“Your friends weren’t quite as resilient as you seem to have been.” He said, “They rest, recovering with the help of the young priest’s ministrations. We expect them to be ready to attend the feast tonight. Please, break your fast and refresh yourself.”
Callindra watched him turn to leave, unsure of what to make of his statements. She hadn’t really believed in Gods and Goddesses until yesterday when she had felt more than heard Jorda address the monstrous golem. Now she was expected to believe that a being that wielded such power wanted to see her and didn’t expect her to be some kind of lady.
“I want to see them.” She said, managing to focus on what was truly important. “I won’t be able to relax until I see my friends.”
“By all means.” He replied easily, “However you must not awaken them. They must rest if they are to fully recover.”
He led her back down the hallway and she was able to peer through small windows in the unbroken wood wall that opened at his touch. There she saw Cronos in one room, and Vilhylm in another. Tryst she had already seen. Satisfied, she went back to the open balcony.
The smell of freshly baked bread drew her attention to the table where an assortment of food was laid out. Hunger drove her apprehension away, it would be much easier to deal with these things once she had a full stomach. She sat and ate, the bread had nuts in it and there were fresh vegetables and fruit as well as a light and refreshing mead.
“Good to know you were concerned about us.” Cronos said dryly from the doorway.
“It’s not like I was going to wake you from your beauty sleep.” She said, “You looked just fine to me when I looked in on you not ten minutes ago.”
“Is that fresh bread?” Cronos asked, “If it is I may just forgive you.”
“They have fresh apples and cheese and an amazing mead too.” She said, “Come and get some before I eat it all.”
Before long, Vilhylm had arrived as well and they fell to talking about what they remembered of the battle.
“I saw you flying through the air and then I’m sure it was my imagination but it looked like you rode your sword down that thing’s back.” Cronos said.
“Did you let it throw you first?” Vilhylm asked with a grin, “I can’t see any other way you’d have been able to get that high in the air… but surely you wouldn’t have done something so reckless.”
“I’m pretty sure I saw you practically breaking yourself in half to lift a huge wave of mud to squish a few bugs Vil.” Said Cronos, “How did that work out for you?”
“I was the first one to recover in spite of Tryst visiting me last.” Callindra said, chuckling. “I think maybe you two boys could learn a lesson or two from me.”
“Actually, it’s because we thought you had died.” Vilhylm said, all traces of levity vanishing from his face. “You didn’t see what happened as a result of your attack.”
“It was as though beneath its skin there was nothing but those insect things.” Said Cronos, “They covered you, even though a small cyclone of wind seemed to form briefly around you, holding them off. That was impressive by the way.”
“I don’t remember much past hacking the damn thing off at the knees.” Callindra admitted, taking a swig of mead to hide her embarrassment and pleasure at her friends concern.
“It was a foolish, reckless, stupid move Callindra.” Tryst said as he walked through the door. “But it likely saved us all. If you hadn’t stopped that thing… it was about to infect the Grandfather Tree with its disease and maybe kill Jorda as well.”
“Don’t be silly Tryst.” Said Callindra, “Gods can’t be killed.”
At that point, the door opened and a swarm of Elven attendants descended on them. Some took their armor and attempted to take their weapons as well, but Callindra wasn’t relinquishing Brightfang for anyone. The rest of them took the boys off into one bathing chamber and her into another.
“Miss, you really should leave your sword outside, it’ll rust.” One of the attendants said, frowning at Brightfang.
“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Callindra said, “I oil him daily. He won’t rust while I draw breath and I won’t let him out of reach if I can help it.”
The elves looked at her skeptically, but made no further comment. When she walked into the bathing chamber she began to see what they had worried about. Instead of submerging themselves in a full bath, it seemed they drank copious amounts of water and then sat in a room with magically heated stones in the center. Once the room was sufficiently hot, one of them began pouring water over the stones, releasing clouds of steam.
Sweat sprang from every pore and soon Callindra found herself getting lightheaded and feeling a bit dizzy. Following the lead of the other women around her, she took a small cedar bough in her hand and dipped it in a bucket of cold water before slapping herself on the back with it. The chill of the water and the sting of the branch kept her alert and actually felt quite good, relaxing muscles and releasing tension she had been hanging on to since the battle.
Once a good sweat had covered her, she took a curved piece of bone and used it to scrape her skin. A surprising amount of dirt showed on the white surface of the bone. When one of the Elves noticed her shock, she smiled knowingly.
“The sweat forces out what is in the pores of your skin, making you cleaner than any amount of scrubbing could.” She said, “Then the plunge afterword will truly cleanse you.”
“I didn’t expect anything like this.” Callindra admitted, drinking from a gourd filled with pure rain water. “It seems like I will be exhausted from all this sweating though.”
“Come, allow me to oil your hair.” The other woman replied, “With proper care your tresses could shine like mahogany. Most of us are fair of skin and hair, yours is quite exotic.”
Callindra laughed in spite of herself, “Exotic is just another word for freak in the human world, and my hair is the least of the qualities I value.”
Finally clean and dried; the bath having ended in a shocking plunge into a pool of ice cold water, Callindra donned her freshly laundered clothes and polished armor. After taking time to unwrap Brightfang’s hilt, polish all of his metal parts, oil the leather wrapping of his hilt and re-wrap it tightly, she felt like her ablutions were complete. If she had to meet a Goddess, she was as ready as she was likely to be.
Her friends all had similar uncertain expressions on their faces as they emerged from the male side of the bathing chamber. Even so, with their familiar gear on their shoulders squared and their backs straightened. Whatever they were about to experience, they would do it at their best.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you all continue to fight beside me.” Callindra said, looking at her companions. “My brothers in arms… you are better brothers than any sister has a right to.”
Tryst laughed a clear bass laugh that came from deep in his chest, “Oh Callindra, you undervalue yourself at every turn. You aren’t some accessory to us, you’re the heroine! It was your action that defeated the monster and led us to victory. Speaking for myself, I am honored to fight alongside you.”
“The honor is indeed ours.” Vilhylm said, the midnight of his cloak a direct contrast to the pristine white and sliver of Tryst’s attire.
“You … you fight good.” Cronos mumbled, “Don’t leave or things might get boring.”
“The Goddess Jorda awaits you.” A voice ahead intoned formally, “She wishes to express her gratitude for the actions you took to defend her realm. Please, approach that you may be announced.”
Callindra strode forward, linking arms with Tryst. She wanted him by her side if she was facing some sort of formal introduction. Reaching back to touch Brightfang’s hilt for reassurance she stepped into the largest room she had ever seen. It would have swallowed the entire Cathedral in Arkasia and still left room on all sides. In the center a figure was sitting on a simple wooden chair surrounded by twining vines, butterflies and small animals of every description.
“
Callindra Sol’Estin, Apprentice of the North Wind Style, Bearer of Brightfang, Wind Warrior and Bladespeaker.” A voice intoned as she passed the threshold.
“Tryst Te’Chern, Priest of the Ancient One, Wielder of the Scared Waters and Guardian of the Healing Light.”
“Vilhylm Greldiachanin, Master of Masks, Follower of the Carnival of Tricksters and Heir of the Great Caravan.”
“Cronos Torrantrach, Inheritor of the Eternal Flame, Student of the Master of Fire and Vessel of Vengeance.”
Callindra looked at her friends, the questions on her face mirroring theirs. Before any of them could make comment, another voice cut through the room.
“Welcome Champions, to my dining hall.” Jorda’s words were filled with inherent power, but it was the slow and certain strength of growing, living things. “The evil that you vanquished would have arrived here eventually regardless of what you might have done, but your swift and decisive actions have led us to victory.”
The Goddess turned and gestured toward long tables laden with food and drink, “Please join us in celebration.”
To Callindra’s horror, she could clearly see a blackened scar that cut from just behind Jorda’s right eye and disappeared into the simple white tunic she wore. It puckered the growing green color of her skin with a line of what looked like diseased tree bark. It seemed Gods could be wounded after all.
“Are you all right?” Callindra blurted without thinking,
“Dear child, thank you for your concern.” Jorda said with a beautiful smile, “I greet you and your companions. Tonight you may ask any boon of me. You have fought off those who would have destroyed my realm and I owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“Give me the strength to dominate my enemies.” Cronos said without hesitation, almost as though he had been anticipating this.
“This obviously hasn’t been a problem for you youngster.” Said Jorda, “However I think I can assist you in protecting yourself.” She handed him a small token carved of wood with a smile. “Wear it and call upon me during battle.”
“I have been sent on a holy quest to find the wisdom to contact Gode The Elder.” Tryst said, “Please can you tell me how I can speak with him?”
“I have information that you will find valuable young Priest.” The Goddess said, “However, I have insight that will guide you also. If you will accept my guidance that is.”
“Of course I will accept your guidance Great Lady.” He said, bowing low.
“You aren’t even going to ask your Ancient One first?” Jorda asked, amusement tinging her words. “Very well then, look into my eyes young priest.”
Tryst looked into her face, his eyes uncertain. His mouth had a firm set to it though. “I will accept his judgement if he deems my actions to be improper.” He said.
“Ah, we need more like you.” Jorda said with a merry laugh, “Your irreverence is good for us.” A flash of green gold fire flashed between their eyes.
“All I wish is to be able to redeem myself.” Vilhylm said when Jorda turned to him. His voice was almost too soft for Callindra to hear.
“You have already done so, even if you refuse to acknowledge it.” Jorda replied, almost as softly, “I cannot give you forgiveness for those who died, but I can give you the strength to fight for the living.”
“I no longer wish to fight.” He said, his eyes downcast.
“But we need warriors.” Jorda insisted, putting a finger under his chin and raising his face to look into hers. “You have seen things far beyond what most mortals have, but there is more strength in you than know. I will give you something that you can use to help your friends, or create a powerful weapon to strike at the heart of evil.”
She drew a small, very sharp knife from a sheath at her belt and bent gracefully, cutting into the bark like skin of her thigh. Carefully, she cut a square of it away and pried off a perfect piece of wood. She placed it in Vilhylm’s trembling hands and placed a kiss on his forehead. The wound closed swiftly, new bark beginning to grow over it, but her leg still oozed fluid that looked more like sap than blood.
“Please just bless me and my friends.” Said Callindra, looking Jorda in her eyes, “We brought the evil here, it was only natural we would assist in eradicating it.”
“Your humility is a credit to your nature Callindra.” Jorda said, “However I think you would do well to address the other parts of yourself. Being a warrior does not mean you aren’t a woman. In spite of what the folk you have grown up around may have caused you to believe, being a woman does not indicate weakness.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Callindra demanded, forgetting herself.
“It means that if you can’t accept who you are and insist on acting recklessly in order to prove your worth you are probably going to get hurt a lot and probably die.” Jorda said, “I will give you something to perhaps keep you alive until you manage to learn to value yourself as your companions do.”
She reached out a hand and plucked a strand of her own hair from her head and wove it deftly into a small tiara. It started to sprout tiny Brightstar flowers that perfumed the air with their delicate scent. Before Callindra could back away Jorda placed it on her head and the vine grew into her hair. Not wanting to insult the Goddess, she left it there even though it made her feel like a fool.
“I know you are here to ask a question of me and I have no satisfactory answer for you.” Jorda said, her voice grave. “All I have is yet another quest, if you’re up to it.”
“You mean you don’t know why Gode isn’t responding to the prayers of his priests?” Tryst said, staring at her in disbelief.
“My father has… faded from our sight.” Jorda said, sounding tired. “His influence over the world is waning and the forces that bind his brother are weakening. I think you may all have felt the influence of that in this world.”
“You mean the green… glowing things?” Callindra asked, “The things we’ve been calling Abyssal Spawn?”
“Yes. Those are the servants of Gode’s brother Onde, the ancient God of Destruction.” Jorda confirmed, “They are not of this world. Their goal is to destroy this world and everything in it. If they aren’t stopped they will achieve their goal. This world needs defenders, and if those defenders aren’t determined it will fall.”
Callindra felt her breath catch in her throat at this simple declaration. The implication that she was one of those with the power to defy the forces that sought to bring an end to the world that she loved was too much for her to take in. It was all too much.
“What in the hells are you talking about?” Cronos demanded harshly, “Look, we were hired to go to the ruins of Lin Lamorak and speak with the Druids there. When we got there, all that was left was the Dryad Tyreen. She told us to come here and this was supposed to be the end of that trek,”
“You have earned your reward many times over Cronos and no one would question your integrity if you brought back the information you have gained thus far.” Said the Goddess, smoothing stray locks of hair away from her face that blew in a capricious breeze. “I am asking you to go above and beyond what you had initially agreed to do, and I fear I can offer little in the way of reward.”
“I don’t want a reward.” Callindra said, “I just don’t see how you expect me to do anything against a God.”
“I can give you this.” Jorda took a pendant from around her neck and handed it to Tryst. A small hand, the size of an infant’s hung from it. “This is my piece of the mold that formed the original human. Each one of Gode’s children was charged with one of them and each of us kept ours safe in their own way. I fear most of them are scattered and lost, however this one has the unique property that it can point out the closest one of its brothers.”
Tryst took it reverently, and when it touched his palm it spun gently, pointing roughly north. “I cannot accept this.” He said softly.
“But if you find them all and assemble them, we will be able to re-establish communication with Gode.” Jorda s
aid, “If you truly wish to accomplish the mission you were assigned then this is the only way.”
“I want to help you Tryst, I really do.” Callindra said, “But I can’t just abandon Glarian. Before I go off on some crazy quest I have to go and find him. He needs me.”
Jorda looked at her, as if unsure exactly how she should respond. Finally she gestured to the room, “Why don’t we stop all this serious talk and enjoy the wonderful food and entertainment that has been prepared in your honor? You do not need to make any decisions right now.”
In spite of being nearly certain that the Goddess was withholding something from her, Callindra was drawn into the fantastic scene before her. The elves who were here weren’t the battle hardened soldiers she had met so far. Beautiful women in flowing gowns that seemed finer than spider silk. Equally gorgeous men in tailored, fitted suits and boots with high heels that clicked on the floor.
Both sexes had their pale hair braided in intricate patterns that made her eyes swim. Delicate clips shaped like insects, birds and leaves wrought in gold, silver and platinum held the braids in place. Jewels shone in place of eyes and drops of dew. The language they spoke was fluid and made Callindra feel as though her words sounded like a handful of nails being dropped down a sheet of metal.
In spite of the words of their Goddess thanking them and offering praise, most of them seemed to hold themselves aloof from the humans. She didn’t hold it against them though, after all she and her friends had brought the evil into their home. The fact that they’d banished it didn’t wipe out their involvement.
The food wasn’t what she had expected either. Rather than just vegetables, the tables were laden with thinly sliced, barely seared venison, whole rabbits stuffed with wild onions and slow roasted, skewers with spit roasted birds, pastries filled with only gods knew what baked to a golden brown.
It all smelled so delicious that her misgivings gave way to her appetite. She sat with her friends, and they all ate and drank, letting go of their fears and inhibitions. Even if all here didn’t trust them or appreciate their efforts they were together and they had won. That wasn’t everything that she needed but it was enough for now.
The Callindra Chronicles Book One - First Quest Page 23
