by David Wind
Neleh nodded and once in the lean-to, knelt and pressed her forehead to Duv. A moment later, Duv laid himself in front of the lean-to. Charka moved to the other side of the lean-to and Gaalrie remained where she was, as she had a clear view of everything within the grove.
Mikaal turned to Areenna. “The real question is, does she spy on us to learn more, or does she wait for the opportunity to destroy us?”
<><><>
In the moment of the creature’s death, Lessig separated from it; but the explosive energy that destroyed its life had somehow reached through time and distance and caught her with such force that it lifted her from her feet and flung her to the stone floor of the parapet. Landing on her back, she skidded along the stone floor until her head slammed into the parapet’s wall.
Stunned, she groaned and tried to stand. Even as she moved an arm, a force wrapped around her and lifted her to her feet. When the force released her, she stared at a shimmering vision across from her. As she did, the shimmering solidified into the form of her Master.
Woman, are you just another fool! Have I wasted the last decade training you?
Lessig went to her knees before him. She shook her head. My Lord, no! I but do what you ask.
Foolishly! You knew where they were, yet you risked exposure when all you needed was to watch them.
It was to learn more so that we could capture them as you asked, or kill them if necessary, Lessig defended herself against his anger.
Do nothing like this again! When next you move against them, it will be when I tell you how and where and what is required of you. Do you understand?
Yes, My Master.
He leaned over her, this vision of the Dark Master whose body was thousands of miles away. Reaching out, the image of his hand caressed her face, which had once been so beautiful, but was now all but unrecognizable as the woman once known as Eneri of Freemorn, daughter of the self-exiled Prince of Freemorn.
That is good. Do not fail me again, Lessig. Do not.
CHAPTER 19
THE MORNING WAS almost gone, and the sun near its zenith. Areenna sat at the apex of a triangle formed by her, Mikaal and Neleh, coated with a thin layer of perspiration, as she concentrated on building the link between the three of them.
They had been at it for hours; burrowing within themselves, seeking the powers gifted them by the Staff, by Ailish, by The Eight of the Island and by Master Jalil. Each was separate, but part of the whole.
Areenna, her mind connected to Mikaal and Neleh, and working deep within the part of her holding the Staff’s powers, discovered yet another connection. This one was to Gaalrie, but on such a different level from anything she’d known before, that she was unsure of its reason.
Following this newer connection to her aoutem, she entered deep within the treygone’s mind. She felt Gaalrie’s lungs expanding and contracting with each breath, and realized the quick pounding and whooshing sounds she was hearing and feeling, were the beating of Gaalrie’s heart, as the blood rushed through it.
She explored this new joining, lifting her arm and feeling the muscles and tendons in Gaalrie’s wing lift at the exact same time. A second later, a sensation of power and energy shot from Gaalrie and exploded throughout her body. Five seconds later, Gaalrie’s body shook uncontrollably. Areenna withdrew instantly, severing the linkage. Her eyes flew open, and she called Gaalrie to her. The bird dropped from the branch overhead and landed in Areenna’s lap.
Pulling the treygone to her, holding her aoutem tightly to her chest, she apologized repeatedly, until Gaalrie gently pecked at her cheek and sent waves of warm emotions to calm Areenna.
Yet, a shadow lingered over her, as a compulsion drove her to find out exactly what had happened. The deeper she explored her mind, the more certain she became of what she’d done. Then, something Jalil had said to the sorceresses of the Island rose into her consciousness. ‘Within them lay all the powers of the Staff, both of the good and of the dark.’
Remembering the words, a chill wrapped its cold and clammy fingers around her. She looked at Mikaal, who was staring at her, and understood exactly what she’d done. Did you see?
See? No, feel, yes. What did you do to her?
I...I know how The Masters control the ghazi… More importantly, I understand how they rebuild their life force.
Mikaal looked from Areenna to Neleh, whose eyes flickered between both Areenna and Mikaal. “Do I want to hear this?” he asked aloud.
Areenna shook her head. She reached out to him with her mind, and caressed him gently with her emotions. “No, but you must,” she answered aloud.
<><><>
Enaid, Master Jalil, and Sirod stood at the edge of the area King Nosaj had given to The People. In the short time they’d been in Freemorn, the men and women and children had begun to integrate within Freemorn. Tents filled the area that was to be their new home, each large enough to hold a family. Cooking fires burned constantly, and small parties of The People and the citizens of Freemorn worked together to clear more of the trees, stripping the branches and setting the wood for the drying out process for building homes.
Other groups of The People trained for the coming battle, using both the weapons of Nevaeh, and their own special devices, one of which was the spear-like weapon they’d used for hunting the giant freesh, which they called a harpun.
Enaid had been sent by Roth, to ask Jalil to come to Tolemac, to help Roth understand the Dark Masters better and to seek their weaknesses. He had agreed, but asked for another day before leaving.
Enaid had reluctantly agreed, concerned about the time left to build their defenses. “Fear not,” he’d said. “It is important we wait a day.”
That had been earlier. Now, with the sun turning the day warmer, they walked among The People of the Frozen Mountains. They had been walking for only a short time, when Sirod stumbled and fell. She tried to get up, but could not.
Enaid knelt next to her, concern for the woman foremost. Knowing the malignancy burning within the Woman of the Village had worsened, she put her hands to each side of Sirod’s head in an effort to ease her pain.
“It will pass soon. Still, I...I grow weaker. I had hoped I had more time for my people.”
In the brief period Enaid had known Sirod, a closeness had grown between them, and her words tore at Enaid’s heart.
No, Sirod advised, Feel not this way. It is but the way of all life, and mine has been full.
Short, too short, Enaid responded.
“It eases now. Help me stand,” she requested.
Jalil bent as well to help bring Sirod to her feet. He looked at Enaid. “Is there a place we can go, a place where we are alone, we three?”
“My tent,” Sirod responded. “No one will bother us at this hour.”
Jalil nodded and, with one hand on his new Staff, the other on Sirod’s arm, they started back. Enaid took most of the burden of Sirod’s slight weight and, a few minutes later, they were inside the tent with Sirod on her bedding.
“Lay back, Sirod, close your eyes,” Jalil instructed.
Sirod looked at him, puzzled. Enaid, the same.
“I cannot cure you. No one can, but I can help keep you stronger for a while. How long, I know not, but long enough.”
Jalil, while grasping Sirod’s hand, turned to Enaid and silently said, I will need to see Areenna soon. Very soon. Send for her the moment we are done here. Mikaal, I need him as well.
She is in the Blue Forest with Mikaal and Neleh.
Yes. I must see her. It is...important.
I will, as soon as we are done here, Enaid assured him.
Jalil turned to Sirod. “Will you trust me?”
Rather than speak, Sirod opened her mind and invited Jalil within. Before he joined with her, he placed one hand on the crown of her head. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was within her mind, and slowly spread within her entire body. When he reached the tumor, Sirod’s body arched bow-like, and with his other hand, Jalil placed it above the
breast in which the tumor grew. A spark rose and snapped against his palm, and a loud crackle sounded the instant his hand hovered over her breast. A thin line of bluish yellow current flowed from Sirod to Jalil’s palm, and it continued, hissing and crackling for three long minutes.
When Jalil removed his hands, the sound ended, and Sirod was unconscious. Jalil, still kneeling next to her, tried to stand, but fell, gasping for breath.
Watching everything as it unfolded, Enaid realized, far too late, what Jalil had done. She had never seen such, or thought it possible, but she was certain of his actions.
Glancing at Sirod, whom she saw was breathing gently and evenly, she knelt next to Jalil. “What have you done?” she half cried at the former Dark Master.
He smiled and shook his head. “No more than what was needed. Sirod is important, more so than you know. Get Areenna, quickly!”
When she hesitated, Jalil grasped her arm, tighter than she would have thought possible, the urgency in his grip was matched by the force of his next thought. I will last a few more days, but will grow weaker every hour. Get Areenna and Mikaal before I am too weak!
Enaid closed her eyes and pushed, seeking any sense of Areenna or Mikaal, but found nothing. She raced from the tent and looked in every direction, her mind spinning with uncertainty. Who? Her heart pounded. Jalil had done the unthinkable. Something rubbed against her thigh and she looked down. Irii, her aoutem was staring at her. Pushing against her to help ease her agitation.
She went to her knees next to the gorlon and looked deeply into her eyes. Then she smiled. Yes, My Sister, thank you, she said and then joined with Irii, showing the gorlon how to reach Areenna, who would be in the one place Areenna always went within the Blue Desert. Knowing that if Areenna were not there, somehow, Irii would find her scent and track her down. Bring them back, she asked her aoutem.
Then Enaid took out one of the longer pieces of writing cloth she carried with her at all times, wrote out her message, and tied it around the gorlon’s neck.
Irii nuzzled Enaid’s cheek, turned, and raced across the long tent-dotted field to disappear over a low ridge. When she could no longer see Irii, Enaid rose and returned to the tent to keep watch over both the old Master and the small Women of Power , knowing that the powerful gorlon would not stop until she found Areenna.
<><><>
Night found them standing twenty feet apart, each a vertex of a triangle and, again, as they had been for hours, brought up their individual power and turned it into a weapon. Once again, they failed.
“We’re missing something important!” Mikaal shouted to the treetops.
“We recreated everything that happened last night, down to the last detail. Yes, something is missing, but what?” Areenna echoed Mikaal’s words.
Neleh, glanced from Areenna to her father guardian, and sighed. “Can we do it again, look back at last night, I mean?”
Areenna nodded. How perfect, she thought sarcastically, for a fourteen year old to tell me the obvious. Frustrated, she moved to the center of the grove, as did the other two. When they met, they sat on the soft grass and grasped hands, Areenna on one side of Neleh, Mikaal the other, each still a point of the triangle.
It took them no time to join and return to the night before and watch everything happen again as Neleh’s memory grew strong. When it ended, they were no closer to an answer than before they started.
Areenna stared at Neleh, studying her face. Tell us what you felt when this happened.
Neleh shrugged. When you brought out your weapons, I called on my own, but as I did, there was a...snap inside me. Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. I tuned to the creature and released my weapon at it, only it wasn’t my weapon, it was yours. She turned to Mikaal, and yours.
Areenna looked at Mikaal. There has to be a way to understand.
“Let’s try something different,” Mikaal proposed.
The two women stared at him, their eyes questioning.
“We’ve looked at Neleh’s memory, but not ours. I’ll go first.” He closed his eyes, slowed his heartbeat, and sought the memory. He opened his eyes a few moments later. “I saw something, I think, but I’m not sure.”
“What saw the two of you?”
Neleh shook her head; Areenna said nothing. Her breathing low and slow. At last she said, “I saw something, but it happened too quickly to be sure. Let me try now.”
Closing her eyes again, she brought up the memory, following it from the instant she awoke to the sense of danger, until Neleh destroyed the creature. Then she replayed it again.
I understand.
Understand what? Tell us, Mikaal said.
“No, if I do, it may not work. I will explain after.” Areenna looked around. Directly behind Neleh was an old pine, covered with fungus and dying. She turned to Neleh. “Stay here, exactly as you are. Mikaal and I will begin without you. Leave your mind open, fully open.”
Come with me, she told Mikaal.
They walked ten feet behind Neleh’s back. Form a triangle. Bring up the fire. When I give the signal, release your weapon at that tree. She pointed to the dying pine. I will produce a vision at Neleh. Be ready.
You’re sure?
She shrugged. We’ve tried everything else: I think this may work.
What?
Be ready. Ignoring his question, she went to her point of the triangle.
When Mikaal stopped at his vertex and nodded, Areenna said, “We start,” and saw Neleh’s back stiffen slightly. Areenna closed her eyes and slowly built the vision she believed would trigger the reaction they were seeking.
Piece by piece, she created the vision until it rose ten feet above the ground. As she completed it, she sensed Mikaal’s protest but waved it away with a strong thought to him. Trust me! When the vision was finished, she released it; and, silently told Mikaal to be ready as she built her power and brought up her weapon of light,
When both were set, she sent a bolt of power at Neleh that hit next to the young woman.
The instant the bolt hit, Neleh half-stood half-jumped to her feet, spinning at the same time. She froze for an instant when she faced the image of the gray skinned, hooded Dark Master they’d fought in the Frozen Mountains. Neleh’s heart skipped and then sped up. In an instinctive movement, she grabbed at Areenna and Mikaal’s weapons, pulled them into her, and released them through herself.
The tree exploded with an ear shattering blast, and disappeared.
“Fear!” Areenna shouted victoriously. “It’s fear that does it.”
Mikaal smiled as he walked to Neleh. “Are you all right?”
Neleh nodded. She looked at Areenna. “I think it is something else, not just fear. Surprise?”
“Yes and no,” Mikaal said, understanding exactly what had happened to Neleh. “It is both fear and surprise. I once asked my father why my heart beats so fast when I am in a fight, or something startles me. He explained that when you are startled, or your life is in danger, your mind tells your body to release something he called adrenaline. He told me it makes you react faster and makes you more alert.”
“How do we control this?” Areenna asked.
Mikaal shook his head. “You don’t. It is a reaction to a situation. But I think we need not worry.” He turned and pointed to the space where the tree used to be. “If Neleh’s reaction to a vision created that, in the midst of a battle, she will be filled with this adrenaline, as we all will be.”
Neleh looked at Areenna, then at Mikaal. Will I be able to control it in a battle?
Mikaal smiled and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Without doubt, Little One, without doubt.
Before Neleh could respond, Duv growled. Above them, Gaalrie cried out and dropped to Areenna’s shoulder. Mikaal turned in the direction he sensed the intruder and drew his sword.
A heartbeat later, a golden-coated gorlon burst through the trees. Duv charged forward, growling fiercely at the large gorlon. Neleh, recognizing Irii, called Duv back.
A m
oment later, Irii sat before Areenna, who went to a knee and, after pressing her face to Irii’s, removed the message and read it.
She looked up at Mikaal, and then at Neleh. We must return to Freemorn.
Mikaal’s brow furrowed. We are not yet ready.
Something has happened to Jalil, and to Sirod. We must return; there is no choice this time, your mother calls us.
CHAPTER 20
IT TOOK THEM less than an hour to pack their equipment and supplies, and begin their return to Freemorn.
Because of the diminished visibility of night, their progress was slow. They didn’t bother to stop to eat; rather, they ate some of the grainy cakes they’d brought from Caymir. At the midway point, Mikaal reminded Areenna, “We have not talked about what you discovered in our memories about the powers of the Dark Ones.”
Areenna, with one section of her mind occupied on maintaining the block with which she surrounded them, nodded at his words, but said nothing. She thought about what she had learned. Jalil was a Dark Master who had lived for over two millennia, and she was certain he had done so by using the powers she’d discovered within herself. The very thought sickened her.
What is it? He wrapped his own thought around hers, a gentle caress within her mind.
Many things, give me a moment. When he withdrew, she concentrated on settling the abhorrent feelings. Only then did she begin, but with words rather than thoughts.
“When we were trying to learn what had created the weapon Neleh used, I discovered another ability from the Staff. I made a connection to Gaalrie in a new way, a different way. I have joined with her many times, and have felt her heart beating and her blood moving through her veins, but this was different. So deep within her did I go, that I became a part of her. When I did, a powerful feeling of energy built within me. At the same time, Gaalrie grew weak and began to shake. I withdrew the instant I realized what was happening.”
