answer for a few moments, absorbed in the misery of his loss. Then he spoke in a whisper.

  “We met downstairs, all the cludyddau, but I felt impelled to check on Heulwen. I came up here and she was on her feet, her eyes open. I thought that somehow she had recovered, but she was radiating red light and I realised that it was not my daughter I was seeing. She had become a servant of the Malevolence, an acolyte of Malice. She didn’t even speak to me but flung her bolts of energy as soon as I appeared. I barely fended them off with the power of aur. She threw more energy at me and I was trapped. I just about had the power to hold her energy at bay but a moment’s loss of concentration, I knew, would result in my death or worse. It felt like I stood there for the age of the universe. I do not think I could have withstood her power for much longer. You have saved me, Cludydd.”

  “For now perhaps.”

  “But Heulwen is dead, you say. Take me to her.” He tried to rise, but his exhausted muscles failed and he collapsed again into September’s arms. He pleaded, “Tell me what happened to her.”

  “She met us when Mother and I arrived. She fought us but together we were able to beat her. She collapsed again into the coma she was in before, but then when I came up here and found you, Malice took her over. Mother told her who she was and Malice went wild, shook Heulwen’s body and flung her onto the floor. Malice killed her, not us.”

  “I would not have blamed you, Cludydd if you had. She was not my daughter and I was a fool to think I could get her back. Where are the others?”

  “The others? You mean the people and the cludydds?”

  “Yes.”

  “There’s no-one around. The town is deserted.”

  “What has happened? How long was I trapped for?”

  “This is the third day since the Conjunction. Mother and I only got back this morning.”

  “So Heulwen had two days to wreak the vengeance of the Malevolence inside the dome.”

  “She bragged to us about making everyone run away.”

  “But the manifestations were outside the barrier – they can’t have left.”

  September remembered how she and Cynwal and Ilar had set up the barrier as a sphere surrounding the town.

  “There’s only one place they can be,” she said.

  “Where?”

  “In the mine. The dome is a sphere enclosing the shafts beneath the town.”

  For the first time a hint of a smile passed across the Mordeyrn’s grey, lined face.

  “Of course. Heulwen has never been to the mines. She wouldn’t have known where the people ran to. They may still be safe if they haven’t ventured beyond the barrier, and if it still holds.”

  “It’s still there; there are no manifestations in the town. Malice could only re
ach inside through Heulwen. She couldn’t get in herself.”

  “Help me. I must see my daughter’s body and we must summon the people.”

  September hauled Aurddolen onto his feet, surprised at how light he felt. She put her arms around him and half-carried and half-supported him down the stairs, his golden staff still gripped in his right hand. In the meeting hall, Breuddwyd stood beside the crumpled body of Heulwen. September released the Mordeyrn when they reached her and he fell to his knees, sobbing.

  “This is your Mordeyrn?” Breuddwyd said, with some doubt in her voice.

  September knelt beside Aurddolen.

  “Yes. He’s exhausted. Heulwen had him trapped.” She bent close to the Mordeyrn, whispering, “Aurddolen this is my mother, Breuddwyd.”

  He looked up, and September saw the sadness in his eyes but as he looked from September to Breuddwyd a light appeared and his skin took on a healthier hue.

  “Two Cludyddau o Maengolauseren. Perhaps there is hope for us and the loss of my daughter can be assuaged,” he murmured looking back down at the still form of the young woman. “Is her spirit amongst the Malevolence or has it returned to the centre of Daear for re-birth? I do not know but while I live and you are here, both of you bearers of the starstone, then we can resist the power of evil.” He stood up, creakily, his back bent, an old man, but he gripped his staff firmly and it glowed with golden light.”

  “Yes, Mordeyrn, we can do it,” September said, summoning all the strength and defiance in her voice that she could, “but time is short. Other settlements are exposed to the manifestations. From what we saw at Amaethaderyn the Malevolence is destroying everything and soon there won’t be any people left in Gwlad or a land to live in.”

  Some of the sadness reappeared in Aurddolen’s expression.

  “You are right but first we must recall the people of Mwyngloddiau Dwfn, if they are indeed hiding in the tunnels. Tell them that Heulwen is no more and that their energy and skills are needed.”

  “I’ll go,” September said, “I can find my way around the mines I think. Mother, you and Aurddolen can get to know each other and find a way out of this mess.”

  September didn’t run from the building but holding her piece of starstone aloft transported to the top of the mine workings.

  She stood beside the vertical shaft. It was dark and empty. The cage must be at the bottom. There was just a ladder that descended into the depths. How was she to make contact with the people? The shaft was too narrow for her to fly down as the eagle. It would take too long to slither down as the cobra. She jumped. At first she fell swiftly but the starstone in her hand glowed and she slowed. The shaft descended hundreds of metres into the mountains well beyond the defensive dome so the people must be in the side shafts closer to the ground. The violet light from the stone hardly provided any illumination so September used her hope of finding the citizens of the town to summon the power of gold. Bright yellow light burst from her hand holding the Maengolauseren. Now she could see her surroundings. She noticed an opening in the side of the shaft and, slowing her fall, she stepped onto the floor of the adit. Her light lit up a hundred metres of the tunnel before a bend obscured her view.

  “Hello, is anybody there?” she called, her voice reverberating off the rock walls. The echoes died and there was silence. Then a distant voice called out.

  “Who is that? Announce yourself!”

  “It’s me, September, the Cludydd o Maengolauseren. It’s safe to come back to the surface.”

  There was no reply but then there was the sound of many feet running over the rubble strewn floor of the shaft. People appeared in the distance and rushed towards her some carrying torches with tiny shards of starstone. With some difficulty the leaders of the crowd stopped metres from her and held their arms out to hold back the people behind them. Cynhaearn and Ilar were amongst the half dozen at the front. They stared at her.

  “It is you,” Cynhaearn said quietly.

  “Yes, I’m back,” September said.

  “Is the Malevolence defeated?” Ilar asked, hope flickering in her care-worn face.

  “No, but Heulwen is dead and the dome still protects the town. You can all come back to the surface.”

  “How can we trust you?” a voice behind Cynhaearn shouted.

  “You let us down,” another cried.

  “You let the Malevolence fall on us,” a third accused. Other voices agreed. September felt guilty and full of remorse but she knew she had to respond.

  “You’re right. I did let you down – once,” she said, “I was not prepared to face the Malevolence and Malice. I couldn’t stop the hateful spirits from coming down to the Land. But I am here now with the Cludydd Breuddwyd and together with Aurddolen and you we shall defeat the menace of evil.” She was proud of her words but knew that they were empty until she and Mother found an answer.

  “We don’t doubt you,” Cynhaearn said, “and we will fight the evil until there is not one of us left. We are the people of Mynydd Tywyll!” His voice carried back along the tunnel. The dissenters were overwhelmed by the cries of agreement. September could feel the hope and the anger of defiance radiating from them. She felt confident for the first time since she had returned to Gwlad.

  “Let us return to our homes,” Ilar urged and stepped forward. September turned and with her light led the people to the end of the tunnel. She stood on the edge looking down into the depths and up to the distant faint grey opening.

  “Where is the cage to carry you to the surface?” September asked.

  “Down there,” Cynhaearn replied pointingdown the shaft, “We cut the ropes to stop anyone coming down after us – or up. Hordes of Tywyll teg, Coblynau, and Gwyllian fill the shafts and tunnel beyond the dome. We will have to climb the ladders.”

  “Is everyone with you?” September said.

  “No. We’re spread out on various levels,” Ilar answered, “but we can send word to the others.”

  “Come on. We had better start climbing,” Cynhaearn said, staring up at the ladder.

  “I’ll meet you at the top,” September said, “I must get back to Aurddolen and my mother.”

  “Did you really mean that the Cludydd Breuddwyd is with you?” Ilar asked.

  “Yes. She’s here to help.” September lifted her hand and performed symudiad.

  She was back with Breuddwyd, Aurddolen and the still form of Heulwen.

  “You have found them?” Aurddolen asked eagerly, but still with fatigue in his voice.

  “Yes. I’ve spoken to Cynhaearn and Ilar. They’re starting to climb up the shaft. The lift is broken.”

  “In that case it will take them some time before they return.”

  “Some of the people were angry with me,” September said forlornly, “they blamed me for the coming of the Malevolence.”

  “You must expect that, love,” Breuddwyd said, “They had faith in you which you were unable to justify. We must do something quickly to restore that faith.”

  “I’m not interested in people worshipping me,” September said, anger rising inside her, “I just want to get the job done – if we can. I want to see all my friends, the people I know, safe.” She covered her face with a hand, suddenly. “What am I saying – my friends, Sieffre and Hedydd!”

  “What about them?” Aurddolen asked.

  “I left them on the ice. Hedydd guided me to the spot that you and Eryl had calculated. They left me there and started to walk back, but it was only hours before the Conjunction.”

  Aurddolen looked tired and sad.

  “They must surely have perished when the Malevolence descended. They were so close to the vortex of spirits.”

  “No, they can’t be dead,” September cried, “they helped me. I can’t have caused them to die. I must find them.”

  “September!” Breuddwyd said in the voice that September was familiar with when being scolded, “We have many more people to save. You haven’t got time to go off to the polar regions.”

&n
bsp; “I must. Two people or millions. I must try to save them all.” She didn’t wait for any more arguments but closed her fingers around her piece of starstone and imagined herself at the site of the Conjunction.

  18

  It was dark; darker than she had ever known. Even when she had been outside the universe there had at least been the distant spark of the sphere of stars. Here there was no light whatsoever. Her feet rested on ice but she could barely keep her balance. Her head span with the voiceless cries of hate from the torrent of spirits that fell on and around her. September put her hands on her head and screamed to try and block out the piercing wails that filled her mind.

  Here was the spot where the Malevolence came to Earth, the portal from beyond the stars. The stars themselves had been pushed aside, the Sun and all the planets still hidden by the bulk of the Earth. Spirits arrived in a ceaseless flow and soared away to spread their hate across the Land.

  September sank to her knees, battered by the weight of hate, the agony in her hip spreading across her whole body. She could barely think, but a kernel of herself remained. You’re the Cludydd o Maengolauseren. You have the powers of the seven planets and seven metals given to you by your control of the seven emotions. You can get out of this. Protection. Defence. That was what she needed. The thought of what was happening across Gwlad, to the people and the land itself made her sad. Sadness meant plwm. Plwm was security.

  A grey shroud of virtual lead formed around her. At once the spirits were repelled. The drumming of their hate decreased. Her pain lessened but didn’t fade completely. September breathed in. She could think again. She rose to her feet and stepped away from the focus of the stream of spirits. Direction didn’t matter, just displacement from the descending Malevolence. The cloak of lead wrapped around her, shielding her from the hate and vengeance of the spirits.

  One metre; ten; a hundred. There seemed no change to the darkness or the column of descending spirits. A thousand metres – was that a glow in the sky? Were the cries of the spirits weaker? Another kilometre and she was sure. She was emerging from the core of the Malevolence. Above she saw a faint segment of the circle of stars forced from their natural constellations. There was no other source of light but she could just make out the ice at her feet and the rough, cold plain stretching away from her into the polar night.