The Power of Seven

by Peter R. Ellis

  Where could Sieffre and Hedydd be? She couldn’t work out directions. With the patterns of the stars distorted there was no Pole Star to point to the north. She didn’t know which way to go to retrace the steps they had taken from the mountains to the Conjunction. How could she find them? She wanted to call but shouting would be no good. It was friendship and love which urged her. Love? That implied efyddyn, the metal of communication. Of course. She had the power to communicate through the power of copper. She let the feeling of love for Sieffre and Hedydd wash through her. She held it in her mind. There too were the hateful cries of the spirits; she ignored them as best she could. She called to Sieffre and Hedydd and waited for a reply. Was there one? Were they still alive or were they dead from cold or the manifestations or, a more horrifying thought, turned to evil? She called again and again, but no reply came out of the frozen wastes, until, yes, a faint whisper of response. She grabbed hold of it, concentrated and transported.

  The landscape had barely changed. She was amongst cliffs and crevasses of ice and snow, but the stars in the sky were a little brighter and the cacophony of the spirits was a little less, though still hurtful. She must be further from the incoming Malevolence. Where were they? She felt Sieffre’s character in her mind. She recognised him now but the call was still weak. She changed into the black panther and padded around trying to locate the source of Sieffre’s signal. She raised her snout and sniffed the air for the odour of people. Yes, there it was – just a hint. She followed it and began to scrape with her paws in the snow.

  A piece of grey cloth. She scraped more urgently. A leg. A body. Sieffre, and wrapped in his arms was Hedydd. They were cold. Were they dead? No, Sieffre’s signal told her he was alive. September changed to her human self and touched Hedydd. An even fainter call of life came from her. They were alive but close to perishing in the cold. She must revive them, restore them. Compassion. That was the key. Arian, the metal of healing. Her hand holding the starstone turned silver. She pressed it to Hedydd’s head. She felt energy pass from her, the young woman warming. She began to stir. September moved her hand to Sieffre and in moments he too began to shiver.

  They were waking, moving, sitting up, looking around. They saw her. Their eyes widened.

  “Cludydd!”

  “September!”

  September felt such an overpowering feeling of joy that she flung her arms around both of them, pulling them to her, hugging them and enveloping them in her leaden cloak. Even through their clothes she could feel how cold they were. Nevertheless she felt hope at last for the future. Perhaps she could undo more of the evil caused by her failure to oppose the Malevolence. She felt the energy of aur flowing in her and she passed it to her friends as heat.

  “What happened?” Sieffre asked.

  “I failed,” September said, “The Malevolence got through and is destroying the Earth.”

  “But you are here,” Hedydd said.

  “Yes. I came back. We must find a way to defeat Malice and send the Malevolence away. Then I remembered that you were still here on the ice. I had to find you.”

  “I’m glad you did. I fear we were close to death,” Sieffre said, shaking his head.

  “It was so dark and cold,” Hedydd agreed.

  “I felt sure that manifestations would get you,” September said.

  “We were afraid,” Sieffre admitted, “When we left you we hurried as fast as we could to get away. We saw violet light and shafts of darkness.”

  “That was me and Malice fighting,” September nodded, “I couldn’t overpower her. I had to escape back home. I ran away.”

  “We understand,” Hedydd said kindly, “Malice had the force of all the Malevolence with her.”

  “The light disappeared,” Sieffre went on, “and then darkness spread across the sky and a countless number of spirits was all around us. Each one was speeding off to the ends of the Earth.”

  “Their cries of hate were unbearable,” Hedydd said, “Sieffre suggested that we should bury ourselves in the snow to hide from manifestations. That’s what we did, but it was so cold.”

  “But the spirits passed over you and rushed on to take on their forms elsewhere,” September said, “I’m just so pleased that I have found you.”

  “How long were we buried for?” Sieffre asked, “I lost track of time and then we just drifted into the sleep of the dead.”

  “It is the morning of the third day since the Conjunction. The spirits have spread across the Land. Settlements are under siege and the country is being destroyed.”

  “Then why are you here?” Sieffre demanded to know, “There is a world to save.”

  “I know, but I couldn’t do anything before I knew what had happened to you.”

  “We don’t matter. The future of Gwlad does.”

  “I must get you back to Mwyngloddiau.”

  “How? Even on the back of your panther it would take days and your eagle cannot carry both of us. You cannot afford the time. We have seen the numbers of spirits that have come to lay waste to Daear.” Indeed an endless procession of the screeching spirits continued to pass over their heads.

  September stared at Sieffre. She hadn’t thought how to rescue Sieffre and Hedydd once she had found them.

  “Symudiad. I must transport you,” September stated.

  “You mean, from here to there in an instant,” Hedydd said.

  “Yes.”

  “But I thought only you could perform that miracle,” Sieffre said doubtfully, “You alone of all the cludyddau have shown that skill. It is not mentioned in any of the tales.”

  “You’re right, I know, it’s never been done,” September said, “I didn’t think of it before but there is no other way. I have to try.” She was thinking hard. How could she carry Sieffre and Hedydd with her when she teleported from one place to another? She needed a way of linking together, of reinforcing the bond between them, so that they stayed as one when she moved. Reinforcement. The quality of alcam. She was filled with joy. That was it. She turned her hand above her head and bands of silver-coloured tin formed a helix binding the three of them together. Sieffre and Hedydd looked around at the strips of metal winding around them.

  “Cludydd?” Sieffre said, “Will this work?”

  “I don’t know but hold on tight. We’re going.” Sieffre and Hedydd flung their arms around her. September raised her hand with the starstone and thought of Mwyngloddiau Dwfn. Golden light fanned out from the stone enclosing them in a cone.

  September staggered. Sieffre and Hedydd fell to the ground as the tin ribbons dissipated and they released their grip on her. They sprawled dazed on the floor of the Mordeyrn’s meeting room. September looked around and saw an expression of delight appear on Aurddolen’s face.

  “I can scarce believe it, Cludydd,” he said, “you found them and returned with them.”

  “How did you do it?” Mother asked looking astonished, “I never learnt this skill.”

  “I didn’t know I could do it either,” September admitted, “but I combined the power of tin with the starstone and just, sort of, brought them with me.”

  “Well, good, but you used up a good hour of the morning,” Mother scolded, “We must get on and decide what we are going to do about disposing of the Malevolence.”

  September thought she sounded as if she was just going to do a spot of cleaning not dealing with the biggest threat to the existence of the universe.

  “Yes, Mother, any ideas?”

  Sieffre and Hedydd crawled onto cushions and sat staring at the two Cludyddau and the Mordeyrn in awe. The door opened and Ilar staggered in, panting hard. Behind her was Cari. As similar as twins with their white skin and black hair, now they both looked exhausted after their climb from the mines. For a moment they both stood leaning on the door and staring in wonder at the two Cludyddau, Aurddolen, Sieffre, Hedydd and the body of Heulwen.

  “Come in, come in,” Aurddolen called, sounding more like his old, powerful self, “Join us, cludyddau,
your knowledge will be invaluable.”

  “The people…?” September began.

  “Climbing the ladders,” Cari replied, “Cynhaern and Heulfryn are organising the queues, Cynwal and Isfoel are checking the tunnels.”

  “And Ariannell is caring for the sick,” Ilar added.

  “Good, good,” the Mordeyrn, muttered, “Let us to business. We must hasten to devise a way of defeating Malice and of driving the Malevolence from the Land.”

  “It is a daunting task,” Sieffre said, “The number of spirits coming from above the stars is too many to measure.”

  “More and more manifestations crowd around our defences,” Ilar said, “We looked into the sky when we reached the surface and saw flocks of Adarllwchgwin covering the dome and Draig tân falling towards us one after the other. I’m not sure how much longer the barrier can absorb these energies.”

  “The Malevolence is here,” Breuddwyd said, “but why? What does it need?”

  “It has no needs,” Aurddolen asserted, “Destruction is its sole ambition. It wants to destroy every living thing and every scrap of matter. It wants to eliminate the whole universe.”

  “Your universe,” September corrected, “the structure and laws of your universe are different to mine.”

  Aurddolen looked confused.

  “You’re right, Cludydd. I cannot speak for your universe, but who knows what could happen if the Malevolence succeeds here.”

  “What can we do?” Cari asked.

  “We must find Malice/Mairwen, and stop her from wielding her power,” September announced.

  “How?” Ilar asked.

  “I’m not sure, but I think that is your job, Mother. She responded to you. OK, she killed Heulwen but you gave her something to think about.”

  “She is my daughter.”

  “Exactly, and that gives you some influence, although I’m not sure how you are going to use it.”

  “But even with Malice dealt with, the Malevolence remains amongst us,” Aurddolen said.

  “Yes, and it is my task, still, to send it back where it came from,” September said firmly, “but before I can do anything I need answers to some questions that I have.”

  Aurddolen sat on one of the stone tables, still holding his staff upright.

  “I’ll try to help you,” he said.

  “We all will,” Ilar insisted.

  “You said that the Malevolence wants to eliminate the whole universe, not just this world. You mean the planets and stars as well?”

  “The planets, yes. The evil spirits will spread out from Daear and devour all the planets.”

  “That’s because the planets and Daear are basically made of the same stuff?”

  “Yes.” Aurddolen nodded.

  “So the seven metals and the four elements are the same thing?”

  “The four elements make up each of the metals in different proportions. That is correct.”

  “But the stars are different aren’t they?”

  There was a hush as everyone looked to Aurddolen to answer.

  “Yes.” Aurddolen’s eyes had a look of expectation as if he knew that September had an insight.

  “The stars and the Maengolauseren are made of a fifth element that’s called quintessence in my home. Is that right?” September recalled the information she had gleaned from the internet.

  “Yes. In the old tongue it is called egwyddorpum.”

  “Nothing else on Daear or the planets is made of this quintessence.”

  “It may be at the centre of Daear but out of our reach” Cari explained, “We just find tiny fragments of starstone that we use for lighting but they are hardly bigger than particles of dust.”

  “Nevertheless, without egwyddorpum the universe would not exist,” Aurddolen said, “The emanation of egwyddorpum fills the universe from the centre of Daear to the sphere of stars. It is what makes time and space. Outside our universe there is neither.”

  “But the Malevolence cannot control it like it does the other elements?”

  “You are right., The spirits of the Malevolence are from above the stars. Until the Cysylltiad they could only exist here by moulding the elements to their forms and still they must do that to exert their hate. They cannot use egwyddorpum but they can imprison it, nullify its life-giving power. That is the ultimate aim of the Malevolence,” Aurddolen said with a tone of great sadness.

  “The end of everything,” Hedydd sighed.

  “The destruction of space and time and all that is within it.” Sieffre shook his head in disbelief.

  “But the Maengolauseren opposes the Malevolence and can defeat it?” September asked, needing reassurance.

  “Oppose yes. Defeat no. All that can be done is to push the Malevolence from within the sphere of stars. Usually the forces of the planets are enough to hold it at bay but as you know at a Conjunction that defence fails and then only the power of the Maengolauseren can push it back. That has been the pattern until this cycle and the appearance of Malice.”

  “That is my task and I must succeed.” September slammed the fist holding her piece of starstone into her other palm.

  “If Cludydd Breuddwyd can subdue Malice, perhaps your power can force the Malevolence back above the stars,” Aurddolen stated, looking worried as if he was not certain that she could do it.

  “The Malevolence has spread across Daear. It will be harder for me to round up all the spirits and send them back,” September said.

  “The power of the planets and the cludyddau can help,” Ilar said.

  “But the cludyddau are spread out across the Land. Most of them don’t even know that Mother and me are here,” September said.

  Aurddolen sagged again. “That is true. The spirits have brought chaos to our community.”

  “My mind is filled with their hate,” Cari said, holding her head in her hands, “I cannot hear my fellows.”

  “But perhaps there’s another way.” An idea had come to September. Aurddolen looked interested. “The seven metals are each mixtures of the four elements. So they’re all the same really. Lead is made of the same stuff as gold.”

  “That is true but…” Aurddolen looked perplexed.

  “Back home when people believed all this stuff about four elements, some of them thought that other metals could be turned to gold.”

  Aurddolen’s mouth dropped open.

  “That is heresy!” he thundered.

  “How can you shout heresy when you don’t believe in God the Father and Christ his Son,” Breuddwyd cried, her eyes blazing.

  “Mother, calm down,” September urged, “This isn’t about religion.”

  “I don’t know who your God or this Christ you call on, are,” the Mordeyrn said in a more controlled voice, “but to suggest that one metal can be converted into another goes against all our understanding. Cludydd, you know yourself that each metal is associated with a single planet; Aur with Haul, Arian with Lleuad and so on. How can the metals of one planet be converted into the metal of another?”

  “But you agreed that each of the planets are themselves made of the four elements,” September replied, convinced she was onto something.

  “Yes,” Aurddolen nodded, “but even so…”

  “Mordeyrn, you are ignoring the tales,” Cari said.

  “Tales?”

  “Yes. You know the stories of the Cemegwr.”

  Aurddolen waved his hands dismissively.

  “Mere myths told to children.”

  “They are not children’s stories,” Cari insisted, “They are passed from one cludydd o efyddyn to another.”

  “I too have heard tales of the Cemegwr, on my journeys,” Sieffre said, “but they seemed like strange fantasies.”

  Aurddolen sighed and seemed to shrink.

  “The Cemegwr are a fabled people who claimed to have created the world,” he explained, “It is said they live apart from the rest of our communities and have nothing to do with cludyddau or their powers. It is claimed they are able
to mix water, earth, air and fire to make strange materials and metals, especially gold. But they are stories told by people who have no knowledge of the powers of the metals or planets.”

  “Why gold?” September asked, “It doesn’t have the same value here as at home. You don’t use money.”

  “You are right. All the metals have their powers and uses that are invaluable but the Sun is the greatest of the planets as it provides warmth for all living things on Earth, so Aur is the first among the metals. It is why I, the Prif-cludydd o aur, am considered the Mordeyrn of all the peoples of the Land, though I am hardly worthy of such prominence. In the absence of the Cludydd o Maengolauseren the cludyddau o aur wield the greatest force opposing the Malevolence.”

  “Perhaps these Cemegwr have skills that I could use,” September wondered.

  Aurddolen’s cheeks turned red and he looked as though he was about to explode.

  “They do not exist, I tell you. Their powers are mere myths.”

  “You do not know that that they don’t exist,” Breuddwyd said gently but firmly, “you may deny the stories but if you have made no attempt to disprove the legends then how can you be sure?”

  “But they claim to control the power of the metals without the authority of the planets given to cludyddau. They contradict all that has been revealed to us.” Aurddolen was defensive now rather than angry.

  “You seem to know quite a bit about them,” September said.

  “Of course I have heard the rumours, but there is nothing written about them in any of the books. Heulyn wrote nothing about them.”

  “I don’t remember hearing anything about them,” Breuddwyd agreed.

  “Nevertheless, the stories go on,” Cari insisted, “Perhaps it is the same one circulating over and over again, or perhaps there are occasional contacts with the Cemegwr that keep the rumours alive.”

  “I think they could have something to offer us,” Ilar said soothingly, “we must not reject their ideas because they differ from ours.”