REALM'S END (BOOK OF FEY 1)

by Jules Hancock

“I thought you said we would be away first sister,” Hectain said.

  Everyone was coughing now. Meredith began to gather energy for the spell to protect them.

  “No, we can’t afford to use even one bit of energy to save ourselves.”

  Meredith looked at Reval. She signed, and resigned herself to Reval’s guidance. Meredith stopped the spell and guided the energy to flow back into the circle. Pulling the baby closer, she tried to use her cape to shroud the child from the smoke.

  The roof over head was beginning to crackle and the fire started to drop bits of burning grass into the room. The group found themselves bending to and fro, trying to lean away as the fiery grasses fell into the room.

  “Don’t break your hand holds,” Reval yelled out.

  James’ head was now enveloped within a thick cloud of smoke. He closed his eyes against the stinging smoke. “Please.” He asked, hoping the Dembys would grant access, but still nothing happened. He felt his fear and impatience growing. Outside he could hear the villagers screaming epitaphs at his family. He heard the fear in their voices rising up carried on the wind. His cough grew ragged and he could hear his family members anchored below him coughing harder now. Still nothing happened. Suddenly he heard his wee baby daughter coughing. The sound of the tiny cough broke something loose in him. He’d had enough of this posing as a supplicant. “Damn it,” his voice boomed. “You will let me in now,” and he reached up and taking hold of the Dembys, pulled hard. There came a great crack and the sound of something ripping as the Dembys gave way and came lose into James’ hand. James didn’t feel any of it, for he was suddenly pulled within the Dembys. He found himself standing on a great outpouring of molten rock as the core of a world was being formed. He saw himself as a young man directing as creatures were being created. The world came sharply into focus when trees began to grow at an accelerated rate, tribes of beings began to populate the new world and he watched in awe as he saw himself smile in joy at all that was transpiring. He saw in the background a large bird crossing the skies of a hundred worlds. It was then that James remembered that he in fact was a God. At that moment the Dembys opened itself to him. Outside he could see the burning roof beginning to collapse into the room. Then there was a slight lurch as they all were transported instantly through time.

  Lillith Learns the Truth

  Sephoria was in the college giving direction to the young women of the Fey tribe. Everything must be ready when the children returned. Lisl had gathered all the required items to bring about Briok’s awakening, but both the human girl and Lillith would need to be awakened, and that responsibility would probably fall to her. Just as she sent the last apprentice out with her instructions, a great tremor ran through the land. The college, which was a band of three close growing trees bent and shuddered as the soil underneath them undulated. The room Sephoria stood in rang out as though a great bell tolled underfoot.

  Sephoria tapped easily into the Rowan’s mind, for between them a swift river of energy was held in place by their deep connection. She sensed the surprise in the Rowan’s mind over the land tremor, and then she felt the Rowan adjusting instantly. They both shared the knowledge that the end was drawing all the nearer. Once the tremors began the land would begin to shake itself apart. Even as they were sharing the mind thought, another sound wave went through the world, ringing out like a sonic gong. Even with her old ears, the sound was loud and brash and hurt so much she found herself wishing for thicker foliage around her head, anything to muffle her mind from the terrific blast of noise.

  While the tremors had been expected, the sound had come as a complete surprise and she and the Rowan quickly discussed the possible meanings behind the noise. Tapped into the health of their world as they both were, they sensed rather then saw the arrival of Briok and the girl. They also realized the other Dembys had returned. Sephoria thought of the Rowan and found herself standing within the Rowan’s inner most chamber. Lillith was there, cowering in fear, hiding in a corner of the room the Rowan had created for her.

  Looking up Lillith saw Sephoria as she materialized. Lillith ran toward the sage, throwing herself into the sage’s arms, and buried her head in the old woman’s bosom.

  Sephoria stroked the young Fey’s hair, comforting the girl. “There now child, don’t worry so. We always knew this would happen, remember. We just didn’t think so much would happen at once.”

  “I know you told me, but I didn’t think it would be so frightening.”

  Sephoria pulled away from the girl. “I did not know of it myself, either. Now stand up and fix yourself. You will need to pack and eat and stay vigilant. I can’t say whether the end will come fast or if it will wear on for days or even weeks, but stay vigilant and be prepared to go the instant any of us comes for you. Understand?”

  Lillith shook her head. “I don’t want to go away. I want to stay here in the Realm and become a keeper of knowledge someday, as well.”

  Sephoria patted the young girl’s head as she looked down at the child, and realized the many years in captivity had not affected the child’s innocence. “Yes, at one time, we all would have chosen that life for you little one, but even here time has a funny way of creating new destinies. Now, instead of becoming the wise woman of our world, you will keep all of our knowledge down to eternity and you will carry that knowledge to a new world. A world that as of yet has no tribes.” Sephoria lifted the girl’s chin as gently as her gnarly branched fingers would allow. “You will become the matriarch of all the tribes, for that is your true destiny. You are meant to save the race of Fey, and people a new planet. Don’t regret what will not be, but look to the stars to guide you for what is.” Sephoria said, looking deep into the girls grey eyes. Sephoria could feel the wetness on her own barked face as she hugged the girl close.

  Lillith felt the old woman’s strength surge into her, which helped to somewhat dispel her fears. She hugged the sage hard, though she felt branches poking into her skin, and then she stood up and wiped the orange tears from her face. “I will never forget you,” she whispered.

  “We are counting on that,” Sephoria said, smiling down upon the girl as she stood upright. “It is why all these years the Rowan has schooled you in the ways of this world and of timekeeping and magic. In the new world you will need all of that knowledge to thrive and it will give you a chance to create a new world. Hopefully it can be a world of peace.”

  Lillith nodded her head and while it was clear she wasn’t happy about going. They knew she would honor the Rowan and sage, and do what was required of her to save the Fey. “I am ready and I will keep time and magic safe as long as I live.”

  “Good, now rest, I believe we have some time yet, though without the missing pieces of the legend, the future can only be guessed at. From here on out, we will be flying without wings, so to speak.” The old woman bent and hugged the child one last time. She kissed Lillith’s brow, and touched her palm to the child’s heart. “We will always be within here,” she said, patting the child’s heart. “Never hesitate to find us by searching your heart, it knows all of our ways child, and we are always here for you. Now I must go, for I still have much magic to do this day,” and Sephoria blinked out of the room.

  Lillith finally alone, couldn’t help herself. She threw herself upon the leafy pallet in the corner of the room and let herself cry, though it was forbidden for any Fey to waste life force in this way.

  Rowan’s deep voice cut through her tears. “It is only natural that you will miss her,” the Rowan said gently.

  Lillith answered in her mind. “Yes of course, but it is everything I will miss: you, the world, flying over the sea of all time, my parents, and even my future as your wise council.”

  The Rowan’s deep laughter rang throughout Lillith’s mind. “Child, have you forgotten the first rule of time so easily?”

  Lillith sniffed, “I know I know time is an illusion! Of course I haven’t forgotten the law, but I will never see you again.”

  �
�Nonsense, you will see me and the others everywhere. We will be with you forever. We are your past, your present and part of your future. We just won’t be quite so physical anymore.”

  Lillith stood up and sighed. It sometimes was very tiring to argue with the giant tree. Silently she invoked the wall that suggested to the Rowan a need for privacy of her thoughts and climbed down into the inner chambers of the tree to have time to think in peace.

  Of Returns and Gods

  James, Gwenth and Briok were out cold their bodies lay crumpled where they had landed. Reval, Hectain, Meredith and the child sat nearby in the warm sand, but it had taken only moments for them to realize they were all trapped in their crow form. Singly and collectively they had tried to break through the spell, but apparently the magic here was so strong and ran so true to the original magic their magic had no resemblance or power over this reality.

  Cawing and clicking at one another, they paced back and forth on the warm sand, which by any crows standard was just a little too warm for their comfort. All knew they dare not fly outside the Cavern, for if crows were not already here, it would alert the tribes of this world to their presence and while that might not be a bad thing, they agreed that someone from this world had tried come to earth and tried to kill Gwenth and Briok.

  Meredith watched over her daughter. Here in Briok’s world, the young babe was just out of the newly feathered stage and was making attempts at flying. The life cycle of the crow was speeded up compared to its human counterpart, and so Meredith used the time to try and teach the child what she would need to know to fly. If they couldn’t shift bodies or protect themselves with magic, the knowledge might save her child’s life.

  Reval and Hectain stood watching over the unconscious as they lay sprawled out in the sand. Sifting through the sands with their black beaks they were able to locate the Dembys that James had freed, and lifting it carefully with her beak, Hectain carried it over to where Meredith sat watching the child’s first attempts at flight.

  Reval hopped up onto Gwenth and using her beak she pulled carefully on the cord that held the other piece of the Dembys. Patiently she worked the stone free from where it had caught in the girl’s hair. Leaning down Reval bit through the cord and then catching the two strands in her beak flew it also across to the other stone.

  Reval laid out the stone near one another and as she let go of the stone’s cord, the cord simply dissolved away into nothing, as if it had never been, and the Demby’s lay free next to one another. Reval didn’t know if the stone would help them, or even if the stone could help them regain at least some of their lost powers.

  Alerted by their keen sense of hearing, the crows turned. The three adults purred and clicked at one another as something moved their way. Taking up positions they readied themselves to defend and protect the unconscious and the young child of their own.

  “Well I see you made it across,” Pit said, as he rolled down the steep incline and into the warm sand. “Ah that feels good on my old body,” he said, looking up at the three crows.

  “So I see you know magic. Smart idea bringing the Dembys together like that too, though it would not have worked, but still it was a good idea,” he said, shrugging as he worked his body deeper into the warm sands. “Now will you be so kind to tell me about yourselves? Then we will see if you are friend or foe and what help I should give you,” he said gruffly.

  Hectain was already arching her wings, having decided she didn’t like this creature, which looked like a stone, but moved like an old man.

  “Ah, ah, ah, now, none of that.” He waved a very short hand at Hectain. “If you try to harm me the Dembys will fight you, and you may well be killed, so just you sit back and answer my questions please.”

  The crows looked at one another and decided to play along for the moment. They too had no idea if this thing was friend or foe, but if they could convince him to help them gain their magic it would not matter much. They all started cawing at once. The sound reverberated off the crystal walls and deafened even themselves. They fell silent.

  “Well now that is something I can help with,” he said motioning to the box near the entrance. “In that there box is a pitcher full of sacred water. One sip will allow you each to speak to me in the language of this world,” he said wiggling free of the sand. Pit rolled himself slowly across the sand floor and stopped in front of the light weight box. He leaned down and lifted the cover. Stepping back he turned and motioned to the crows.

  Meredith flew forward first and cautiously landed on the lip of the box. She cawed menacingly at the stone man. Lowering her head she placed her beak in the narrow pitcher and used her long thin tongue to sip the water. Surprised by the instantaneous response, her feet slipped from the narrow lip of the water pitcher and she fell landing hard onto the sand.

  Reval and Hectain rose up on wings and dove hard toward the stone man, ready to murder him or be murdered.

  “Sisters no, stop!”

  At the sound of Meredith’s voice both the winged sisters tried to abort their attack. Hectain being the nearer to Pit wasn’t quite able to stop herself in time and rather then hit the stone man directly she turned and allowed herself to crash into a stalactite hanging down from the ceiling. Hectain’s feathered body slid down the length of stalactite and then tumbled wing over foot and landing hard upon the sand.

  Reval seeing Hectain’s fate winged about and flew low enough to quickly sip from the pitcher as she flew past it. She too tumbled wing over foot, landing in the soft sand and rising up in the shape of a human.

  Both the women hurried to where Hectain’s body lay still in the sand. Meredith and Reval fell to their knees and looked upon their sister. It was clear that Hectain had been badly injured. One wing lay twisted underneath her and her eyes were glazed over in shock. They could see it was bad, shock often killed birds. Meredith turned to the stone man. “Help her please, she is dear to us.”

  Pit who had witnessed Hectain’s heroic effort to avoid hurting him though it clearly would cause her great sorrow, took pity on them. Pulling himself upright he rolled over and taking up the pitcher in his own short arms he made his way across the sand taking the slow mincing steps, using his legs only so as to keep the pitcher upright.

  “Can I help you to hurry? I would pick you up if you would allow it,” Meredith asked?

  Pit laughed, “Child would that you could. I doubt you can though. I weigh nearly 10 thousand pounds.”

  Meredith’s mouth gaped open. “Well then master stone, you are right I cannot lift you without magic and it appears I have none here.”

  Pit closed the distance between them as quickly as he could. Kneeling down in the sand he looked at the blue black feathers of the wounded bird. His breath caught as he saw the great beauty in its kind. Gently he tipped out the water letting the drops fall upon the crows limp tongue. Then he sat back and waited. If the magic would work it would be fast.

  Meredith and Reval watched, as first the glaze left their sister’s eyes, then they saw the pupil contract and just as suddenly the crow sister stood up, pulling out its damaged wing from behind its back and she shook herself all over. The wing was fine; it seemed to mend itself even as it was being opened up by Hectain. Just as suddenly the crow was transformed and Hectain stood before them in the flesh.

  “I must admit I think I prefer your crow body,” Pit said, leaning back to look up at the tall naked woman standing before him.

  Reval took off her cape and pressed it around the naked Hectain and hugged her close. “Sister we thought we had lost you.”

  Hectain pulled the garmet better around herself. “You did sister, you did. I saw the great universe unfolding and had begun the long journey, but now I find myself back, if a bit naked,” she said, laughing. “How did you get your magic back?”

  Meredith reached out and hugged her sister close. “We didn’t get our magic back. The stone man saved you.”

  Hectain turned and pursing her lips, stared down at the st
one man. “It seems I owe you much,” she said.

  “Well let’s just call it even then shall we. I saw what you did to avoid trying to hurt me, and well I should have reminded you of the water’s side effects,” his voice rang out huskily.

  “In our tradition, our whole tribe owes a debt to the one who saves one of us,” Hectain said soberly to the stone man. “What are you called amongst your people, so that my tribe can sing a song of thanks for you.”

  Pit’s laughter rang out. “Well now, in the language of my people, my name cannot be pronounced. The people here just call me Pit, and you may as well too.”

  “What happened to finding out if we are friend or foe,” Meredith asked?

  “Well no foe that I know of would throw herself at a stone wall to avoid hurting an enemy. So I guess you’ve passed the test!”

  Meredith turned towards the others still out cold. “Will your sacred water revive them,” she asked?

  “Aye it will and we best get about it, for the true enemy are already on their way. If you will do the honors,” he said lifting the pitcher. “I have another matter to attend to.”

  Meredith reached down and took the pitcher from Pit’s grip. She and the sisters hurried first to the young Corvine child sitting in the sand. Reval lifted her gently and opened her tender beak. Meredith tipped one tiny drop of water into the child’s mouth. Instantly she was once again just a human baby wrapped up in her bunting, lying quietly within her Aunt’s arms. Meredith took the child from Reval, and gave the pitcher over to her. Hectain went off with Reval to awaken the others, while Meredith searched the baby’s things to find a cloth for a clean diaper.

  Reval opened James’ jaw and Hectain tipped the water easily into his mouth. Without waiting longer they gave water to both Gwenth and Briok. Then they carefully returned the pitcher to the box and put the lid back over it. Just as the lid closed down over the box it seemed to disappear. Now the only thing standing before them was a rock. Hectain was intrigued. Did the box disappear or was it something else. She leaned down and touched the stone, instantly it was once again the box. As she took her hand away the rock reformed. She turned ready to congratulate Pit on his stone magic, but her voice caught in her throat. There across the open sand Pit stood lifting the last remaining of the two Dembys from the sand and was pushing it within his solid stone body.