by Chris Ward
‘He lies buried in the tomb we saw in Fellonshead. It opened of its own accord, and I took him down. He lies like a warrior with his great blade upon his breast. And I sat by the tomb until it closed.’
And no words were said for some time as they each thought upon what Germayne had told. Thereafter there was much talk of all that had come to pass so that by the midnight it had all been told except for Germayne’s account of how Ramos fared.
‘The city has fallen,’ she said quietly. ‘I have done my best but I have not the skill or power you possess.’ She looked at the others. ‘Gryfnor holds the people in thrall. I have tried to bring him down but the bloodshed would have been too great, for he is now protected by many others. I have brought all I could into the Palace, those who wished to find safety here, those who refused to follow Gryfnor and take his mark, and a few who have turned back and have seen the truth of what he is.’ She paused. ‘In this the Nephilim have been magnificent and I have now sent them out into the land, to find any others wherever they might be and spread the word to come here to Ramos and the protection of the Palace.’ She looked at Rayven. ‘I hope I have done right in this.’ And Rayven nodded her head.
‘You have done well Germayne for this is what I would have done.’ And then Germayne went to take the ring of authority which Sylvion had given her, from her finger, but Rayven stopped her.
‘No Germayne you have ruled well. Keep the ring for now. I will leave you in charge for the moment. This will allow me to address other matters... so for now you remain Queen in Ramos,’ and she smiled and Germayne nodded and accepted this ordering of things. But then a shadow passed over her face.
‘There is further bad news,’ she sad. And they all looked at her.
‘The Royal Sceptre has been lost.’
These words fell heavily upon them, and Rayven paled. Reigin and Gravyn seemed deeply shaken whilst Rema was not sure quite what to think for he had not a full knowledge of what Germayne spoke.
‘A Nephilim betrayed us,’ Germayne continued. ‘He went over to Gryfnor. He has not been seen since but the Royal Sceptre is gone.’
‘This is a terrible blow,’ Rayven whispered. ‘It means I cannot claim the throne with any authority, and further the Shadow Blade is diminished in power in my hand.’ She shook her head. ‘This of all things I did not expect...to lose the Royal Sceptre. The Shadow Blade belongs with it. Since the beginning in Revelyn these two have been at the centre of authority and power. It is in the Wisden writings from the earliest time.’
‘But we have seen you wield the Blade...’ Reigin said with a puzzled look upon his face.
‘Indeed I can wield it with power, but not as Sylvion did. Not on the field of battle or in the greatest danger when many need to be brought under its thrall.’
‘But Sylvion fought under Vaudim with the full power of the Shadow Blade,’ Reigin insisted. She did not claim the throne until after the defeat of Petros and Zelfos. I know for I was there.’ And Rayven nodded.
‘But the Royal Sceptre was here in the White Palace,’ she added, ‘That was the difference. But now it has been taken and lies elswhere, even in the hands of evil ones. I cannot expect to do what Sylvion did.’
‘Then we will have to find another way,’ Rema said and Rayven looked at him and smiled and nodded.
‘Yes, but it will need to be used with care or it too might be lost to us.’
They sat and thought in silence on this matter for a time.
‘And what of the land...’ Rayven asked, and immediately she had spoken the Palace shook gently as if in answer. ‘I see that even here in Ramos this too has come about.’ Rayven continued.
‘Every day more than once.’ Germayne said. ‘Two days ago we lost the mighty tower upon the highest point. It toppled and did much damage which I have not known how to fix.’
‘That is not important now,’ Rayven said, ‘but what of the city?’
‘It has sunk,’ Germayne replied. ‘In the morning you will see.’ And then she regained something of her composure. ‘But now we rest. I am sure you are all exhausted. I have had rooms prepared, too many it would seem, but now let us sleep and in the morning we shall come together to make plans for what we must do next.’ And Rayven smiled.
‘Spoken like a true Queen, Germayne,’ she said and the tall graceful Germayne blushed.
‘I am sorry Rayven, forgive me, I did not mean to speak in your place.’
‘And you spoke as I would,’ Rayven replied. ‘Let us sleep now.’
And so they did but with many dreams... and these mostly sad.
Rayven brought them all together early the following morning, anxious to make plans to bring about the final downfall of Gryfnor. But when she stood upon the stone balcony from which she and Sylvion had on countless occasions in times past surveyed the land out beyond the Luminous River to the south, she knew the land was lost. The others stood with her in stunned silence and looked upon the grim view.
‘Where is the land?’ she whispered, ‘Even the river is gone, I see nothing but...’
‘The sea,’ Germayne added to finish a sentence left hanging in the morning air. ‘I could not tell you of this last night. You had to see it for yourselves.’
And what a sight they beheld. The far bank of the great river, always low, had disappeared altogether, and to the horizon lay a mighty sheet of water. In places, isolated hills still stood proud above the surface but it seemed now that Ramos had been moved by some supernatural force to stand beside the sea.
‘You can smell the salt,’ Germayne whispered, ‘the water is no longer fresh.’
‘What of the forests to the south?’
‘There is nothing but water from here for as far as we know...’ Germayne replied grimly.
Rayven went and looked down into the city and was shocked again to see that the port had been submerged, not a single wharf or jetty remained above the water, and many streets as well. To the east where the Luminous had flowed through ages past to the ocean, the southern bank was lost but the northern remained in many places so that the course of it could be determined, but even that was hard.
‘Rayven turned then to Germayne, ignoring the others ‘You have kept the map, and gathered the information?’ she asked.
‘Indeed I have done all we set out to do Rayven,’ Germayne replied, ‘But in some places I cannot obtain a reply. I have sent many carriaves. But no bird returns.’ They stood and looked at each for a time and the others standing there realised there were things which they did not know. Reigin was about to inquire for he was greatly puzzled, but Rayven sensed his disquiet, and spoke.
‘Come, all of you, for there is something you must see.’
And so she led them to the west part of the Palace and higher up and to a less used wing where she stopped before a locked door. No one spoke a word but followed in great anticipation.
‘Open it Germayne,’ Rayven directed, ‘there is no further need for secrecy.’ And so Germayne took a key from her a pocket and the door was opened. They entered a large room which had in its centre a great table upon which was an enormous map of Revelyn. On the walls were many tiny parchments; clear to all who knew, that these were messages from the capsules of a carriave. Almost too many to count.
They gathered around the table and Rayven spoke at last.
‘Long ago I sensed that the land was in travail. The Wisden blood ran truer in me then than now. I moved about more easily than Sylvion who was more confined to the Palace due to her attire. I spoke to sailors and captains in the ports and I learnt that the land was sinking, for many sailed the coast and visited all the ports. Ten summers ago it was not much but I could not be at peace with what I learnt. Sylvion seemed little interested and we would argue often about what might be done. At this time I knew the Gryfnor was evil. I had watched him closely in the market. I knew the rocks he offered were but a sorcerer’s tool, but I could not see how he obtained them. I thought he must have contact with some other sorcerer but
it was not clear. Sylvion would not listen to me, she hoped I think that Gryfnor was only a harmless old man who brought happiness to her people. I think too she could not bear to face the truth that Zelfos might return after all the effort she had given to rid the land of anything to do with him.’ Rayven sighed sadly before continuing, ‘And as I was young I was too easily dismissed. My only companion in this was Germayne.’
At this they looked upon her and she blushed and smiled but was not ashamed in any manner.
‘So we claimed this room and had the map made, and then we sent out carriaves to many places in Revelyn. We did this over and over, and since now the Palace has its own carriave barn, we were able to gather information from all over Revelyn once reliable sources were found. This took some time but many were willing to assist in this for the fear of the land sinking strikes deep into all who live by the sea.’ She then pointed to the map.
‘And so we began to follow what was happening upon this map. You can see the coastline changed and then changed again. Even in the country side, lakes joined...’ at this point Reigin interrupted.
‘So when we travelled in the Lakelands, you knew...’ And Rayven nodded.
‘Of course I knew, but I thought I would wait until we returned to say anything, for even that was uncertain, until yesterday. And I had no wider knowledge, I needed to see what Germayne had managed to do in my absence.’ And Rayven pointed at the giant map.
‘But you left to seek an answer in the north,’ Rema said and Rayven smiled at him.
‘You are perceptive Rema. Yes that was what I felt I must do.’ Again she took a breath and composed herself. ‘I believed and have been proved right that the evil in the land was not just at the hand of Gryfnor, and more, I thought the sinking was tied to the evil. Sylvion denied it, and we could not in the end discuss it without harsh words. I know from the Wisden understanding, that the ancient Ravalin had known a massive sinking to their city, in Celestra , but it had stopped. I thought perhaps I might search out how that came about, but I had a deeper purpose and one which only I and Germayne ever discussed.’
And now all the eyes were firmly upon her, and Rema saw she was most resolute in what she was saying, for a deeper wisdom was apparent now, and he loved her then for she was beautiful in her intelligence and understanding.
‘Whatever I found in the north, I knew I would encounter evil.’ Rayven continued. ‘The evil of Zelfos who is Gryfnor now, comes from the ancient times of the old Ravalin. They were sacrificing their own blood long ago. I thought that Gryfnor’s strength lay in the north and it had to be defeated. I could not do it myself, but...’ she paused and seemed to search for her words.
‘The most powerful weapon against such evil is the Shadow Blade. And Sylvion my kindma bore it, but she would not leave Ramos, and so I had to find a way to get the Shadow Blade in her hand to the evil...’ And in an instant Rema saw it...
‘You used yourself to draw her north.’ And his words cut the air like a knife.
‘Yes,’ Rayven said, and paused. ‘Yes that was our plan, Germayne and I knew that if I did not make contact then Sylvion would worry and her love was such that in the end she would search for me. I knew she was resourceful and would find me and if I was where the evil was, I thought in Celestra ,then she would deal with it, and so Revelyn would be spared, and perhaps the land would not sink,’ and then she gave a massive sigh, ‘although I see that this is not possible now.’
‘To lose four seasons,’ Germayne began to speak. ‘Who could foresee this? And so Gryfnor had much time to spread his evil in Revelyn.’
‘And so perhaps it reached a point beyond which nothing could restore the land; the people in large part have chosen another way, and there must be a consequence to what they do. Is there any place upon this earth where those who sacrifice their children, their own blood, have thrived and found peace, in the end? I do not know, but I think not. I think such people fall into darkness and are forgotten. Perhaps we might have saved the land, but Zydor’s spell may well have had a consequence which we did not foresee.’
‘You think that Revelyn is lost?’ Rema asked in amazement, and Rayven looked sadly at him.
‘Look out of these windows and tell me what you see?’
And they did so and could see even to the south east the water covered the land.
And then Reigin spoke.
‘I am to be the last Elder of the Edenwhood,’ he said softly with great sorrow. ‘Our prophecy tells that when the last great warrior falls to be buried in Fellonshead, this would come to pass. The Edenwhood would pass from the land.’ He sighed. “I have known this since Andes fell, but I have hoped it was wrong. I hoped we might yet save the land but even AlGiron is doomed now. We will pass from the land...’
‘But not die.’ Rayven said firmly, ‘This we must understand. Passing from the land like the Mountain Dwarves and other races before us, does not mean destruction.’ And they looked at her in amazement. ‘Provision has been made,’ Rayven said, and her words stunned them all.
‘What provision?’ Rema asked quietly.
‘I do not know,’ Rayven replied and a great silence fell upon them. ‘But they have been be made. We must trust that they present themselves.’
At that moment there was a thud at the door. ‘Come in,’ Germayne called and Drevyn entered in a rush. He suddenly saw those who were there and immediately felt awkward.
‘I am sorry Germayne, I did not know.’
‘Don’t be,’ Germayne replied. ‘Welcome, This is Drevyn,’ she said by way of introduction to the others. ‘He has been so useful to me. I could not have achieved much without his loyal support.’
‘Hello Drevyn,’ Rayven said and the young man blushed.
‘Greetings Rayven it is good to see you home safely. How is the Queen; did she not return with you..?’ But he read in their faces the awful truth. ‘This is terrible,’ he said, and he stood mute in grief, but Rayven took control with a gentle manner.
‘It is terrible but we have many things yet to do. Did you bring news?’ And so Drevyn regained his composure for he thought, if Rayven can be strong then I surely cannot be weak.
‘Indeed,’ he said, ‘two things. First I have received a message from the east. It came by carriave this morning. The second of the Needles has collapsed into the sea.’ He went to the map and taking a pen he put a cross through the place where it stood. ‘They are both gone and the port of Petros is not long behind it I fear, from what this message says.’ Germayne took the tiny paper and read it carefully before fixing it to the wall with all the others. They then stood around the giant map of Revelyn and took in the detail of the sinking land.
‘When it is laid out like this it is awful,’ Reigin said.
‘The land west of the Barrier Mountains, all the way to the Gnabi desert is gone.’ Rema said pointing to the markings on the map. This was Orcxyl’s land.’
‘Lavas is submerged,’ Rayven said shaking her head... and so it went on until Drevyn remembered in a sudden panic, his second piece of news.
‘I am sorry, I have been distracted,’ he said, ‘there is another sacrifice about to take place. To the east by the old city wall, where it meets the river. A big crowd, I think three or four are being taken there...’ at this Rayven felt her anger burn.
‘Quick back to the other rooms,’ and with that she led them all swiftly to where they had been that morning and stepping out upon the mighty stone balcony she looked down upon the city. ‘Rema where is the King’s Eye?’ she asked abruptly and Rema brought it from where he had placed it the night before upon a side table. Rayven put it to her eye and looked down to the east. She spoke as she scanned the city below.
‘Many people,’ she said, ‘and I see three with their hands bound being led...’ She paused and looked about. ‘Gryfnor is there, which means....’ and she swung the King’s Eye back and looked directly down into the market below, ‘it means his tent is left unprotected.’ She lowered the instrument, and a
ll could see her mind working hard. And it only took a moment before she spoke once more.
‘Rema and Gravyn you will go to the market and do whatever damage you can to the tent. Destroy it. I do not know much about it but it is Gryfnor’s refuge; let us take that from him if we can.’ She turned to Reigin. ‘You will come with me. This is a time for swords. We will rescue the poor innocents first, perhaps I will get to do damage to Gryfnor; we will see...’ She looked about. ‘Germayne you stay here, this is where you rule for the time being. Do all that you have in the past. You can watch from here with this...’she patted the King’s Eye. ‘It is not hard to master. Are we ready?’
‘One thing,’ Rema said quickly. ‘The tent is enchanted surely. No one will enter or damage it without some magic or greater power than men possess. Gravyn and I can hardly shoot arrows at it... I have a short sword but I think I will require more.’ And to this Rayven nodded.
‘You are perceptive once again Rema, indeed Gryfnor would never leave his tent unless it had some protection to seal it, or some such thing...’ she thought and had the solution in an instant.
‘Hold your sword out Rema,’ she said, ‘if Sylvion could do this perhaps I can as well,’ and in instant she had brought the Shadow Blade and Rema’s small sword together, and by concentrating Rayven brought the light from her steel and let it enter into Rema’s. It remained glowing a little when the Shadow Blade was just as quickly returned to its sheath at her side. ‘That is the best I can do, for I think your sword will melt if I try harder,’ Rayven said grimly, ‘ I trust it will give you some power when you need it, but it will not last long so let us make haste.’
