by C. L. Scheel
"And you have kept the old traditions this long? How could you do this?" Kitarisa pressed the older Daughter.
The oldest Daughter Thespa sighed. "When I was a girl, I was given to the Sisters, as was Celinne. We were brought here together and became close friends. Neither of us wished to be here, but our families sold us to the Wrathmen because they knew we had the healing gift. For a time, we went along with the teachings, but then, we both knew we could not believe as the others. The old `Fa, Tualesta was mad like Malgora and she frightened us. We could not do what the `Fa asked and neither of us could truly bow down to that abomination in the Great Chamber. But we dared not disobey, so we pretended."
"And then, one day we took a wrong turn in the tunnels and found ourselves face to face with Daughter Liath. Daughter Liath knew we were frightened and not a part of the Sisters. Secretly, she took us aside and taught us the old ways, the right ways. And we met the others."
"How many were there then?" Kitarisa asked again.
"Then, there were about ten, and we discovered there were more of the Sisters, not many, who would not succumb to the `Fa's teachings."
Assur had resheathed his swords and leaned against the chamber wall, arms folded across his chest. Kitarisa glanced at him. She could not be certain if he was convinced or merely resolved to listen to the Daughter's story.
"It took many turns to find the disloyal Sisters, even longer to trust them with our secret, and longer still to teach them the Healing ways," Thespa continued.
"How many of the Sisters are loyal to you?" Assur asked quietly.
"A mere handful, about four. They are our only hope for the future, my lord."
"Oh no, dear Thespa," the one called Britta protested. "There are others, I know it. We just have not found them yet. Once they see the evilness of Malgora's plans, they will be restored to us."
"Perhaps, but I fear it has been too long; they may be lost to us forever."
Assur evidently had enough chatter about teachings and the Sisters. He straightened up, immediately taking command of the situation.
"Where is Kuurus, the Siarsi?" he demanded again.
"He is safe and well." Thespa smiled up at him, unmoved by his scowling expression and predatory eye-markings. "Come with us."
Another doorway at the back of the chamber led to another passageway, much shorter than the first, that eventually opened into a large room, obviously the Daughters' living quarters made homey and warm even with their sparse furnishings. On one of the beds lay Kuurus. His chest was bandaged and one of his legs had been set in splits.
"Kuurus!" Kitarisa sped across the short distance of the chamber and fell to her knees beside the grinning barbarian. Assur stood behind her--she could almost feel his joy upon seeing his comrade alive.
"I shall miss this haven of luxury, my lady," he said happily. "I have been petted and worried over and now trussed-up like a hen for supper. I cannot even move without their approval. My lord, it is good to see you well."
Assur placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. "You must rest, Kuurus. Rest and get well."
"It won't be necessary any longer, my lord," Thespa said from behind them. "The bones needed only to be placed into proper position. Now we can call the affliction from him."
The five Daughters surrounding the bed. Only Thespa placed her hands on Kuurus' bandaged chest. Their gentle voices rose in a soft chant calling the afflictions from the crippled Siarsi.
Both Kitarisa and Assur watched in amazement as the scars riddling Kuurus' shoulders and back, vanished before their eyes. The shattered bones straightened and reset and once again the terrible damage Malgora had done was repaired and healed.
Gentle hands cut away the chest bandages and removed the splint. Kuurus sat up, as astonished as Assur had been. He grinned at his lord and at the others.
"I am ready to break a few Wrathmen bones."
"First you must get to the cages below, to free the warriors. Once outside, she will not be able to gather them all back. Remember, it has taken her several sunturns to acquire and hold these men." Thespa said.
"What about Mar'Kess? He has been waiting all this time. He may have been discovered by now." Kitarisa had nearly forgotten about the good captain until she realized she had no veil to hide her hair from the sharp-eyed Sisters.
Jizrella stepped forward and nodded to Kuurus. "I will take you to the captain and bring him here. No one will see us."
Assur again drew one of his swords and handed it to Kuurus.
"You will need this. The Daughter may know the way back, but you do not. If you were to be separated..."
Kuurus nodded and as Assur had done in Malgora's round chamber, re-clothed himself. His own swords were gone--doubtless, fallen into the hands of some greedy Wrathman.
Kitarisa stripped off the hated white robe, rolled it into a tight bundle and set it next to the pile of splints and used bandages.
"I will not need that again."
"No, my lady, but we will use the cloth for bandages. At least one good thing can come it." Thespa gestured for Kell to take the bundle away.
"And now, we must rally our forces. Jizrella will bring your captain to the lower cavern. You will explain all to him, dear Jizrella, while you return. Britta, Celinne, get below to the kitchens--I am certain you can cause the fires to turn quite smoky. It will buy us time. I will lead you and the Ter-Rey, to the cavern myself--the one that leads to the outside. It is where Malgora intends to begin her great scheme."
With all of them set upon their various tasks, the elder Daughter hurried down an exit corridor with Assur and Kitarisa close behind her. Kitarisa was surprised at how swiftly the older woman moved.
"Reverend Daughter," Kitarisa called, as they sped through the dark corridors. She was uncertain how to address the lady, but the title "Reverend" did not seem to upset her. "What is this place and what are those creatures?"
"The Catacombs have been here longer than we can imagine. It was first a lair for some unknown beast as we have found many great bones in the deepest caverns. The beasts themselves have died out, or maybe they left the caves. We do not know."
"When the original Daughters arrived here, fleeing Prince Suldan, they discovered signs of other inhabitants: humans. The Ancients. And everywhere, they found the symbol of the beast who had lived here before. They found many strange things. I know, I have read the accounts. They found chests made of strange metal and full of wondrous things, healing things, but there is no knowledge how to use them. In the sacred library, I once found a small book. It was so old the pages were brittle and it was written in a language I have never seen before. But it was a healing text, I am sure of it." Thespa stopped a moment to catch her breath. "One thing is for certain, these Ancients did not worship the great beasts who lived here. We found their bones, too."
Thespa led them through the tortuous maze of tunnels and chambers until she stopped at the mouth of a narrow fissure in the rock.
"Beyond this fissure is an entrance into the back cavern. Across the cavern floor, you will see the opening to the outside. Below the great stairs to your right, is the cavern where they keep the horses and equipment, and into the entrance at the head of the stairs is the way to the chambers where the warriors are kept. I will leave you now. We can do more here than outside."
"Daughter Thespa," Assur said, still keeping eyes to the fissure. "What will stop this Malgora once we free the warriors? Will they follow?"
"They will truly be free when Malgora is dead and free herself from Medruth's hold upon her. For now, the warriors are as sheep. They will follow you, but you must hurry. Malgora may have discovered you are missing, I cannot be certain. Once she was done with her Wrathmen, she was to have returned to her chamber to finish your breaking and then take you to her holy ceremony to Medruth. When she finds you are gone..." The Daughter did not finished, but allowed the full import of her words settle on them.
"I will go now. May Verlian be with you." She patted Kita
risa's arm and bowed to Assur, before disappearing back into the gloom of the tunnel.
LIKE THE INSIDE of Sherehn Keep, the last chamber was a cavern, but untouched by the stonemason or carver--a black and deep cave in the belly of the mountain.
They heard the distant sounds of horses rising from the subterranean stables--even in the unrelenting gloom of the cave, it was a friendly, reassuring sound.
Assur grabbed her hand and ran in the direction of the horses. Their footsteps clattered on the stone steps, echoing and re-echoing through the immense cave. At the opening to the subterranean chamber, Assur halted and drew back as he was abruptly stopped by the gleaming blade of a Wrathmen, then another, and another, until they were surrounded.
"I misjudged you badly, Kitarisa. I did not realize the fervor of your attachment to our brave Ter-Rey," a cool, detached voice said calmly.
From the gloom stepped the lithe form of Malgora. She smiled at Kitarisa and then raised her arm as if to bestow a twisted blessing.
"How did you get in?" she asked. "How many are with you?"
"None. I came by myself."
"A brave lie, princess." Malgora motioned sharply to the Wrathmen, who immediately swarmed over Assur. It took six of them to hold him until one took the flat edge of his sword and struck Assur behind the knees. He fell heavily to the sand.
"Tie him down," Malgora commanded.
More struggling as ropes were again run through the rings on the manacles still fastened to his wrists and pulled out painfully to his sides. Assur was again forced to kneel before his tormentor.
In two strides she stood behind him and snatched his sword from the nearest Wrathman. Winding her hand through his long shank of hair, she jerked Assur's head back, neck straining to the breaking point and rested his own blade against his throat.
"An old Chaliset trick and very effective. It is often used by my own faithful in subduing heretics. Assur's life beats here, just under the edge of this sword. You should be pleased to see this. The Ter-Rey, the High Prince of Talesia and all the Eastern Lands, is on his knees before you. Maybe you can take back a little for what has been done to you." Malgora paused to look at her. "Where are they, Kitarisa? Tell me or he will die now, at your feet."
Kitarisa struggled against her captors, but they held her too tightly. She looked at Assur. There was no fear in his eyes, only the most savage kind of hate. In less than a heartbeat he would be dead.
"Mar'Kess," she sobbed. "He is waiting above, outside the temple. He is the only one!"
Several of the Wrathmen moved off into the gloom of the Catacombs to find Mar'Kess. Slowly, Malgora dropped the blade from Assur's throat and released his head.
"Only one? You surprise me again, princess. However, breaking Mar'Kess will be as equally rewarding as punishing your Ter-Rey. There is the little matter of two of my most faithful Sisters in Gorendt Keep."
"You cannot do this, Malgora. Assur is not an animal. You cannot keep him like some caged beast."
"You stupid girl. Do you think I went to all this trouble to merely keep him like some prize stallion?" Malgora strode over to her, her eyes blazing with cruelty and madness.
"All that he is--his will to live, to fight, to lead--all of it will be mine to use for the glory of Medruth. He will lead the faithful to victory over the west. Then the Divine Lady's own prophecy will be fulfilled."
"You are mad. Medruth is dead and has been for three hundred sunturns," Kitarisa cried, casting aside all sense of caution.
"Silence!" Malgora screamed. "When this great Cause is completed, you will die for your heresy. And then, Medruth will rise and we will be ruled by her grace." She pointed down at Assur. "He will champion our Cause."
"When Verlian slays me Herself," Assur snarled at her.
Malgora backhanded him hard in the face. "Never speak of that One in my presence!"
The clatter of boots on stone steps made Malgora look up to see the Wrathmen returning.
"We found no one, Holy Sister," the first one said. "If he was there, he has gone now."
Malgora paced in front of the kneeling Assur, infuriated by the news.
"Did you check the cages?" she demanded.
"We are checking now and we have questioned many of the Sisters. They have seen nothing."
"Stupid fools," she raged. "He has gone for reinforcement. Quickly. Take Prince Assur back to my great room and prepare him again. There is little time." She pointed to Kitarisa. "Put her in one of the cages. I will attend to her later."
The Wrathmen reluctantly eased the tension on the binding ropes to allow Assur to stand. Like freeing a wild horse, Assur plunged from the Wrathmen's hold and leaped for his sword, still held by Malgora. Taken by surprise, she stumbled away, dropping the sword.
Kitarisa saw her chance. The guards holding her were also taken by surprise as she jumped free of their grasp and ran straight for Malgora, her little knife held tightly in her fist. She struck at the white silk, only to discover it would be a glancing blow. The knife made a shallow cut in Malgora's shoulder, but enough to make the witch gasp in surprise and pain. She clutched at her shoulder and stared at her own blood in her hand.
"That was unwise, princess," she said in a low threatening voice.
Assur wasted no time in finding his sword and wielded it with frightening accuracy. Two Wrathmen lay dead in an instant. He then turned on the others.
"Run, Kitarisa," Assur called over his shoulder. "Find Achad and bring them here. Hurry!"
Kitarisa ran across the cavern floor to the far opening in the rocks.
"Get her!" shrieked Malgora.
Kitarisa heard the scuffle of running feet. She glanced back and saw several of the Wrathmen skirt by Assur, racing after her, leaving the Ter-Rey alone to stand against three others.
From the dark depths of the lower caverns, she just saw Kuurus and Mar'Kess step into the fight, blocking the Wrathmen's path and cutting them down in fierce strokes.
She turned and ran, stumbling headlong into the narrow entrance to the tunnel. Ahead, she made out the faint light of the night sky and more dark shapes heading straight for her. Kitarisa shrieked in terror as she ran full force into the arms of a man--another Wrathman. A torch flared up behind him and she stared into the laughing face of Achad.
"You see," he crowed happily. "She does prefer me over that worthless whelp of mine!"
"Achad! Come quickly, she will kill him!"
"Do you think I would let that helpless boy try to save his own skin?" He grinned at her and winked.
In spite of the grimness of the moment, she could make out the smiling faces of dozens of other Talesians standing behind him.
"Please hurry," she said, grasping his arm and pulling him back through the tunnel. They followed her back down the tunnel and into the great cavern where Assur was single-handedly fighting three Wrathmen. Four more lay dead at his feet. Kuurus and Mar'Kess were holding their own with two apiece, hacking and cutting at the luckless Wrathmen.
"Assur," Achad called out cheerily, "we have come to save you!"
The Ter-Rey of all Talesia could only manage a brief grunt of approval as he drove his blade into the next Wrathman.
The combined force of Riehlians and Talesians flew into the fight. Kitarisa watched Achad with a mixture of awe and amazement. He attacked the horde of Wrathmen, bringing his swords down again and again with wild ferocity and deadly precision--all done with a delighted grin on his face.
There was still Malgora. The place where Kitarisa had cut her was now a bloody mass on the front of her robe. She stood off to the side, her lips moving in some kind of malevolent enchantment.
"Do you really think you can defeat me? They may destroy everyone of the faithful, but I will still be here." She stepped toward Kitarisa. "I shall rise again and again until Medruth's prophecy is fulfilled."
"Medruth is a rotting corpse in your own temple. She will not come back, no matter what you do," Kitarisa shouted at her, having lost much of her fea
r with the presence of Achad and the others.
"I shall kill them all, including your High Prince. Kazan will still have Riehl and I will find another to claim the west!"
In her madness, Malgora backed away from Kitarisa and spread her arms out wide. "You cannot stop me. I will call on something old, princess, something old and forgotten, but will live to punish all. It was here they lived, the ancient ones. Fear me, Kitarisa!"
Malgora threw back her head and called out in an ancient tongue--dark, guttural words from a time lost to memory.
"Stop Malgora! Are you mad? You would break the Measure and the Balance."
Malgora dropped her arms, her head snapped toward the approaching figure of a woman in white with a wide red border at the hem.
"You!" she hissed at the serene-faced Thespa. "How dare you!" Malgora took in the stained robe and the distinctive red border and immediately recognized its meaning. Momentarily forgetting Kitarisa and her Wrathmen, she approached Thespa. Malgora's pale eyes glittered like glass as she stared at the Daughter. The full significance of Thespa's presence and all of the implications registered on Malgora's face, contorting it into a mask of anger and surprise.
"By what magic are you here? I demand to know. How many of you hide in my temple?"
"Your temple? No Malgora, this is not your temple. It was the last sanctuary for the true Daughters of Verlian, only you have turned it into a tomb of madness. You have twisted the Blessed Verlian's gift of healing into torture and cruelties. You will be stopped, if not by these men, then by me."
Malgora gave a short burst of a laugh. "Stop me? I hold the will of hundreds of warriors within my grasp--all that they are, lives in me and soon I will have the Ter-Rey's. All the strength of our brave High Prince shall be mine!" Malgora stepped back and raised her arms over her head. "Only I know how to use the Measure and the Balance. Stop me now, Daughter," she sneered.
Malgora again began her menacing chant, her black prayer to the dead Medruth. Blinding light encircled the White Sister as she began to change her form.
