The Awakening

by Joe Jackson

  The archmage then unfolded the paper and perused it. “This makes little sense.”

  “Yeah, we couldn’t figure out what language it was, either.”

  “Hmmm? Oh, it is written in ancient syrinthian,” Karinda commented. “It is the content that makes little sense. The references are all to people and places I have never heard of. This may be something that you must research with other, elder archmages. For now, hold on to this, and see if it provides clarity at a later time.”

  “What the heck is syrinthian?” Starlenia prodded.

  “It is the language of the people of the same name. Have you never heard of the snake-folk of Mehr’Durillia, or what is more commonly called The Underworld?”

  “Snake-folk?” Galadon said, sitting up straight. The companions exchanged glances. “Among the undead we fought with the necromancer were strange corpses that weren’t quite human. It was difficult to make out detail with how desiccated they were, but they had tails.”

  The archmage let out an exaggerated hmmm but added nothing more.

  “Do you know what Tilcimer seeks in all this?” Max queried. “We assume he cannot be trusted, but if he is useful at times, as you said, it would benefit us to know what he is after.”

  The archmage smiled, but something about it gave Leighandra the impression that she was weary. “Tilcimer’s desires are quite basic and straightforward. Though his methods are an enigma, there is honestly little guile to him. He seeks power, wealth, and a mate – and precisely in that order of importance. What his ultimate goal is, I cannot say. But he seeks foremost to be self-sufficient and, I believe, to sire offspring. As the last of his kind, he is keenly beholden to the desire to avoid extinction.”

  Galadon tilted his head. “The last of his kind? What kind is that, exactly?”

  “The seventh and final species of serilis-rir – or demon, if you please – created by Seril. There were only three created, and two have already been destroyed – ironically enough, both by the same man, at that. This one, however, is different. He is untrustworthy, doubly so because he is keenly intelligent, and thus may be quite manipulative should the need arise. But he is not savage, insane, or prone to violence like his brothers. I find him interesting if, as I said, obnoxious.”

  Leighandra regarded Yiilu, the elf’s stare distant for some reason. “Tilcimer mentioned that one of Max’s relatives was ensnared in some skirmishes among the gnolls to the north,” the chronicler said, turning back to Karinda. “Is there anything you can tell us about that?”

  Karinda glanced at the luranar paladin, but then shook her head. “To be honest, I rarely pay attention to the gnolls in the north. They seem to enjoy fighting amongst themselves over land, food, and mates. As long as their troubles do not reach the rest of civilization, I leave them to their chosen lifestyle. If there is something more behind their struggles now, though, that may be the optimal place for you to start. Wandering from graveyard to cemetery looking for undead and necromancers will get you only so far and, in fact, mark you as enemies to be eliminated by whatever force lies behind these events.”

  “Max thinks it’s somewhere to the west, and I was thinking it might have something to do with the overthrow in Aurun Ch’Gurra,” Starlenia said. “Does that make sense to you?”

  “Two associates of mine, fellow members of the High Council of Wizardry, reside in Aurun Ch’Gurra: Blake Malgar and his former apprentice Talbett Krissas. The latter is the court wizard there. Things are certainly turbulent, but I have refrained from casting my far-seeing into their home out of respect. If there is a connection there, rest assured that they will find it, and as soon as I know something, so will you.”

  “But was the queen there truly murdered?” Max insisted.

  “There was a coup, and the queen was deposed, though whether or not she is truly dead, we do not know as of yet. I am still awaiting the next Council meeting so that I may get more reliable information from Blake and Talbett.”

  “You said you could aid us with certain trinkets… don’t suppose you could get me a set of paluric armor?” Delkantar asked with a chuckle.

  Karinda half-shrugged while sipping her tea. “If you think it wise to take the time to travel to Dannumore, ingratiate yourself to the bah’qitur monarchy, rise to a high rank in their military, and earn a set of paluric armor, I can certainly set you on that path…”

  The woodsman laughed openly. “Is that where it comes from?”

  The archmage nodded. “Your greatest asset is actually within one of you,” she said, her gaze falling back upon Galadon. “Your past may be a key to your future, young man. If you wish, I can begin the process of unlocking it, but it will take time. The memories will return to you in pieces, and not all of them will be of particular use. But, as it stands, you may know more than I on some of these matters.”

  “Then do it, please,” he answered. “Whatever we need to do to see this through. Am I right in saying that for the rest of you?’

  Leighandra joined her other companions in nodding agreement.

  Karinda closed her eyes, and the chronicler felt a rush of wind through her mind. It was something ethereal and intangible, blowing only through her thoughts, but she watched as Max barely caught Galadon before the unconscious knight hit the floor. The luranar paladin patted his friend’s face a few times, but the human knight wouldn’t wake up. Max looked at Karinda over his shoulder, and she gestured for him to be patient.

  “Is there anything else you can tell us?” Starlenia asked.

  “Is there something specific you need to know?”

  “Anything, about any of this…”

  “Not at this time. But your companion will begin telling you things when he awakens. Take your cues from that, and follow the clues. If you feel lost and hopeless, go to the kwarrasti seer Kimlerin Chinchala and ask for her aid. There may be times when you come here for my help and I am not here; rest assured I am tending to problems elsewhere. I not only serve as the head of the High Council of Wizardry, but am frequently called to deal with specific matters all over the world. But you have a great number of allies; use them to full effect. Start in the court of your king if all other roads seem futile.”

  “Dira Ch’Tori,” Delkantar said with a gesture toward Galadon when everyone else looked around, confused.

  Leighandra bobbed her head. Galadon had been the king of Dira Ch’Tori and its lands before the Apocalypse. Where he stood in its rulership now was a mystery, but if he could go there and at least pull strings, that would greatly increase the potency of their group. Though it was the smallest of the official kingdoms of Terrassia, Dira Ch’Tori was an economic power, and could draw resources and allies from other city-states, nations, and even from across the sea, given time.

  “I do have a small gift for each of you,” Karinda said, reaching into one of the pockets of her robe. “Though I suspect Prince Auremax will have little need for his. These rings are quite common among the shakna-rir ranger corps; they allow the desert-dwellers to traverse the cold lands to the north without succumbing to the elements. A minor enchantment, all told, but I expect that you will be traveling to the kingdom of the fures-rir to visit an old friend of mine at some point, and these will make your travels more comfortable.”

  “Thank you, my lady,” Leighandra said, taking hers in turn.

  Galadon sputtered and sat up suddenly, then put a hand to his head in dizziness. “Good grief, what… where are we? Oh, right.”

  “Did you learn anything?” Starlenia asked, sitting forward.

  “Yes. I learned that our esteemed archmage host can knock people unconscious with a thought,” he returned. “I don’t know; I feel even more cloudy-minded than usual. Will this pass eventually, Lady Karinda?”

  She nodded. “Your memories will likely come back as dreams. Discuss them with your friends when appropriate each morning.”

  “Just don’t share all of them, especially not in front of the women,” Delkantar teased. The paladin backh
anded him lightly in the shoulder and the friends shared a laugh, even the archmage smiling.

  “There is more I can tell you, but I will wait. Not, as Tilcimer likely told you, because I want to be cryptic or send you forth blind, but because our enemies will be watching you just as I do. If you begin looking for signs, they will become aware of them as well, and with proper divinations, they will be able to lead you to your deaths. For now, it is best if you find these things for yourself, and when the time is appropriate, I will tell you the rest of it.”

  “But for now we head north?”

  “I believe that is your best option.”

  “And should we have any dealings with Tilcimer?”

  “I will not tell you yes on this, but he is quite adept at finding things, particularly when it comes to information. I will not tell you no, and accordingly I will not judge you if you choose to take advantage of him and his resources. Just know that in the end, should you work with him in some fashion, you may be required to kill him. In this, you cannot hold to your principles of honor, for if what he seeks makes him a threat to this world or its people, he will be destroyed just as his brothers. In short, do not get attached to him, willingly or as a matter of honor.”

  “Somehow, I don’t think that will be an issue,” Galadon said.

  “Go, then. And know that I will be watching over you.”

  “Farewell, my lady,” Leighandra said, echoed by the others. “I think it best if we take advantage of the remaining daylight to begin our trek, if things are as urgent as they seem.”

  “They are far more urgent than they seem. Be vigilant, yet confident.”

  The companions filed out of the tower. Leighandra didn’t feel much more enlightened than when they’d arrived, but the sense of urgency prickled beneath her skin. The situation was dire enough that even the archmage was concerned and scrambling for answers. Just what was it they were up against? And how did – or would – Tilcimer figure into things?

  She followed the others as they circled the archmage’s tower to travel north. There were still several hours of daylight left; they could put a few miles behind them by the time the sun set. Or, more appropriately, by the time they grew weary traveling through the dark forest…

  Starlenia glanced over her shoulder, gauging how far from the tower they were. “I thought she’d be more helpful,” she muttered with a shake of her head.

  “Oh, she was quite helpful,” Leighandra said, holding up her hand to inspect the silver ring that now encircled her finger. It was a minor marvel that it fit her perfectly despite never having met the archmage before. “She told us exactly where to go, if indirectly.”

  “By the Great Spirit,” the Okonashai woman said, glancing at her own ring. The others all looked at theirs, and smiles were exchanged.

  “Like she said, her aid has to be subtle or our enemies will know where we’re going and what we’re doing.”

  “First, though, we should go to Dira Ch’Tori, and then see what trouble there is with the gnolls,” Max suggested. “It may be unrelated to the other issues, but the proverb of my people tells me otherwise.”

  “Either way, we should see to your family member,” Yiilu agreed. “Perhaps we will find new allies among the gnolls?”

  The luranar prince glanced at the elf, but then nodded. “Perhaps, though the gnolls can be rather… funny around my people, and me in particular.”

  “Why’s that?” Starlenia prodded.

  Max shrugged. “It is a long story, one I will share another time, when we get closer to them. Suffice to say that despite the improving relations between my people and the gnolls, not all of them feel the same way.”

  Delkantar sighed, then bit his lower lip for a moment. Whatever he was thinking, he never gave voice to it, and Leighandra refrained from asking – for now.

  ~ * ~ * ~

  The warmth of summer made the trip pleasant despite its length. Leighandra traveled often enough as part of her duties to the city of Solaris and as a troubadour in general, but she had never been on the road for so long. Laeranore wasn’t too far from Solaris, and Karinda’s tower was only a short trip into the elven lands, relatively speaking. Dira Ch’Tori, though, lay far to the north on the coast, and despite the opportunity to stop in other cities, the companions avoided any sort of delays, such as getting conscripted to look into local problems.

  Dira Ch’Tori sprawled along the coastline, which was steep and rocky in the northeast. Much of it lay up at the top of the cliffs, with descending plazas and tiers eventually leading down to its deep and considerable harbor. It was a jewel of a city and a marvel of engineering, and the chronicler wondered if the cliffside cities of her mother’s people had inspired the humans when building Dira Ch’Tori. It lacked anything resembling elven architecture, but at the same time, it had the distinction of being part of and apart from the land in equal measure.

  Leighandra still didn’t know her paladin companion all that well, but she could glean a bit about him by the prosperousness of what had been his capital city. Certainly, there would be lower-class areas somewhere among the sprawling city, but at first glance here at the top, there were none to be found. It was a major trading hub, and the city’s name – meaning City of God – seemed to inspire people to take care of each other. The chronicler looked at Galadon; just what sort of king had he been?

  A damned fine one, I suspect, she thought, but she didn’t prod the human. Instead, she turned to her luranar companion. “Impressive, or oppressive?” she asked Max.

  The luranar paladin’s ears and nose were twitching as he took in the grand white-stone city about him. His eyes were wide with wonder despite having visited the cities of the elves many times. “It is foreign to my eyes, but impressive. Our people do not build anything like this, so it is a wonder. Not as aesthetically pleasing as the cities of the elves, I must admit, but incredible nonetheless. The way it hugs the cliffs like a pauldron is amazing. Does it bring back any memories for you, my friend?”

  Galadon looked about at the passing throng, noting the stares his luranar friend received. Leighandra couldn’t imagine what it must be like to go from being king to walking the streets as just another unknown face. Nevertheless, Galadon seemed more concerned for the safety and treatment of his companions than whether anyone would recognize his position – or former position, in his case.

  “Many, but not of the type that will be useful to us,” Galadon muttered. “Much like with the dreams Lady Bakhor was able to unlock… they’re unsatisfying and unhelpful.”

  The chronicler knew he was frustrated by the lack of clarity his dreams provided. Even during the long days it took them to reach Dira Ch’Tori, despite having experienced nightmares, Galadon hadn’t been able to recall any of the details when he woke in the mornings. Nothing had been clarified, and though no one pressed him on it, he was growing agitated. Here, though, Leighandra began to wonder if a combination of the dreams and walking the lands of his kingdom might finally unlock things.

  “Who sits as regent here?” Starlenia asked.

  “Lauren Matthews,” Delkantar answered. He looked at his companions, staring at him in wonder that he’d know that offhand. “The western forests may not be part of Dira Ch’Tori, but it’s the closest monarchy to our lands, so we tend to pay it more attention than our southern neighbors in the Khalarin. I don’t know much about her personally, but everything I’ve heard says Regent Matthews is a good leader. Does her name ring familiar to you, Your Majesty?”

  The paladin made a face and Delkantar laughed. “I do remember the name. She was my seneschal for many years, a very capable administrator and an upright woman. I haven’t heard anything that suggests she’s doing a poor job. Though if she serves as regent, I suppose they’re either waiting for me to return or else still going through the process of choosing my successor, even this many years later.”

  “Do you plan to retake the throne at some point?” Leighandra asked. If the regent and other authorities wer
e still going through the succession process, that had to mean Galadon had no immediate family. It was possible it meant he had too much family, and that they were all fighting over succession rights, but that seemed far less likely. The chronicler wondered how old the knight was; he didn’t seem as young as Auremax, but still far from middle-aged. How had he assumed the throne, and what happened to the rest of his family if her initial suspicion was true? It wasn’t unusual for a young man to assume a throne, but even so they usually had a good deal of family around them.

  “I’m honestly not sure,” he answered with a shrug. “I haven’t really thought about it that much. We have more important things to see to for the time being, and as long as this kingdom is being run well, I see no need to directly involve myself. I suppose one might see that as ducking my duties, but…”

  He trailed off, and a thoughtful expression graced Max’s lupine features. “Perhaps they are still waiting for you. We could visit the court and find out.”

  Galadon nodded. “We’ll need to confer with my generals anyway, to ask about the local trouble with the gnolls before we go out blindly. So we’ll get our answers either way. But I beg of you: If they try to forcibly put me back on the throne, take me hostage and head north.”

  Max and Delkantar chuckled, and Leighandra looked over to Yiilu. The elf had cracked a half-smile, but must’ve felt out of her element when it came to human politics, no matter how closely the monarchies might resemble elven courts. Starlenia, by contrast, looked wary of the knight’s former position, despite the traces of humor that graced her features at the thought of taking him hostage. Leighandra only barely looked away before Starlenia caught her stare.