by Tora Moon
After seeing the murals, Rizelya supposed she should be praying to the Maiden in Her warrior form, but she always felt more comfortable praying to the Mother, the care-giver. She seemed more approachable than the fierce Warrior Maiden.
Their guide stopped at a door at the end of this corridor and knocked. Rizelya assumed another corridor would be dedicated to the fourth aspect of the Goddess: the Crone. She ruled death and the world of the beyond. Rizelya wasn’t sure if she was glad or disappointed they hadn’t walked down the Crone’s corridor. Rizelya prayed to the Crone frequently because she dealt in death as readily as the Crone did. So did the Maiden Warrior, but the Crone also dispensed justice, and it was this aspect which appealed to Rizelya.
The door had opened while Rizelya was lost in thought and she quickly followed the others through it. Another priestess waited for them, this one older and closer to Rizelya’s age. The young girl bowed to the journeyman priestess and left. “The White Priestess will see you now,” the woman said. “Follow me.”
Although all priestess of the Temple were Whites or the rarer Gray, only the leader, the High Priestess was called ‘The White Priestess.’ And there was only one Supreme White Priestess who ruled the Sanctuary, all of the White Priestesses, and all of the Posairs. Rizelya was glad they were talking to a Keep White Priestess and not the Supreme. She had heard stories of the old woman and her legendary skill of being able to see into the mind and heart of another. Rizelya didn’t want her looking into her heart or mind anytime soon. Although the Supreme might be the only one who could tell Rizelya what her strange dreams meant. The thought made her shiver.
“You okay?” Aistrun whispered to her as they were led down another long corridor.
Rizelya nodded. “Just cold,” she lied.
They followed the second priestess through a short hallway and into a receiving room. It was painted a deep blue, but the carpets and furniture were white. The White Priestess who had blessed them the day before was sitting in a throne-like chair. It’s massiveness only adding to, not diminishing, her presence. She rested her forearms on the arms of the chair and sat rigidly straight and alert.
Sitting in a much smaller chair next to her was a Gray. The Gray Priestess’s hair was a light silver-gray and her eyes were a pale blue, so pale they were almost white. She wore dove-gray robes cinched with a leather belt dyed a darker gray. Silver-gray moonstones winked from each index finger and at her ears.
Rizelya, Aistrun, and Laynar made obeisance to the priestesses. When the White Priestess motioned to them, they sat on the stools awaiting them.
“We have examined your male,” the White Priestess said. “There is something, or someone, who is tampering with his mind. I called in my Gray Priestess who examined him as well. She found tendrils of evil influencing his soul. We do not know what it is or where it is coming from.” The White Priestess sounded embarrassed.
The Gray Priestess looked at her leader, then said, “It has something to do with the Malvers monsters, perhaps the new one we have heard about, but we don’t know what exactly.” She shrugged. “None of us have seen one, so we do not know how one could affect him.” She gripped her hands together tightly.
“The control janack emits a hum,” Rizelya admitted. “I don’t know why I can hear it and no one else can.”
The White Priestess leaned forward slightly, her eyes seeming to blaze, as she regarded Rizelya. “And are you not affected and drawn to the evil of the swamps?”
“No, Priestess,” Rizelya answered. “I have sensed some mind control, but I have been able to fight it.” She grinned maliciously. “Usually by killing the control janack and destroying its strange protrusion.”
The White Priestess considered this information. Rizelya found it difficult to not squirm under the intense gaze. Inside her boots, she curled and uncurled her toes, needing to move something.
After a long time, or so it seemed to Rizelya, the White Priestess sat back and nodded her head once as if to herself. “This indeed may be the cause. We do not have the skill or resources to fully remove the taint. However, we have blocked it, so it should not lead him astray again.” Before they could get their hopes up, she continued. “This is but a temporary measure. The White Priestess at Strunlair Keep should be able to remove it. And if she cannot, then the male should be taken to the Supreme at the Sanctuary.”
“We are concerned,” the Gray added, “the taint will grow and overtake him completely if it is not removed.”
“We travel to the Clan-Keep,” Aistrun told the priestesses. “We will take him directly to the White Priestess when we arrive.”
“Is there anything we can do on the way?” Rizelya asked.
The White Priestess smiled. “If the control janack is the cause, you can keep him away from it.”
Rizelya heard Aistrun mumbling under his breath about the impossibility of that. She kicked him surreptitiously. “We will do what we can,” she told the priestess.
“He will be brought to you before the evening meal,” the White Priestess said in dismissal.
Rizelya and Aistrun stood up and bowed to the priestesses, but Laynar stayed seated. When Rizelya looked at her questioningly, Laynar smiled and mouthed, “Ceremony.” Rizelya returned the smile and left.
With the anticipation of a service, Rizelya happily followed their guide out of the Temple. They were still saddled with Keandran, but he should be better to live with now that the taint was blocked.
At least, they could hope his ill temper had been caused by the evil taint.
Chapter 9
The horizon was glowing with the rising sun and in another octar they would be leaving. Rizelya took a deep breath, holding it in her lungs, and then letting it out slowly. She stretched, reaching high into the air and bending slowly to touch the ground, her braid swinging. She had been heading to the stables when the grassy area nearby had drawn her there instead. It had been days since she had stretched.
A few moments later the rest of her squad-pack joined her, even Keandran. She nodded to them and continued with the routine they all knew so well. She went through the exercises and stretches to loosen her muscles, which were also a type of meditation. The ceremony at the Temple last night had done wonders to recenter her spirit. It had been a long time since she had felt the quiet, loving presence of the Goddess. She continued until her muscles were warm and supple. Bowing at the end of the sequence, she looked up to see Laynar and Layhalya standing off to the side.
“Alphas,” she greeted them. “We’ll be ready to leave on time.” As if on cue, all but Aistrun hurried to the stable. Aistrun stepped quietly to stand behind her.
“The boy is well enough to travel?” Layhalya asked.
“So the White Priestess tells us. He does seem to be better,” Rizelya replied.
“He’s the calmest I’ve ever seen him,” Aistrun assured them. “I hope whatever they did will keep him from running into the swamp when we have to fight, for we will be fighting.”
Laynar nodded. “The increased activity of the monster nests ensures we will.”
“I have changed your route slightly,” Layhalya told them. She stilled the start of Rizelya and Aistrun’s objection with a stern look. “I want you to check several of the nest sites along the way. We must be sure my people can defend us with your new techniques. You’ll also warn the minor keeps along your route. As soon as we have enough Yellows trained, we will be sending them out to the minor keeps to assist their fighters.”
“But, we have so little time,” Rizelya burst out.
“Ach, you have time.” Layhalya waved her protest away. “We have fewer hills and valleys than Strunell Territory. You’ll move through our territory quickly enough.”
Aistrun touched her shoulder, warning her to stop protesting. Layhalya was the Keep Alpha and much higher in rank. Just as they had obeyed Keshanal’s orders, they would obey Layhalya’s.
“Yes, Alpha,” Rizelya bowed her head in submission.
�
��Guide them well, Granddaughter.”
“I guess she’s not much on farewells,” Rizelya commented, watching Layhalya make her way across the courtyard.
“No, she isn’t,” Laynar agreed. “Come, we must leave.”
Although the exchange with Layhalya hadn’t taken much time, Leistral and Eidstrun came out of the stable leading Kymaya and Jezhan already saddled. Laynal led Laynar’s blue-gray gelding. He had thin white stripes along his sides, white socks, and a white tail. They went to their mounts, checked girth straps, and tightened them as needed. Packs were tied behind saddles.
The platoon accompanying them was already standing next to their horses, ready to mount up. Several nibbled on bread rolls filled with meat and cheese. Rizelya’s mouth watered and she heard the loud growl of Aistrun’s stomach.
A young Red ran up to Laynar, a basket on her arm. She handed Laynar a packet, then went around to each of Rizelya’s squad-pack and gave them one. Rizelya’s was warm, and when she lifted a corner of the wrapper the scent of fresh bread wafted out. She had been resigned to eating a trail bar to break her fast, but this was much better. A young boy came around with stoppered ceramic bottles. When Rizelya opened it, the rising steam carried the smell of spicy taevo.
Once all were provisioned with food and drink, Laynar called out the order to mount up. Leather creaked as feet stepped into stirrups and air whooshed lightly as riders settled in saddles. At Laynar’s signal, the mounted party kicked their horses into a walk. When they were through the gates, Laynar moved her horse into a fast walk.
Rizelya munched on her bread roll and sipped on her taevo as they rode away from the keep. Here, like at home, the fields were sectioned off with the protecting sheadash stone. Browns with earth Talents were already working in the fields, along with a few Blues and Greens. Scattered among the women were the men who had chosen not to become fighters. Several adolescent boys and girls, about thirteen or fourteen, drove a flock of sheep down a sheadash and granite gravel lane.
The scene of fieldworkers and herders was so similar to the one she’d witnessed many times at home that she felt a moment of homesickness. Then she saw an unfamiliar sight. A young Red fighter, just a year or two older than the herders, followed them sedately on her horse. A young wolf trotted beside her; they were guards for the herders and their flock of sheep. They would be meager defense against any marauding monsters, but they could alert their alpha of any trouble and fighters would quickly be dispatched. Then she noticed the shepherd crooks of the young herders had been replaced by helbraughts. None of them had any Red Talent to make the blade glow with fire, but even so, the blade would be better protection than a plain wooden staff.
“I wonder if other Talents could feed their powers into the helbraught blades the way we feed them fire,” she said to Aistrun, indicating the herders.
“Hey, I don’t know why not, other than they haven’t needed to. The Reds have always been the fighters.”
“Well, we aren’t the only ones fighting now.”
“Nope, there are now Yellows too,” Dehali said, entering the conversation. “They’re now just as necessary as the Reds. I’m sure many of the Browns and maybe some of the Greens would be good to have in this new fight.”
“But not Blues,” Eidstrun said, shooting a quick glance back at Keandran who rode several paces behind them. “I don’t think it would be a good idea. He has some Blue Talent and look what’s happened to him.”
“We don’t know if that’s the problem,” Leistral spoke up in defense of Keandran.
“He’s the only one who is having problems with the new control janack,” Eidstrun replied.
“Hmm, that’s not quite true,” Rizelya said quietly. She tried not to let the worry she felt creep into her voice. “I can hear them humming.”
“But you aren’t letting them control you,” Eidstrun grumbled. “You aren’t running into the swamp. I don’t have to chase you down.”
“Hey, he’s right. Rizelya, you’re still in control, fighting the buggers.” Aistrun gave her a reassuring smile.
“You know, the blades on our helbraughts are created by helstramiesters, Browns who specialize in working with the helstrim,” Leistral broke in, turning the conversation back to the subject they had been discussing. “The blades hold and direct magic, so why couldn’t the other Talents use it like we Reds do?”
“Hey, we need someone who doesn’t have any Red Talent to test the theory on,” Aistrun said into the silence.
“Too bad Tami or Kami isn’t here with us,” Dehali sighed, sadness flitting across her face at their memory. “They were full Yellows.”
“But they had some Red Talent too,” Leistral reminded her.
“Next time we train the Yellows, let’s try having them use a helbraught. They could make the blade cold,” Rizelya said. Her group agreed it was a good idea.
Farther away from the keep, Rizelya noticed the fields and pastures were guarded by teams of a Red woman and a wolf, who could shift into a warrior if needed. These guards were more experienced fighters than the first team with the herder children. Layhalya wasn’t taking any chances on the safety of her people. She had been a fighter before the Zehis method had been developed. She knew how much damage a loose nest of monsters could create.
Once the cultivated fields and the pasturelands of the keep were behind them, Laynar picked up their speed. She fell into the trot, canter, trot pace which had them eating the measures while keeping their horses healthy.
Their route took them farther north and into the foothills. The contingent passed the tumbled remains of an old settlement. If there had been a tower, it had long since fallen and the stone used for building.
Scouts were sent out to the nest site near the ruins. While Rizelya waited for the scouts to return, she again wondered why the nest sites were always located near where ancient settlements had once been. Perhaps all the magic flung around during the Great War was responsible for the malignant magic pools which were also located near the old settlements. The pools and the monster nests always went hand-in-hand.
The scouts returned quickly, with good news this time. The nest was empty. They rode on.
***
It was past noon when they rode into a small minor keep. Rizelya wasn’t happy with the delays caused by stopping at all the minor keeps to warn them, but she could see the reasoning behind it. Happily, there weren’t many minor holdings in the district. They were mostly just garrisons, but there were hearty souls who chose to live in the remote areas.
The alpha of this small Keep hadn’t seen any of the new monsters. But then again, the local nest wasn’t active yet. The spring nights were still cold and frost covered the ground most mornings. They hadn’t yet broken the land for planting. The alpha expected the nest to waken with the first planting in another chedan or so. If the nest was as they said, she would be grateful for the additional help. There was a young woman with Yellow Talent the alpha would send to the main keep for training.
Laynar led the group out of the keep and back on the road. They rode through rocky, hilly country, the type the monsters avoided because the janacks and brechas couldn’t maneuver over rocks. The trail they followed wound up the side of the mountain. Patches of snow covered the trail, and in the shadows under the trees the snow was still several feet deep.
Rizelya snuggled into her warm cloak she had put on during their last rest stop. She noticed some mountain goats climbing the rocky slopes above the path and watched in awe as a ram leaped from one outcrop to another.
Rizelya glanced at the progress of the sun. It was well along its downward slope and they still had a ways to go before reaching the safe house which was on the other side of the pass. If they didn’t make it there before nightfall, the only comfort she had was that the landscape was too rocky to harbor any monster nests.
The stretch of trail they were on was just wide enough for one horse. On one side was the rough rock wall of the mountain; on the other was a she
er drop. Rizelya was near the head of the column. When she reached the switchback she could see the tail end of their group coming around the bend of the switchback below. She looked up, a few more turns and they would be at the top. The slope was steep enough, even with the switchbacks, she needed to stand over Kymaya’s shoulders to help her climb. She paused at a curve that was slightly wider than the trail in order to sit back down on her saddle, giving her tired legs a rest.
Rizelya turned the corner of the next hairpin turn and saw Laynar had stopped. Ahead of them a wide stretch of scree blocked the path. Rizelya looked up and could see the scar on the face of the cliff. The landslide, and resulting field of loose gravel and rock, looked new. Laynar sent a scout ahead. Rizelya held her breath as she watched the scout get off his horse and gingerly walk across the scree. A few rocks skittered down the mountain at his passage. A few more tumbled down on his return.
Too bad we don’t have any Browns with stone affinity with us. They could steady the scree and make it safe for us to cross. But all of the women in the fighting-pack were Reds. Rizelya doubted any of them had a strong enough earth Talent. She knew she didn’t. Here was another instance where having a variety of Talents would be beneficial.
There wasn’t any place along the narrow path for them to stop for the night, or even turn around and go back down. They would have to cross the scree and hope for the best. Rizelya felt a twinge of guilt. Laynar had chosen this route because it cut days of travel to the Strunven territory border. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be crossing this dangerous pass.
