The Companions of Tartiël

by Jeff Wilcox

  Finally, Kaiyr regained his focus. He forced himself to compartmentalize the grief he felt at the sudden loss of Solaria, feeding the grief into a mental meat grinder that turned it into anger, then tempered it under the icy waters of his blademaster training, transfiguring his white-hot fury into the most dangerous feeling: cold, cold rage. Righteous wrath stirred within the blademaster, wrath as deep as the Abyss and as frigid as the waters of the Styx.

  Kaiyr’s soulblade flickered momentarily at his shift in emotions, and when it returned to full manifestation, its edge and golden hilt gleamed brighter than before in the amber light.

  The blademaster looked at Warteär Nomen with eyes devoid of warmth and passion, eyes that saw not the present, but foresaw the cuts yet to be made, the blood not yet spilled. It did not matter to the blademaster whether the elf-creature did so out of fear, but Warteär Nomen took a step back and brandished his rapier in a defensive posture as Kaiyr stepped calmly forward.

  “Take this!” Caineye suddenly interrupted, calling upon the power of the moon and directing a trio of pale, white beams of light at the hated enemy. The light rushed in and swirled around Warteär Nomen, whose muscles began to sag, their strength sapped by the power of the druid’s spell.

  But Warteär Nomen suddenly straightened, his skin hanging off his form as though it were loose clothing. “Useless flesh,” he muttered, reaching across and gripping his shoulder with one hand. Without a hint of emotion or even pain, he ripped the skin away from his body, tearing the wilted flesh away and throwing it to the ground. Before them stood a creature seemingly made of nothing but plate armor, and pulsing, blue energy shone through between the eerily silent steel plates.

  “By the gods,” Caineye murmured, stepping back; Vinto also let go of Warteär Nomen’s arm. “Warteär Nomen… he’s not even living!”

  *

  “Hasta la vista, baby,” Matt said in his best Schwarzenegger voice.

  “I’ll be back,” I agreed.

  “But Solaria won’t,” Dingo added, receiving a chorus of boos in return.

  *

  Kaiyr could find within himself no reason to fear the new creature that stood before him, still holding onto the deceptively delicate rapier that had ended Solaria’s life. The lack of flesh only served to remove the disguise that had hampered Kaiyr’s judgment before; his strikes had barely stung the elf-creature. Now that he knew the construct’s true nature, he understood why his attacks had been ineffectual. If anything, it would make the battle easier. Just as he had done to the steel door that had trapped Wild, Kaiyr would cut down Warteär Nomen, because that was what his enemy was: nothing more than a closed door.

  “Gee, I’m so glad I can’t do anything to help,” Wild muttered to himself as he watched the blademaster approach Warteär Nomen.

  The construct jumped back and unleashed a green bolt of disintegrating energy at the blademaster, who knew it was coming a second before it happened, and when Warteär Nomen fired the ray, Kaiyr was simply not there anymore. Confused, Warteär Nomen realized its error when Kaiyr’s soulblade ripped into the hard, metal carapace of its shoulder.

  Then, recognizing its own doom in the form of Kaiyr’s blade, Warteär Nomen struck back, raising its rapier for another strike, but its aim was knocked off-course when an enormous, wooden spike crashed into its side, and Kaiyr dodged the lightning-fast sword.

  Rushing back in, Kaiyr used the distraction of Caineye’s splinterbolt to land another pair of devastating blows. He sent a small burst of thought to his soulblade every time he swung, bidding his spirit to bite deeper with each cut, as if to wish Warteär Nomen destroyed by his willpower alone.

  The construct, already weakened by the companions before Caineye had revealed its true form, began to show signs of wear and tear. With every strike from Kaiyr’s soulblade and spell from Caineye’s fingertips, more pieces of Warteär Nomen’s body clattered to the ground. Blue-glowing conduits of magical energy that enabled the construct to move began to show, pulsing as though they were blood pushed by a heart.

  Finally, it could stand no more, and Warteär Nomen, infused with a certain amount of self-preservation, paused to invoke magic that would carry it away from here. Kaiyr, however, had already foreseen this, and he was relentless in pursuing the construct. Whirling in a trio of spinning leaps, Kaiyr’s first strike sliced through Warteär Nomen’s hand, disrupting the precise gestures necessary for it to cast the teleportation magic. The blademaster’s second cut hewed through the construct’s core from shoulder to waist. A shower of sparks erupted from the wound as the conduits powering the body broke down and failed. Finally, with a shout of released anger and focus, Kaiyr soared high into the air, and when he came down, his soulblade sheared through Warteär Nomen’s metal neck.

  Kaiyr fell to his knees, shoulders heaving, as the construct’s head fell to the ground, eyes still smoldering. The infuriated blademaster’s final strike had left the metal glowing red-hot, which cooled as Warteär Nomen’s eyes faded and finally turned dark.

  None of them moved for several long minutes. Kaiyr stared, eyes still filled with rage, at Warteär Nomen’s body. Caineye watched the blademaster, unwilling to look at Solaria’s fallen form so gracefully splayed on the cobblestones amid her own blood, a tragic work of art. Wild was the only one aside from Vinto who looked upon Solaria, and he could barely breathe as he vainly tried to swallow the rising lump in his throat. The wolf, keeping his paws clear of Solaria’s sacred blood, gingerly sniffed at her corpse. Determining her dead, he raised his head to the amber dome overhead and let out a long, low howl of mourning that echoed in the empty streets.

  Kaiyr heard the halfling’s struggle against tears, but the elf could not find within himself the capacity for tears just yet. He still channeled his grief into rage, and he could not let go of that grounding emotion because he knew that if he did, he might lose himself in his anguish. He could not let that happen; while Warteär Nomen was the one who had struck the final blow, there was yet someone else who was truly responsible for her death.

  That thought, and that thought alone, spurred the blademaster to move. Rising slowly, he released his soulblade and strode to Solaria’s side. His face impassive, he knelt briefly and then rose with Solaria’s body in his arms. Behind him, Wild erupted into tearful sobs and rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Kaiyr’s leg. Kaiyr, although he dimly empathized with the halfling in a compartmentalized corner of his mind, barely took notice of the added weight, recognizing that they were still in enemy territory.

  Stopping before Caineye, Kaiyr looked at the druid with his oceanic eyes, eyes that were calm on the surface but roiling and furious beneath. In that one look, Caineye understood what Kaiyr needed right now, and with a deep breath, the human stabilized his thoughts and emotions, at least temporarily, and nodded back at the blademaster. Before they left, Wild released his grasp on Kaiyr’s leg and lifted Warteär Nomen’s head in both hands. “This is coming with us.”

  Neither of the other two had any arguments, and together they made their way back toward the temple, Kaiyr carrying Solaria, Caineye close to his side, and Wild walking at his knee, angrily clutching the head of the artificial creature that had killed their friend.

  Their battle must have caught the attention of the roving bands of invaders, and it was not long before the companions found the street blocked by a small horde of the transformed Terth’Kaftineya and their human allies. Neither side said anything, though both clearly challenged the other.

  Gently setting down Solaria’s body, Kaiyr propped her against the wall in a sitting position before manifesting his soulblade and returning to his companions.

  Perhaps it was because they so clearly remembered the handy defeat of their forces at the temple of Alduros Hol by the trio, or perhaps it was because they saw the head of Warteär Nomen in Wild’s hands, but regardless of the reason, the wolf army backed down. Just as they had when the blademaster’s party arrived, the Terth’Kaftineya lowered their
ears and tucked their tails between their legs, and the humans stepped aside to let the group pass. Kaiyr, in no mood to be double-crossed, surveyed the situation, coldly eyeing the soldiers’ reactions and sizing up the opponents before deciding that they were indeed surrendering this fight.

  After Kaiyr had Solaria’s form in his arms again, the trio grimly moved onward. They kept their eyes straight ahead as their enemies kept theirs to the ground.

  Yet again, however, they found their way blocked. This time, however, it was not by the wolf army, but by Jinn. The strange creature’s shadowy form spilled out from an alley, and his yellow eyes winked into existence as he met the party, who stopped even though they did not care to listen to what anyone had to say to them.

  The yellow eyes vibrated with amusement. “What you have done here today will certainly go into the annals of this world,” Jinn told them excitedly. “You… you are truly ones to be watched; perhaps you will have such a profound impact on the world as has never before been—”

  “Can you bring her back?” Kaiyr interrupted the smoky watcher, his voice hollow.

  Jinn stopped, his yellow eye-lights stilling themselves. After what seemed like a smoky sigh, the watcher replied, “Yes and no. I am physically able to restore that creature in your arms to life. However, certain… restrictions placed upon me have rendered me incapable of doing so.”

  The blademaster’s voice turned into a growl, and he strode around Jinn angrily. “Then get out of our way.”

  Caineye looked at Kaiyr back in mild shock, but then he and Vinto followed, Wild on their heels.

  “I beg of you patience,” Jinn said as they passed. “What I have to say will be important for you, regardless of how you feel right now.”

  Kaiyr spun on his heel, clutching Solaria close to him so as not to shake her body too much. “Do not condescend us, creature! You are utterly useless to us, to this world, if you have the power to change it, yet sit idly by and do nothing. You have no right to beg nor demand anything of us, wretch! Now. Be. Gone.”

  “Kaiyr,” Caineye said, voice full of concern as Kaiyr returned to his original path.

  “I have had enough of the foolishness of this creature and those others we must contend with under this cursed globe, Master Caineye,” the blademaster said by way of explanation and closure.

  Jinn did not relent, and the party stopped to listen with their backs turned only as long as the watcher continued speaking. “There is yet one more pivotal event to come, and you must be there to witness it. The coming of the fallen angel, Saraël, is near. She is the cause of everything that has transpired here, and the power that will call her is maturing. Two days hence, at sunrise, she will appear, and then all will be made known… and all will be turned to dust. I can only be a witness, but you have the power to change the world.”

  XLI.

  “Well, all of you get back to the temple without any more interruptions,” Dingo told us, and we all deflated a little, relieved not to have to fight another battle this day. Statistically, Kaiyr could have continued fighting the rest of the day as long as he had time to stop and use charges from his wand of cure light wounds and wand of cure moderate wounds to heal himself every now and then. Wild, whose contributions had been minor at best against Warteär Nomen because of the construct’s immunity to the rogue’s extra sneak attack damage, was little the worse for wear. Caineye was the most exhausted of anyone in terms of the game’s rules; he had used many spells during the battle, as well as afterward in order to heal Kaiyr’s injuries. He still had all his uses of the druid’s wildshape ability left, but Caineye was not built for combat and would not have fared well, even with a strong animal form (unless, perhaps, he transformed into a bear, the better to hug enemies to death).

  “Except for one last thing. About halfway to the temple, a great creature erupts from the black castle, nearly destroying it in the process,” Dingo went on. “But nothing comes of it, as a form you recognize as Atradeus soars overhead and clashes with the creature, and as you arrive at the temple, the beast falls over, utterly dead.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Must have been the tarrasque, only Dingo’s favorite creature. It is an enormous, invincible dinosaur, after all,” I said. “Anyway, I immediately find Id’ril. Father Id’ril, can you return Solaria to us? I ask without preamble.”

  Dingo nodded. “I can try, but her spirit must be willing. Do you have a proper sacrifice?”

  “I do. I present the diamonds.”

  The DM held up his hand. “It cannot happen this night, unfortunately. Find a safe resting place for her remains tonight, and on the morrow, I will prepare to channel the divine energy it will require to make the connection.”

  I nodded gravely. “Very well. And thank you.”

  Dingo looked at us as a group and spread his hands. “Well? Is there anything any of you want to do before resting?”

  “I’m going to pray over Solaria’s form,” Xavier said. “Vinto will be there with me.”

  “I’m busy looking at the shininess of Warteär Nomen’s head,” Matt replied with a grin.

  “All right,” Dingo said. “The next morning comes, and all of you are present for the raise dead spell.”

  “I hold Solaria’s head on my knee,” I said with a pang of romance, “so that when she wakes, she’ll be comfortable and see the faces of her friends.”

  Dingo nodded. “Id’ril casts the spell, and Kaiyr, you find reality warping around you again, and you find yourself in the presence of Arvanos Sinterian.”

  Xavier rolled his eyes. “Again? Of course, I never get to meet Alduros Hol in person.”

  *

  “Father Arvanos,” Kaiyr said in surprise when he found himself no longer kneeling on the ground outside the temple of Alduros Hol with Solaria’s body. Instead, he stood at the center of the same forest clearing as when he had spoken with the First Father before.

  “Young blademaster,” Arvanos said, His eyes smiling. In one hand He played with the several diamonds Kaiyr had sacrificed in order to make his appeal to the gods. “It seems life becomes more complicated for you every day.”

  Kneeling briefly before being beckoned to stand, the elf nodded. “I did not expect to meet you again in person, my god.”

  Arvanos cocked His head to one side. “Perhaps that in itself is the reason I decide to appear before you so often. It is often that the mortals send prayers to the celestial realms on wings of frivolity, expecting us to appease them, grant them financial stability, restore a jilted lover to their side. But you come to me, begging humbly and expecting nothing of me, and your need is real. I can see the damage your heart has taken from your suffering. Your soul is torn with the loss of so much in such a short time.”

  He snapped His fingers, and the diamonds evaporated. “But come; time is short, and you have come to me for a specific reason.” Waving His hand, Arvanos gripped the strands of reality in this place and wove them anew. The trees and ferns stepped aside and leaned out of the way, creating a path before Kaiyr. At the end of it, the blademaster could make out Solaria kneeling contentedly in the grass.

  Kaiyr hesitated, but Arvanos appeared behind him, a guiding hand on the blademaster’s shoulder. “Go to her,” He told the blue-haired elf. “I will wait here.”

  Slowly, as if in a dream, Kaiyr trod the path the woods had made specifically for him. Solaria did not look up immediately upon his arrival. She was clad in a simple, white gown, and her hair was filled with tiny, violet flowers she had picked in the clearing. She gently wove a wreath made of the bright stalks and petals.

  “Lady Solaria,” he said at length, kneeling before her in the grass.

  Her eyes met his, and Kaiyr’s heart skipped a beat. “I know,” she said to him simply. “I know.”

  Kaiyr took a steadying breath. “Lady Solaria… will you come back with me? Will you come back to life?”

  “Why?”

  “I…” Kaiyr’s voice trailed off as his words lost their way to his ton
gue.

  Solaria put down her wreath and fixed Kaiyr with a stern but understanding gaze. “Kaiyr… things will be better this way. You can have what you want if I stay here.”

  The elf’s eyes suddenly brimmed with tears; he already knew that he could not convince her to come with him, but he knew he had to try. “Lady Solaria, I beg of you… I do not want this for either of us. You… you have friends in life who will miss you dearly, who… see? I already weep for you, Lady Solaria. Please. We… we all love you. I love you.”

  A sad smile crossed Solaria’s features. Reaching out, she tenderly touched Kaiyr’s tear-stained cheek, and he responded by pressing against her hand. “Silly Kaiyr,” she chided him, her voice soft. “We both know it is not me whom you love. I see it in your eyes even when you look at me with that caring look of yours. You’re not looking at me; you’re looking at Astra.

  “Even though I’ve only been here a short time, I’ve already come to realize several things. The most important one right now is that although I am not Astra, I am still a part of her, and she, a part of me.” She removed her hand, and Kaiyr, his spirit battered and weary, looked at her like a lost puppy. “You must let go of me, for what you see in me is not what I am. Take my passing as a blessing, a blessing so that you can pursue your heart’s true path, your true desire. Know that in loving her you will also love me, Kaiyr.”

  Kaiyr frowned, for Solaria’s last words reached his ears as though through a long tunnel. Then the vision around him swam, the trees rapidly fading. “Wait!” he shouted. “Lady Solaria, do not leave me yet!”

  But it was too late, and Kaiyr’s consciousness dropped back into his own body. The backlash from the rejected divine energy ripped through the immediate area, knocking over Id’ril, Caineye, and Wild, and nearly bowling Kaiyr over backwards. Solaria’s form remained untouched by the release of power.