Agents of Chaos

by Des Pensable

  ‘What happened?’ asked Miranda excitedly.

  ‘Damn. The scrying globe’s been spotted and dispelled by someone.’ replied Llalorax.

  ‘But what happened to Aquitain?’ shouted Miranda thinking about the explosion of crystal she had seen.

  ‘I don’t know.’ said Llalorax. ‘but if he was killed I’m sure we would feel it. I can’t believe the passing of a Warden of Moonmist would go unmarked. I’ll try to get him again.’

  He tried a couple of times but couldn’t scry in the throne room at all. It was being blocked. So he tried to scry for Bellen. This time he had more success. The trixie was in the kitchen area standing on a bench waving his arms around while talking to the other trixies in a language Miranda didn’t understand. He had a very happy expression on his face and the others were all smiling, jumping and cheering. Llalorax and Yllandril listened carefully and Yllandril sudden yelled.

  ‘He’s done it! The throne is talking again; Aquitain’s okay and he told Bellen to get on with their preparations for the Spring Ball.’

  ‘This is extraordinary news.’ said Llalorax. ‘I can’t even begin to guess how the Queen and the Elendari Lords will react when they find out. This should be the most interesting Spring Ball for decades and there will be trouble without a doubt. I had better round up the guardians and put the reserves on standby.’

  ‘Yllandril, my love, how would you and Miranda like to visit some of our people and tell them what’s happened. Tell them I might need some help on the night of the ball.’

  **

  Miranda and Yllandril spent the next day teleporting from one Llanllean village to the next. They were overjoyed to meet Yllandril again even if she was in a strange body. She had been one of the most revered healers among the Llanlleans. Miranda was fascinated with them. She would never have imagined that spiders could ever create loving peaceful social communities. They in turn were astounded to meet a Newman woman who had no fear of them, one that would pick up a Llanllean child and cuddle it.

  After meeting Miranda and watching her for a few hours, Somanller called Yllandril aside and said.

  ‘This druid woman Dragonfly and her partner Aquitain are remarkable?

  ‘Yes.’ said Yllandril ‘I think these two are exceptions. They have a special quality that seems to be lacking in the rest of the world. I’m glad they have each other for I’m afraid their future will be a hard road. Unlike us, they have to save our world. We only have to live in it.’

  Later that day when Yllandril was alone with Miranda she couldn’t help asking. ‘How do you act as if my people are your family? How do you make them feel like you are a long lost relative and so glad to see them? I have never ever witnessed this in my entire life.’

  ‘I am a druid and a servant of The Lady.’ replied Miranda.

  ‘To us all life, in all its diversity is beautiful and precious. Your people are proof yet again that beauty lives in the spirit rather than the form. If I had the choose to live the rest of my life with your people or the Elendari I would gladly choose yours.’

  ‘Do many newmans see life through your eyes?’ asked Yllandril quite astonished.

  ‘No. The druid’s path is long and lonely. We spend most of our time alone in the wilderness. Most of us will never have a home or family. We are the guardians of nature. We watch, listen, help and heal. To maintain the balance we tolerate both order and chaos. However, there are times when we must be judge, jury and executioner. That does not fall easily with many of my people.’

  ‘So you have a hidden dark side.’

  ‘Perhaps, depending upon your point of view.’ replied Miranda.

  ‘I will impartially kill any Newman, Llanllean or any other rogue creature that threatens to destroy the balance whether ordered or chaotic.’

  ‘What if Aquitain threatened the balance?’

  Miranda smiled and replied.

  ‘The world exists because of a myriad of small changes. Often it is difficult to know where the balance lies. I believe that there are those in the world that The Lady ordains to cause change to move the balance one way or another. At times it is difficult for us to see the difference between those that would move the balance and those that would destroy it. These are difficult decisions and not to be made lightly. They can only be made after considerable time and observation. Quite possibly a lifetime.’

  ‘A fair answer.’ said Yllandril.

  ‘I think I will remain a healer. Let’s go back and see what my husband has been up to in our absence.’

  **

  It was the afternoon of the day before the Spring Ball was to be held. When they arrived back in the prison bottle Llalorax was sitting where they had left him, looking into his scrying pool bucket.

  ‘Why don’t you ladies visit the trixies and find out what they are thinking. I have collected a bag full of healing and disease cure potions in the hut. I suggest that you take them with you. From what I can see they might be needed.’

  When they returned with the bag, he said. ‘I think that I’ll teleport you both to the maze garden so that you can get the feeling of the people as well. I’ll bet the rumours are running wild. Listen in but try to avoid direct conversation. I’ve modified your bracelet of return to come here Miranda. If you get into trouble don’t forget to use it.’

  ‘Are you always this bossy? I’m not used to being ordered around like a child.’ complained Miranda a little annoyed at being treated like one of Llalorax’s staff.

  ‘We’re even then. I’m not used to people questioning my instructions. Now are you ready to go?’

  Yllandril cast a mindlink between her and Miranda, who perched the little stone spider on her shoulder like a pet. A minute later they appeared in one of the dead-ends in the thorn bush maze. The moon was bright but cold as was the norm for such a dark world. Being well past midday the moss beneath their feet was turning black with shadow. Miranda was admiring the beautiful iridescent flowers growing along the edge of the maze as markers when they heard a pleading noise and gruff laughter just around the corner.

  She quietly crept to the corner and looked around. There were three guards wearing the livery of one of the minor lords standing with their backs close to the maze wall and one in the middle of the pathway holding a trixie upside down by the ankles. Even though she couldn’t understand the trixie language it was obviously pleading to be released. The others according to Yllandril who did understand the language were competing for the best way to punish the little cockroach for not getting them more brew.

  Miranda stepped around the corner and repeated what Yllandril said through the mindlink.

  ‘Why don’t you nice boys leave the little fellow alone?’

  The nice boys shouted a few obscenities that Yllandril translated as no.

  One started pulling out a dagger so Miranda sang a prayer of entanglement on the thorn bush behind the row of three. Immediately the thorn bush lashed out and entangled itself around the three guards pulling them into the maze wall.

  The guard holding the trixie swore, released one of the trixie’s legs to pull out his own dagger and in doing so lowered the trixie within striking range of his own body. The little fellow didn’t waste the opportunity and punched the guard as hard as he could in the groin. The guard gave a scream dropped the trixie on his head and fell to his knees clutching his injured parts. The trixie nimbly stood up bowed to Miranda and scrambled into a hole at the base of the maze wall.

  Miranda heard footsteps running down the path. She gave Yllandril a hurried instruction to hang on, waved at the maze wall to cancel the entangle magic and then promptly walked through the five pace thick hedge wall to the other side without being scratched by the thorns. Yllandril was astounded.

  ‘How did you do that? The thorn bush actually parted in front of you and closed up behind.’

  Miranda grinned.

  ‘There are some secrets that druids don’t divulge.’ and said no more as she walked up the path breathing in the beaut
iful scented air and stopping occasionally to have a closer look at one of the glowing flowers. Yllandril acted like a tour guide. She gave Miranda a running description of every flower and discussed the features of the maze, the clothes of the couples they passed and anything else that came into her mind as she guided her towards the main pathway.

  Once on the main walkway through the maze she came upon much more traffic. Young singles hurried along with expectant faces on the way to a secret meeting, couples slowly walking along arm-in-arm with blissful expressions lost in each other’s company and groups of four or six strolling along chatting and laughing. Occasionally someone gawked at Miranda and her pet spider but most acted as if she was invisible.

  Further along the path she came to a long narrow table standing against one of the moonbeam lit maze walls. On it were a selection of drinks, sweets and fruits many of which Miranda had never seen. She lingered for a couple of minutes trying little pieces of everything then noticed someone coming around the corner twenty paces away who she didn’t want to meet. It was Lord Darkmantle. She quickly ducked straight into the center of the thorn bush wall and stopped still.

  Using the mindlink she explained to Yllandril that she had seen Lord Darkmantle and asked her to listen in to the conversation. They waited for a minute or two until Darkmantle’s group of six walked up to the table. He offered them all refreshments as if he had personally paid for them and stood chatting.

  Yllandril didn’t translate word for word but told Miranda the gist of the conversation. The young Lord asked what Darkmantle thought about the magic being cast in the throne room. Darkmantle said that the Queen’s people had examined the scene and found nothing damaged. They put it down to a prank by some young fellow trying to impress his friends or some young woman.

  Another Lord said that he heard that the trixies were singing for the first time in over forty years. He wondered what it meant. Darkmantle said that they were happy, as there was to be a special announcement at the Ball. Another asked whether it was true that he had captured the rebel’s gateworld. This surprised a couple of them. Darkmantle said they would get answers to that question at the Spring Ball. Then the group moved on and Yllandril couldn’t hear anymore.

  ‘Well it seems Darkmantle has all the answers. Doesn’t it?’ whispered Yllandril.

  ‘He certainly seems very confident. He’s got something planned for sure. I wonder what the special announcement is going to be?’

  Miranda stood thinking deeply about the implications of what Darkmantle had said when felt something touch her leg. She glanced down and saw two trixies standing beside her, looking up. One pointed at the thorn bush, which was leaning away from her and said something, which Yllandril translated as

  ‘How do you tell the thorn bushes to let you pass?’

  Miranda asked Yllandril to tell them that the thorn bushes were her friends and didn’t wish to impede her way. This obviously impressed them. They then asked why she was standing in the middle of their pathway. She looked down and saw a narrow trixie sized pathway passing through the middle of the maze wall. Yllandril told them that they were looking for Bellen. So the trixies told her to follow them and off they went. Miranda had to walk crouched over more to keep sight of them rather than worry about the thorn bush as it always parted wherever she went and closed behind her.

  After about ten minutes of walking the thorn bush wall ended at a stone wall with doorway into the palace. Miranda ducked to enter into the passage but was stopped by three trixies wearing leather armour and carrying trixie size swords.

  ‘We wish to see Bellen.’ commanded Yllandril. ‘Why do you bar our way?’

  One answered. ‘Bellen is busy. State your name and business and we will see whether he wishes to see you or not.’

  ‘We are Yllandril and Dragonfly. We are friends of Bellen and wish to discuss certain matters about the ball with him.’

  One of the trixie guards left while the other two barred the way.

  ‘This is very strange.’ whispered Yllandril

  ‘I’ve never seen trixies dressed for a fight at the palace. They obviously think something is going to happen at the Ball.’

  A minute or two later the guard returned with another trixie who asked them to follow quickly which was difficult for Miranda as the height of the passageway was lower than her shoulders. She had to run along crouched over. She briefly considered changing into a cat or dog but thought that might scare them so she kept to her Newman form.

  As she ran down the corridor she could hear a commotion ahead. She came to an intersection and turned the corner to see a large group of twenty or more trixies with their backs to her mainly armed with pots, pans or small cooking knives using a large over turned table to block the corridor. The edges of the table were scarred by claw marks and missing chunks. On the other side was something ferocious growling and butting against the table moving it closer to the intersection.

  It didn’t take much imagination what would happen then. It would be able to get around the makeshift wall and amongst the trixies. Miranda quickly knelt down and started to sing a calming song. The creature stopped butting against the table for a few seconds then let out a heart stopping howl and resumed butting and clawing the table with greater urgency. Miranda placed Yllandril on the floor and started stripping off her leather armor.

  ‘What are you doing? asked Yllandril.

  ‘This is not a natural animal. It’s too big and tough to fight as a Newman.’ she replid.

  ‘I need strength and power.’

  The trixies were both terrified and confused they were trying to hold back a murderous beast on one side and they could see a strange green insect like woman at the intersection.

  Miranda began singing strange druid words unknown to this world and had it not been for the glamour they would have seen her whole body go brown and wrinkly like the bark of a tree.

  ‘Yllandril, tell them I’m on their side. Tell them to let the table slide to the intersection then quickly pull it across so that I can get at whatever’s behind it. Tell them not to come near me until I change back as I won’t recognize them. I’ll be berserk.’

  She repositioned herself a few paces down the side corridor on her knees so that she could charge the beast when it drew near and quietly whispered a prayer and her muscles bulked up and bulged like those of a bull. She then patiently waited until the trixies and the table was level with her. She could see the terror on their faces. She whispered another prayer, which appeared to do nothing, then she transformed into a jeti, a very angry large snarling ferocious jungle cat.

  Yllandril yelled to the trixies to quickly pull the table across the intersection. They needed no hesitation. The giant two-headed wolf tried to duck around the side of the table only to be tackled side on by Miranda. There was a sickening crunch as the two big bodies collided.

  The great wolf collapsed under the charge of Miranda but quickly recovered, swivelled around and began tearing at her underside with both jaws and raking her with vicious claws on its hind legs. Miranda had the advantage being on the top and used it. She swung her head down and clamped her jaws around the neck of one of its heads and crunched.

  The other head let out a scream that nearly deafened everyone nearby and clamped onto Miranda’s neck. It was rather bizarre. The head that she was biting into went slack but she couldn’t release her grip as the second head was firmly attached around her own neck. Fortunately Miranda’s neck was much thicker, tougher with its woody coating and more difficult to get a solid purchase on than the wolf’s neck.

  She brought up her thickly muscled forearm and raked it brutally across the face with long curved dagger-like claws ripping its facial skin away and eyes out of their sockets. Slivver sent an extreme burst of pain into its mind causing it to go rigid and its muscles lock up but it still it held on trying to choke her, so she drove her claws into its throat and ripped backwards. This time it let go as blood streamed out of its neck and it began to shudder al
l over. Finally she could let go of the throat of first head and she quickly tore into the second. The animal went limp.

  She stepped off the carcass with blood still dripping freely from her jaws and looked around for anything else to attack. Nothing! She let out a vicious guttural feline victory roar that reverberated down the corridors terrifying some of the trixies then turned on the carcass venting her anger ripping large chunks of flesh out of it with her claws.

  Slivver was in ecstasy! The feeling of the raw power of his new mistress awed him. It was delicious, it was addictive, he wanted more of this.

  The trixies began peeking around the edge of the table. Yllandril quickly warned them to hide. A berserk jungle cat would not know friend from enemy. Best wait a while. After about five minutes, the cat stopped attacking the carcass and lay down still breathing heavily. After a further five minutes, it transformed back to Miranda who staggered over and sat beside Yllandril who was doing her best rock imitation.

  ‘I can see now why it takes a special type of person to be a druid.’ said Yllandril.

  ‘I’m glad I’m on your side.’

  This time there was no holding the trixies back. They came swarming around Miranda wanting to touch her just to be sure she really was a woman again. Bellen spoke to her in Mudrun common.

  ‘Thank you, dear lady; you have saved many of my people today. May we know your name?’

  ‘She is Dragonfly.’ said Yllandril, ‘a great druidess from Mudrun.’

  ‘We welcome you and honour you Dragonfly, Druidess of Mudrun. We will celebrate this great victory but first I need to attend to the damage that creature has done amongst my people.’

  Bellen gave an order and trixies shot off in all directions.

  They sealed all entrances, the first time this had occurred in more than a hundred years and a half hour later they had set up a dormitory as a hospital and carried the wounded and dying there. Both Miranda and Yllandril offered to help the injured and the bag of potions they had bought with them saved several lives and healed the wounds of many others. Miranda couldn’t help noticing that many were malformed but said nothing.