If my words have offended you," Arran went on, "I ask for your forgiveness." Once more he bowed to Elwin.
"Stop that!" snapped Elwin. "Where is my sister!?"
"She is well." Pulling back his hood, Arran revealed a clean shaven face. He was a handsome young man with short light brown hair and matching eyes.
Elwin stood up and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. "She had better be."
Arran's eyes fell to the sword. For a brief moment, disbelief registered across his fair complexion. "Saran Na Grian!" he breathed in awe. "It is true!" Quickly he then looked back up looking at Elwin with unconcealed awe in his eyes. Taking a long deep breath, Arran went on. "I am here to bring brother and sister together. We are the friends of the true light." Smiling, Arran looked at the others for the first time, his eyes meeting each of theirs. "And of course, your friends are welcome too. All are welcome in the Heart."
"The Heart?" asked Aidan. "What is that?"
"My home, and the dwelling place of the Light," Arran responded.
"Are we close to this Heart?" asked Colin, hopping it would be a place that was out of this gloomy ghost filled world. The home of light did not sound too bad. Yet it was evident to him and everyone present, that Elwin did not think this was a great turn of events.
The Guardian glanced at Colin and smiled. "Here we travel quickly. The Heart is always far, and yet it is always close. Darkness is but an illusion. With the one true power, all is light, and the Heart is that light." Elwin grunted.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Awakened by a warm breeze, Elwin kept his eyes shut. Something had changed. He could feel it. This was not the same place that he had gone to sleep in. Lying as still as possible, Elwin felt something that he had not felt in days; the sun. The welcome warmth of the sun beat down on the side of his face and it was not the scorching heat of the Great Aleach Plains either, but rather a gentle uplifting warmth, like that of an early summer day. Accompanying the sun and its welcoming warmth was the sound of birds singing in the new day, and carried on a soft whispering summer breeze was the rich earthy smells of a healthy growing forest. This cannot be the Woods of the Mist. Taking in a contented breath, he opened his eyes. At first, he could hardly believe what he was seeing. I must be dreaming. Either that, or the last days in the Karr al-Isma have been a nightmare.
Elwin was still in the woods or at least "a forest", for it no longer looked like the same woods of the day before. During the night, the dark and misty woods of the Karr al-Isma had seemingly transformed itself into a forest that was alive, healthy, and abounding with beauty. The trees were tall and straight with a thick green canopy of leaves that softly swayed back and forth in the warm gentle breeze. The foggy mist, which only the day before had covered the earth, had now vanished. The ghosts that had had haunted the woods were also gone. The once barren forest floor was now densely covered in ferns, flowers, and green mosses sparkled with the morning dew. Just beyond their campsite grew thick bushes which were covered in plump ripe berries ready to be picked and eaten. It was the flowers that stood out the most, their large blooms sparkled like a spring rainbow and they covered the forest floor like a blanket of colors. Other species of flowering plants wounded their way up the trunks of the trees, filling the air with sweet scents. Everywhere Elwin looked, life sprang forth. It was an incredible wonderland filled with dazzling colors. Elwin had never seen a woods such as the one that now surrounded him. Yet there was a feeling of wrongness. The young prince could not explain it, but he could taste the wrongness. Despite what his eyes saw, it felt as if the whole place was slowly dying. It made no sense. Sitting up Elwin was confronted by a smiling face. The face belonged to Lord Rodan and it was glowing with happiness.
Lord Rodan smiling? Now I know that something is wrong. Then, Elwin said out loud, "Lord Rodan? Is that you?" Lord Rodan smiling! It was almost as strange as the wood's miraculous transformation. As far as Elwin could remember, Rodan had never smiled, not even once.
"Good morning, Prince Elwin." said the man who looked like and sounded like Lord Rodan, but did not act like the man Elwin had known. "It is a wonderful morning. Is it not?"
Bewildered and more than a bit confused, Elwin looked up at the sun as it shone through a canopy of green leaves. Squirrels scampered and played in the branches. It was a perfect day. It was more than perfect; it was magical. But nowhere was the song of Earth Magic. Confused, he looked at Rodan. "I am not sure. Is it wonderful, or am I dreaming? Surely this is not the Karr al-Isma?"
"But it is!" laughed Rodan excitedly.
"What has happened?"
"A miracle!"
Taking in his new surroundings, Elwin saw the white robed Guardian of Light approaching from the far side of their camp site. With a graceful stride, Arran walked across the forest floor as if he were walking on a cushion of air. With his hands tucked into the long sleeves of his flowing robe, the Guardian appeared like an angel that had just descended from above. Smiling, his fair face glowed in the morning light. Like the woods, Arran appeared perfect in every way. Too perfect, thought Elwin.
"Good morning, High Prince." The Guardian greeted Elwin with a short polite bow.
"Perhaps not a miracle," the Guardian added as he graced Rodan with his infectious smile, "but no doubt a welcome change." He turned back to Elwin. "You have traveled far and experienced many hardships, I am sure, but now your journey is nearing its end. Today we shall be the Heart of Light."
Elwin came to his feet. "What have you done!? Where have you taken us?"
Wide-eyed, Rodan looked up at the Guardian like a son watching his father, yet Rodan had to be at least ten years the elder of the Guardian. To Rodan, Arran was the next thing to a god. All the Aleach legends spoke of the Guardians of Light and their sacred mountain, and the paradise that they lived in. And this place did seem like a paradise.
With a confused sound to his voice, Arran replied, "Done?... I have done nothing, High Prince."
"This is not the same place that I was last night."
"But it is." Arran spoke cheerfully and his sing song voice sounded as reassuring as it had the night before, and once more Elwin felt the pull of some unseen force. Whatever the force was, Elwin knew that it was not Earth Magic; the music was not there. Then he remembered what Faynn had told him, the Guardians of Light do not use Earth Magic but draw their magic from other sources. Faynn had called it Sprit Magic.
"It is just that the falseness of darkness has been lifted and now you are seeing the light of truth."
Elwin's eyes narrowed. "An illusion? The Karr al-Isma was just an illusion?"
"All darkness is an illusion, High Prince."
"Why do the Guardians hide behind an illusion of darkness?"
Horrified at Elwin's accusing tone, Rodan gave the prince an angry look.
Arran simply smiled and replied, "High Prince, we do not hide from the world, but shut out the taint of its evil ways. Certainly, you have seen how wicked and cruel the world can be. That is not true here. Here is the world as it was meant to be. Here is a world without violence or disease. Here is a place where truth has survived man's follies. Outside this realm, people see what they believe to be true. However, the light is truth and darkness is but a lie. When, He Who is the Light returns, then all shall see the truth, and the world will be remade in the image of his peace. Until that day, we guard that which was and that which will be again. From here," he spread out his arms taking in the forest, "the seed of light has been cared for and is strong. From here, it shall spread forth throughout the world. Darkness will be stamped out, and light will reign for all the days to come. The Great Awaking is at hand."
Rodan longingly sighed and Elwin scowled.
Unlike Rodan, Elwin was not buying into the Guardian’s cult. For whatever reason, Arran's strange power of persuasion was not affecting him. If anything, Elwin found it irritating. "I do not care for your dreams and illusions. All I want from you is to take me to my sister."
Arran's perfect face faltered for the briefest moment, revealing concern and confusion. It was but a moment, but Elwin saw the confusion written there. Then Arran's reassuring smile returned. "You will see her this day, but first you should eat." Then with his graceful ways, Arran turned and walked, or floated away. Placing his hands on his hips, Rodan stood up and looked down at Elwin. His dark eyes were cold and filled with anger. "What do you think you are doing?!"
Just as angry, Elwin rose to his feet and retorted, "Doing!? I am trying to find my sister and get us all out of here without being caught up in the Guardian's traps! For reasons I do not completely understand, or care to, these Guardians have manipulated me. From the very start, they have forced me to do as they wished. They have invaded my dreams and have used Leina as a pawn. I will have nothing to do with them… Nothing!"
"Traps?! Manipulation?!" retorted Rodan. "Arran has been trying to help us!"
Elwin turned away, but Rodan followed. "You heard him last night. The Guardians saved Princess Leina. And all you can do is be rude and ungrateful! The druid has clouded your mind. If I were your father, I ..."
Elwin spun around. "You are not my father! He is dead, or have you forgotten?" His voice trembled and he was barely keeping himself from shouting. Then without another word, he turned his back on the lord and stomped away. This time Rodan did not follow.
In the meantime, Arran was handing out a morning meal of fruit, cheese, and rich dark bread that was spread with a generous coating sweet honey. As he did so, he explained to Colin, Pallas, and Kayno that the Guardians do not eat meat. Kayno found that hard to accept.
Suspiciously, Kayno stared down at his breakfast, "No meat. Why, . . . that is uncivilized." Pallas chuckled, and Colin smiled.
Grabbing some of the cheese and a slice of bread, Elwin retreated a short distance away.
Using a fallen tree as a seat, he ate in silence as he listened to the others.
Washing down a bite with a cup of cold water, Elwin noticed that Aidan was also eating off by himself. At least I am not the only one who finds Arran's company uncomfortable. I wonder, can Aidan also feel the wrongness of this place? As wondrous as his surroundings appeared, Elwin knew something was not right. I wish Faynn was here. He would know what Arran is up to.
From across their camp sight Elwin heard Pallas asked, “What is the Heart of Light?”
"The Heart of Light is the home of the Guardians," Arran replied to Pallas' question. "It is the holiest of places and where our hope is closely guarded until the Awakening ."
"The Awakening?" Colin repeated.
"The Awakening is the day when He Who is the Light returns to the world. It is the day we Guardians of Light have worked and waited centuries for." Arran gave Elwin a quick look.
"We pray that the Awakening is at hand. But only the Light knows for sure."
Kayno choked down a piece of cheese. "Can't we eat meat? It does not seem fair. After all, we are not Guardians."
Arran smiled. "Sorry, but it is not allowed. No person or animal has ever been murdered here. I know it seems difficult, but in time I think you will discover that your love of meat will pass."
Kayno looked doubtful.
Aidan, taking advantage of Elwin being alone, crossed over to where the prince was eating. Sitting down on the log next to him, Aidan said in a voice only Elwin could hear. "I need to talk to you."
"Yes?"
"Something is wrong here."
"I know."
Aidan gave Elwin a look of surprise. "You can feel it too?"
Elwin gave a quick nod. "It is like the entire woods are ill. I have never seen a place of such beauty and yet be so sick. I do not understand it."
"I should have known you would have felt it also. Earth Magic is a part of all living things. And you can touch the power, can't you? You can hear it also."
Now Elwin looked surprised. A dark frown touched his youthful features. "Is it that obvious?"
"Maybe not to the others, but for me, yes. But then, I have seen you do things that the others have not. In Aonach, I saw you fend off the power of the Severed Head. And on the way to Caiplich, you shot that rabbit. Even the greatest of the Elvin archers could not have made that shot. You used the power. You are changing, Elwin. The power is changing you." Elwin's frown deepened.
"Do not fear," Aidan went on, "Your secret is safe with me. Yet for how long can you hide from what is stirring within you? Ignoring it will not make it go away. You should talk with Faynn. He could help you understand what is happening and how to deal with it."
"He has already started," admitted Elwin. “He has been teaching me to use the magic to guard my dreams, but that is not to say I am comfortable with the magic.” Instead of meeting Aidan eyes, he looked straight ahead into the wooded forest. “It is hard to accept something that you have been taught is evil, yet I am trying." He then looked at Aidan, meeting his green eyes with his brown. “If it helps, your use of the magic no longer scares me. I see now that it is simple a part of you. How can something be evil if you are born with it. It is like saying all brown eyed people, like me, are evil. It does not make sense.” He was silent for a moment then added, “Maybe you are right, maybe I am changing.”
Aidan looked up at the trees. Shifting his gaze, he ran a long slender finger along the underside of a fern's leaf. "Strange," he murmured. "In many ways, these woods are similar to my home in the Green. As you now know, we Elves use a type of Earth Magic. It is somewhat different from what the druids, or what you possess. It is something, as you said, we are born with and while it has more limits than what the Druids can do, we can do things that the Druids cannot. It is also true that we cannot hear it, but I can feel it and most of what we do with it comes naturally and is almost always related to nature. Yet in its own way, it is powerful. For one Elf alone it is of little use, I can work little things like feeding a camp fire to make the flames stronger, but I could not light a fire alone. Elvin magic is greatest when we work together. When we are together in large numbers, we can take a woods and make it a healthy and wonderful place. In such a way, we hold the Green in an eternal summer. Something similar is happening here, yet it is also different. In the Green it feels right, but here it is like watching a slow death. I do not understand. Perhaps, Glas Banrion, the ‘Fair Queen of the Elves’, would know or maybe Faynn. Both are knowledgeable and wise in the ways of the power."
"I wonder," thought Elwin out loud, "if the entire woods feel as wrong as this spot?"
Suddenly, Aidan fell quiet. Picking up a round stone, the Elf kept his eyes cast downwards and away from Elwin. Slowly, he rolled the smooth stone in his hands. Sensing that something was bothering Aidan, Elwin waited for his friend to explain.
After some time, Aidan slowly began, "There is something I have not told you. Back in the Gobhair Mountains, before we reached Caiplich, something happened to me. It came in a dream that was not a dream."
"The feather?"
Now, appearing upset, Aidan nodded and replied with a simple, "Yes." As he spoke, he touched his chest where beneath his shirt was the feather. "Do you remember that night we spent in the ruins?"
"I remember. We were hiding from the Nightlings."
Again, Aidan nodded. Taking a deep breath, he began to tell his story. He told Elwin of that night and of the dream that was not a dream, and about the mysterious child, who called herself, The One Who Never Was.
"Then," Aidan looked up at Elwin and meet his green eyes to the brown eyes of Elwin, "she said to me, 'The three must change or all will die'. I think I am the first of the three. Then this child led me to a house. It was there that I found the feather. I should have left it there or just threw it away, but I could not. I still cannot. It has a hold on me. I did not want it to happen, yet it did. With the feather, I can see through the eyes of a hawk. The same hawk that has been following us. Even in the Grasslands she was never far, her name is Kestrel. Even now Kestrel is high above the tree tops circling amongst the clouds. I know
that sounds hard to believe but Kestrel and I have a bond. We share each other’s thoughts and can sense each other’s presence. She is never far. I can hardly believe it myself, but that is how it works. It is also how I was able to find our way out of the Gobhair Mountains, and how I have been guiding us through the Karr al-Isma. Every morning I climb a tree and search out, not for the mountain, but my hawk. Through her eyes I can fly. I have soared above this forest and have seen the surrounding area. At first I resisted doing it. I was not even sure that I could do it again. But, we were getting lost down here in the mist. I had no idea where we were going or where the mountain was. From the tree tops, I could not see the mountain, just an endless dark forest. It made no sense. I knew that I had to find our way or we would be lost forever. I had to do it. So, I used Kestrel’s eyes to see. I have to admit, being able to fly is amazing. Once high enough, and through the hawk’s eyes, I could see a different woods; a woods that was dying as if it were late fall. The leaves were falling from the branches and the land was brown. The woods we see here is as much as an illusion as the one we saw last night. From above I could see the true woods. I think once I was high enough I was away from the magic that hides the true woods. From there I could also see the mountain, and that is how I have been guiding us.”
“So,” replied Elwin. “These woods are an illusion too?”
“Yes, and a dying woods. Whatever the Guardians of Light are doing here, it is killing the woods.”
"Have you been able to find the Guardian of Light's home?"
Aidan shook his head. "No, but I know where it is. It has to be on the mountain. I have tried, but I cannot get near the mountain. I can fly all around it, but I cannot get close. It's like a great dome of glass is covering it and Kestrel and I can’t pass through."
Earth Magic Page 42
