Maiden's Saber

by Marion Faith St. James

  “Does that go for wine and ale?” Gareth asks while wetting his lips.

  The Maiden stops walking, but does not turn around when she asks. “Do you have either with you?”

  “No!”

  “Then my dry mouth friend, it does not matter now does it?”

  Natsha slaps him at the back of the head. “Always, you think of food and drink.”

  Gareth returns no comment, as he knows he was being foolish.

  They continue walking and exploring. The sound of the frequent scrapping on the walls where Gareth leaves a mark interrupts the silence. Even their footfalls are muffled and quiet on the passage floor.

  It was Amari, who made the discovery at the next turn in the passage. “Hold my friends, I sense something before us. An ancient is waiting for us.” She holds up her sword, which now glows with the color of the sun. “Katana would only respond in this manner if the third sword of the Kcaj is near. We must be wary and proceed with caution my warrior kin.

  Gareth and I both notch bolts in our crossbows and proceed in front of the Maiden.

  Amari walks behind us guiding our steps with whispered words.

  Within moments, the passageway ends and we enter a great cavern. In the center of the chamber on a raised mound of earth glows a light equal to the one that Amari holds in her hand.

  As we draw near, we can see a sword which produces the brilliance. It is not the sword that holds our stare—rather the bony hand which grips it.

  Upon a throne of bright white bones and chiseled rock sits a man in full battle gear. The tarnished armor with all it dents and scratches hangs on a body shrunken in death. Only a faded outline of some long-ago crest on the chest plate remains to tell of the realm this one came forth from.

  The skin on the hands and arms sags with age. The helmet with shield pulled down sits atop a skull with only the jaw protruding. What is left of dark braided hair travels from under the sides of the head covering and down the front of the man. A narrow slit for the eyes on the helmet is dark and foreboding. His right arm and hand hold the sword across the warrior's lap.

  Through the glow of the blade, we can see it is covered with crusted dirt and rust as it has sat here for countless ages. The other hand is tied with a cord to the man’s chest. A visible break in the forearm bone as it pokes through the tunic sleeve.

  Natsha gasps and breaks the silence of their stares. “It is Sire Goglas of Tinswood; The Dragon Slayer. The one lost to these passages after destroying the monster. This is his final resting place. He was the one that took the bones of the dragon and built this throne. He must have known this was to be his grave as well, so he constructed a throne as a monument to his deeds. See, he even carved runes and signs into the bones of the chair he sits. The meaning is unknown to me. Amari, do you know his words?”

  “Yes my sword sister. It is indeed the slayer of the dragon. It reads; here lies Sire Goglas of Tinswood, Lord of Acredale, Brother to the Sun and distant kin of my kin.

  In his hands lies the enchanted sword Helixx. The third arm of the Kcaj Pentadiene. He leaves this sword as a legacy to the one the saber chooses. The other markings tell of his misery of trying to find his way to the surface—always returning to this cavern…sometimes days later. Resigning to stay here, he walked back to where the dragon lain and took from it its bones for his alter and throne.

  These other marks,” as Amari runs her hands over the deep marks in the bleached bones, “chronicle the number of days he sat here dying from hunger. Here he wrote, Sindle Klon Regilim, I have abandoned hope.”

  As they watch and listen to Amari, the sword grows brighter and seems to bath only Gareth in its light. Sparks sweep across his body and tiny flames dance at his feet.

  The Maiden speaks. “Gareth—the saber is choosing you as its next holder of power. You must take it up quickly as the magic of this old one will grow impatient and choose another. The chosen must be a man.”

  Gareth hands his bow to Natsha and steps forward facing the long-dead warrior. Making a sign of respect to the dragon slayer, I gently move the dead warrior's fingers and hand from the hilt. Grasping the sword, I bring it close to my face and kiss the steel. The moment my lips touch the sword; dirt, grime and rust flake off in huge pieces and the brightness of new steel is in my hands. I raise it high over my head and can feel the power flow through me.

  In the next instant, the remains of the old warrior and his throne start to vibrate and shake. It all turns to dust. What powder remains of that valiant warrior falls to the ground and seeps into the earth.

  “Amari, what happened to the warrior after Gareth took the sword…he is gone?” Natsha says with astonishment in her eyes.

  The Maiden bends down to watch the light swirling dust disappear into the dirt. “The magic that surrounded the sword had kept the remains of its holder in a state of peace. Once the saber chose and became the property of a new warrior, the old magic ended. The remains of the dragon slayer corrupted and returned to whence it came—the earth.”

  Amari looks up to Gareth. “What is important…you hold the Helixx. With that Kcaj Saber in your fist and I wield Katana; our magic has become far greater. We are stronger together if we ever confront the third sword held by my sister of darkness.

  Gareth, you have much to learn, about the power you now hold my brother. We will travel and find our way from this place of death. While on our journey, I will teach you what little I know of how to draw on its power and magic. You are already a worthy swordsman, but with this—you will be near invincible.”

  I take my sword from its scabbard and stick it in the soft soil next to me. While doing so I say. “This old sword has served me well. Many an enemy dispatched by my hand and this blade.”

  I feel the steel for the last time. My fingers catch on nicks in the metal where the edge chipped while the sword met thick armor in my clashes. I remember each battle which marked my blade. I slide the new weapon into the waiting scabbard at my side. I can feel its magic flow into my tired body. I have gained renewed strength. My muscles seem to tighten and harden. “Now my sisters in arms, we will leave this place, as we possess the means.”

  “Sire Goglas must have wandered a very long time before he departed this realm for the next. What he did not have is Helixx and my Katana together to guide us from here. He never realized he always had the power to move the earth about him in order to escape. For us…we need only think on it…it will be so.

  Come Gareth lay your blade across mine. You as well Natsha—lay your sword thus among our crossed blades. It may not contain magic, but it was wrought from the earth; hence it is akin to our sabers.”

  Together Natsha and I draw swords and lay ours across Amari’s she holds in her outstretched hand.

  As the blades touch, Amari speaks a strange language. “Golya Djinn Weolo Ty-velast.” From the spot where our swords touch, a ball of fire arose and hung in the air. It is a flame with no heat. “Quickly my friends, close your eyes and think of a place far from here. A place where the air is fresh, the sun is warm and the wind pure.”

  Gareth smiles to himself. It is my thoughts that are the stronger and clearer as I think of the last time I saw the sea. I was standing on the shore near the Kingdom of Yerin. I can still hear the crash of waves to shore and taste the salt upon my lips.

  The ball of fire grows larger and cloaks the three still with crossed blades. It begins to spin about them growing and turning faster and faster. I pray that Natsha can also hear Amari as she speaks to us. “Keep thy sight shielded, my brother, my sister. The world will feel lighter to you. Remain steadfast in your vision of where we must go. I can see into your minds. Gareth has the stronger vision and knows the way. Natsha, you and I must give in to his path.”

  We all can feel the warm of the energy that surrounds us. We do not give into sight or the magic will ebb away.”

  With eyes tightly closed, we can feel ourselves become one mind and one body. Our feet no longer touch the earth. Our spirits
seem to drift above our bodies. I can feel both Amari and Gareth’s thoughts and feelings. I fight the urge to open my eyes and confront what I can only feel and not see. My head dances with the same lightness of taking too much ale.

  Through closed eyelids, the brightness is still strong. A clap of thunder…then another pain assaults my ears. My feet are once again touching the ground. It is strange as I feel like I am standing on sinking earth. A new warmth touches my face while I continue to fight the need to open my eyes.

  I am still holding the sword tightly in front of me, when Amari speaks again. “We are here my warrior friends. You may once again look upon the world.”

  Little by little, I open my eyes to the brightness of a high sun.

  I feel a tremor under my feet, as I turn to see, and feel waves pounding against the shore. It is the lifeblood of earth as the sea ebbs and flows like a living and breathing being.

  Foamy surf flows over my boots while I stand on a sandy white beach. I take my sword from the joining of Amari and Gareth’s, and return it to my scabbard. I encircle my arms around Gareth’s large neck. “We made it my brother…we are safe.” Looking around, I ask. Where are we?”

  “We are on the coast. Far from the lands of Aventine and the Dragon’s Grave. That way,” as he points to the east, “is the city of Yerin; it was my last port of call as a seaman. To the east over those high mountains is Aventine. Amari your magic saved us and brought us here. Are ye far enough from thy dark sister now?”

  “Yes brave one! Her influence is no longer taxing my strength. More and more of my lost memories are returning as well.” She pauses for a moment before continuing. “Since we are no longer in the dragon’s lair, the enchanted wall I created will fall. Urel and the others will win their way within and search for us.

  They will spend days cutting through Natsha’s magically created vines. They would have to traverse the same tunnels and passages we walked…seeking us. We can hope they become lost!

  Unfortunately, for us, my sister has a nasty habit of escaping death and perils. At most, we will have a waning moon before they know we no longer exist in the mountain. Pity those who are near Urel when her anger soars.”

  “Does evil rule her as much as you say?” Natsha asks.

  “Her heart is forever dark and compassion is no longer in her black soul. We have an advantage. Urel does not know Gareth holds the Earth Sword Helixx.

  It was destiny guiding us to this place and time. We were meant to find and possess another of the enchanted sabers before my sister.”

  “You make it sound like a competition,” Gareth says.

  The Maiden squints her eyes at the big man; weighing his words. “Not a competition, but a vow we made as young women. We would search the lands for the other blades. For a while, we followed clues and legends from village to village. We were never close to finding the other three sabers. We settled for possessing the two we had. Now it is more like a race to obtain the other sabers before they fall into the hands of evil. The blades will never choose a dark one to serve, but if they have them, then we do not.”

  Amari looks off toward the sea. “Gareth, our combined blades sensitivity will alert us when the Fire Saber is near…with it Urel. However, it will also alert her to our presence. We must travel to Yerin and blend with its populace while I gather my magic. Lead us Gareth as thou knows the way and the dangers to stand against.”

  I bow to the Maiden, then to Natsha. “I am your sword brother and servant; we must go this way along the shore.” He points to the north. I reckon it will take two days travel before the city is reached.”

  Gareth secures his sword belt and sets his foot toward the north, followed by the Maiden Witch. Natsha is providing the rear-guard…constantly scanning their back trail.

  Above them on the high cliff, dark eyes watch the trio moving along the shore. With wings outstretched, the watcher leaps into the air and disappears among the clouds.

  Chapter 5 - The Devine Intruder

  Amari, Gareth and Natsha walk the shore close to the water, while waves constantly lapping at their feet. Their combined attention is on the land about them where danger may strike at any moment. They only paid a small interest to the sea on their right.

  With only a head bobbing in the swells and the rest of her body below the water, the sea creature pays close attention to the landers. Watching the travelers while hiding among the white-capped waves, Dian Iverkin spins her water magic to remain invisible to those who walk the land.

  As she gains power from the sea, she is compelled to remain water-bound…never to walk upon the land. As the sun begins to hide on the watery horizon, the sky grows dark. Dian watches the three stop their advance and settle upon the shore. The big one is gone for a span of time, but returns with arms laden with wood. She watches as a landsmen’s fire burst forth with a wave of one of the other’s hand. Keenly dressed in long flowing white, she carries the scent of a female on the breeze.

  The one who seems to command a great power is not unlike Dian as a woman, except the one on the shore is an air breather. I watch as another female takes a long slender branch from the pile of wood, and sharpens the end with a short blade of steel. She hefts it in her hand and hurls it at the beach. The point buries itself deep within the soft sand. Satisfied, she says something to the others and turns toward the water.

  I sink lower among the waves as she approaches the space between land and sea. I continue to watch intrigued while this leather and armor clad land walker wades six full strides into the liquid; her attention on those that lie under the waves.

  A quick movement of her arm and a scaled one is brought to the air…impaled neatly through it side. An overhand jerk toward the shore dislodges the wiggling fish. It soars toward the others landing only a few paces away. The catch drops to the earth, beating out its life with no water to breathe. Another thrust with the spear and a companion fish joins the first one on the shore. In moments, it lies there silent as well as the others that follow.

  Dian has witnessed those who walk the dry, hunting in this manner. She marveled at the deftness in their catching of the quick and slippery roamers of the shallows.

  A stabbing pain in my mind comes a warning. A dark predator approaches from the deep. Moving swiftly and silent, it nears the shallows where the woman spearing fish is wading.

  Scent and thoughts telling me it is on the hunt and the man-thing upon the shore is the prey. It is a Senam; an ancient creature thought to be gone from the sea. Dian knew that hundreds of these denizens of the deep still exist. They lay in wait where the shallows meet the deep. Animals or man foolish enough to enter the shallows, are easy prey. Once those sharp teeth-lined jaws catch a victim, it will drag the prey to a subterranean lair and feast upon its flesh.

  Dian cannot see the Senam yet, but she knows it is there somewhere, slowly creeping toward the shore. A vivid memory draws the picture of its hideous form in her mind. It is a sea creature that had the flowing mane of the beast man rode upon the land. The head shaped as a serpent with a fiery breath and a whale’s mighty tail. The body covered with many overlapping scales, near impossible to breach. It possessed one evil eye and struck fire from the rocks with a swipe of its nails on iron-strong claws.

  I float silently in the water as it slithers past. The foul creature is not seeing or sensing me. Water magic hides my presence. Still, it turns a head toward where I float, then, back toward its prey. Out of its mouth with many teeth slides a long tongue expanding many lengths of it body. It goes steadily nearer the walker of the dry land. She who is spearing fish is unaware of its nearness or her impending death.

  The beast will snare with that long tongue and drag its victims to the bottom. Once the last breath has left her body, she will be brought to his lair and devoured.

  Quick is the serpent’s tongue as it encircles the foot and ankle under the water and drags her away from the shallows. In moments, she will be under the salt…unreachable by those who would rush to her
aid.

  A painful call to her companions on the shore brings them on the run. The captured one lashes out with the spear, but only stabs at water as the beast sways one way then the other easily paring her thrusts. It never loosens it snake-like tongue hold on her leg. The Senam continues pulling the land woman to deeper water. Too late those she calls will not be able to save her—only morn her passing.

  The creature with thrashing prey approaches where I swim hidden. I fear it is left to me to dispatch this monster. I do not owe allegiance to man or woman, but neither can I let this one die in such a way. I watch as she has let go of the spear and a sword now fills her hand. This one will not go willingly I think.

  Her muscled arm stabs at the water time after time, but does not find a mark to hit. Summoning my water magic, I swirl my hands on the sea’s surface. Drawing a line in the water, it outlines a sword which remains floating there as the liquid hardens. I grasp the hilt and pull from the waves, a water sword. It is unbreakable even against hardened steel.

  I approach the beast from its tail. The Senam is intent on bringing the one it captured to the depths. Too late to react, it feels me climbing upon its back. I raise my weapon crafted in magic and strike the one vulnerable spot on the beast. Where the head joins the first layer of scales is a joint that holds the neck to the serpent head. In that, one vulnerable chink covered with muscle is its spine and the place I seek.

  I do not hesitate as I feel the Senam tensing to throw me from its back. My aim is true and my arm strong as the blade of salty sea penetrates the weakness of the muscle there and passes through. Holding the blade in place, I twist the handle, destroying the soft tissue below the scaled hide. In a few moments, it stops thrashing and lays silent.

  The quarry’s leg is released as she stands and steps back toward the land. Those on the shore wade into the water with swords I have never seen before. The blades glow with fire and strength. I release my magic that hides me from their sight. I withdraw the water sword from the kill, holding it up in triumph. It quickly turns back to water and showers my head with wetness.