The Knowing One

by Lexy Wolfe

  Petal waited long enough until Terrence put on his shirt before alighting on his shoulder to sit. "Terrence not worry about All Mother. She is much happy because Terrence will need very much understanding of manymany things in future." The sprite clapped her hands over her mouth when Terrence looked at her with a curiously arched eyebrow. "Petal not say anything! You only imagining hearing Petal say anything!"

  "Uh huh." Putting his journeyman robes back on, he held open his pocket for Petal to drop into. "Let's go see if Miss Kelafy has something she'll let me eat before supper. I'm hungry enough to eat a whole tri-tail deer by myself. Hooves and all!" Petal giggled when Terrence reached into his pocket to tickle the sprite.

  The young man skidded to an abrupt stop when he opened his door, coming face to face with Storm who had her hand raised to knock. "Uh. Mistress Storm?" he greeted uncertainly. The woman's expression was unreadable as she stared at him intently, which only made him more nervous.

  Finally, before he could open his mouth to ask what she wanted, she said simply, "I would speak with you before your master returns from the viper pit."

  "'Viper pit'? You mean from the Academy?" Wordlessly, she turned away to stride down the hall towards the front door. He hurried to catch up to her, putting his hand on his pocket protectively. The mage grew more concerned when she led him to the stables and curtly ordered the stable hands out, going to the stall the pair of drizzen occupied. "Mistress Storm... are you upset with me?"

  Storm took out a stiff brush and started brushing down the gorged and somnolent drizar, not looking at the young mage. "No, Terrence, I am not." She glanced over at him. "You can let that creature out of your pocket. I will not kill it and it cannot be comfortable in there."

  The young man's cheeks turned deep red as Petal peeked over the edge of the pocket, then climbed up to sit on Terrence's shoulder. After several long minutes of silence as she resumed grooming the drizar, the young man finally said, "Mistress Storm, forgive me. I did not mean to hide anything from you. I-I was just afraid—"

  "That I would lose my temper," Storm finished for him, finally turning a wan half-smile towards the mage. "One has to know both their strengths and weaknesses to become a true Swordanzen. I would be a hypocrite to deny what is obviously a part of me. Sometimes my temper serves me well. Sometimes... not so much."

  "Warrior not hate Petal?" the sprite piped up hopefully, cringing at the annoyed look the woman flashed her as she half raised the brush to throw it before lowering her arm to resume brushing. "Warrior be friends with Petal?"

  Grinding her teeth, Storm finally replied, "I do not hate you. But I do not trust you. Do not rush me." Turning her eyes back to Terrence, she studied him. "I felt a Totani near, but it was neither Thandar nor Kailee." Green-gold eyes considered him longer. "You are the only other who had been touched by Totani to even know them. Did you call Dzee?"

  Lowering his eyes, Terrence nodded, sighing. "Yes, Mistress Storm. I-I had to call Dzee because... because the shadows of her memories were threatening to—" He cut himself off and cautiously raised his eyes. "She chose me to be her Githalin." Storm merely nodded, expression unchanged. "You-you are not surprised?" He added, "Or upset?"

  "Surprised? No. Fate brought you to Desantiva so your path would meet Dzee's return." She looked up at him, expression devoid of warmth. "I am upset that you and Skyfire did not trust me to let me know Dzee still haunted you. I would have realized there was a problem and been able to help end your torment before you risked madness."

  Terrence coughed. "I... I hadn't told anyone. Not even Master Ash." Storm looked surprised. "I thought you and Skyfire would be angry because a Forentan was touched by a Totani like you. I thought Master Ash would think I was... I don't know. Think I was unfit to be a mage anymore."

  Storm shook her head. "Of any of the Totani, she is the most fitting to choose a Forentan. Dzee was the strongest of the Totani that touched the same magic as your people." She turned back to brushing down the drizar. "I had to reach into the oldest of Thandar's memories to try and understand everything that had happened, to learn who she was at all. Memory of Dzee... of her loss... was blocked because she was my father's light, and they were grieving and ashamed to have lost her. She was His favorite. She gave him peace. Helped him find balance for his rages. Desantiva will be able to heal finally because she has returned, though it will take a long time." She turned a stern look on the young man. "It is good you were with Skyfire. You risked madness with an imperfect bond."

  "I know, Mistress Storm. Now, at least." Terrence hesitated, hand sheltering Petal unconsciously. "She allowed me to choose whether I wanted to complete the bond or undo it altogether. You-you are not angry I chose to complete it?"

  "Skyfire told me what you said. That you did not want to lose Desantiva." She turned a sad smile towards him. "You are the only person outside of my homeland who truly cares so much about Desantiva." A flash of annoyance crossed her features. "Not even your master cares so much. How could I be angry with you? However, one of the blessings that comes with the bond to the Totani is the ability to speak and understand Swordanzen." Her expression grew troubled as she turned back to the drizar. "If you have been tied to Dzee all this time, then you have been able to understand Swordanzen."

  Terrence scuffed at the straw strewn floor, eyes down. "Skyfire spoke Swordanzen before he became Githalin," he temporized, trying to deflect the focus off of himself.

  "Because the Githalin had passed the knowledge on as part of the Swordanzen training," Storm dismissed, waving a hand. "You are trying to avoid what you know I will ask." Moving to him, she touched his chin with the tips of her fingers, tilting his face up until he met her eyes again. "You know what your goddess told me through Her Voice."

  "Yes, I know what She said. But Master Ash does not even know I still understand Swordanzen," he said quickly. "I would never dishonor you or Skyfire by revealing what is meant to be private." He held Storm's gaze long enough that she was satisfied that he meant what he said. Then her intent gaze took on a different, more unsettling quality he recognized. "What do you see, Mistress Storm?"

  Storm's voice was soft, gentle. "There are shadows around you, Terrence. Distant, still. But they are there." She put her hand on his shoulder over the tattoo. "The things in the shadows can see you clearly now. See the strength and skill and knowledge, you possess. See the purity of your spirit. Be vigilant. Be always vigilant." Giving the drizar a final pat and putting the brush away, the woman said briskly, "Let us go inside and see if we can convince Miss Kelafy to feed you before supper. I have always been starving whenever I had to call Thandar."

  "How can you not always be starving? You hardly eat anything," Terrence blurted out, both relieved and surprised when Storm only smiled faintly.

  Chapter 41

  Returning from the Academy, Ash regarded Mureln as Almek spoke with Taylin about how much more pleasurable this visit with Ellis was compared to their first. "What's wrong?" Ash asked the bard quietly. "You've been in an odd mood for months now."

  Mureln looked over at Ash, then glanced at Emil who nodded once. Sighing, the Vodani said, "I did not want to bring up anything until I had more than rumors and superstitions to work off of..." Having gained Almek and Taylin's attentions as well, the bard stated, "Emil, Emaris, and I believe the Shodwyn have returned. And their goal seems to be focused on eliminating Almek and his students."

  Almek stopped short, staring at the two Sevmanen. "You know of the Shodwyn?" He looked narrowly at Mureln. "I told you to speak of them to no one!"

  "You know I had not!" Mureln snapped back at Almek. "I would not now if I did not believe it was vitally important!"

  "What are the Shodwyn?" Ash demanded, bothered by Almek's unexpected reaction.

  Mureln looked at Almek, the man making a disgusted noise and waving a dismissive hand. "Speak. If what you believe is true, then it is best everyone know of them."

  "Most people consider them fables meant to scare small child
ren or explain senseless tragedies." Mureln pressed his lips together a moment. "Shodwyn are also known as Shadow Lords. They are a cult that works against Fortress for gods know what reasons. But they were not known only to Guardians, Almek." He glanced at Emil and Emaris who nodded before he continued. "Gypsy folk hear and see a lot more than most realize. They've always known about them. Where do you think I first heard the stories?" He looked at Taylin, putting an arm around her comfortingly.

  Almek looked troubled. "I thought we had gotten rid of the last of them centuries ago." He looked at the others. "Only a handful of us Dusvets survived the assault on their stronghold. But we were sure we'd finally eliminated them. It has been centuries since they were heard from."

  Ash frowned thoughtfully. "Perhaps they had been eliminated but are now being revived. Storm has explained how the Desanti culture endures despite their... much shorter lifespans. The Totani hold the memories of their nation, and the Githalin draw on those memories to teach the people things that have been forgotten when someone's life is cut short before they can teach others themselves."

  "You think that Shodwyn have bonds to god servants?" Taylin looked horrified at the idea. "But what god would do such a thing?!"

  The Illaini Magus made an impatiently dismissive gesture. "I am theorizing. If not for learning about the Desanti, I would never even consider it a possibility." He looked at the troubled Dusvet Guardian. "However. If Shodwyn had allied themselves with darklings or other time shifters, it is possible the darklings may have worked to revive the cult from those predisposed to their desires."

  Mureln looked at Almek. "Would they even risk arousing awareness of their existence?"

  "Shodwyn ain't like others," Emil stated seriously. "They has their reasons fer doin' things and they ne'er do nothin' that ain't got a goal." He looked at Almek. "Problem wi' Shodwyn is ye rarely figure out their reasons."

  Almek pressed his lips together. "Their usual strategy is aim for the strongest single enemy. Take them out, let the repercussions eliminate more. Once everything calms, they look to see who is the strongest afterwards, and eliminate them, until their goals are achieved. Death always comes in a manner that leaves doubt it was unnatural."

  "The gypsies have always whispered the Great War was their first bold attempt that went horribly wrong. They would not be trying that again." Mureln frowned, meeting Ash's eyes. "Or would they?"

  "The Raging One. The Knowing One." Ash pressed his lips together. "Forenten can be so easily deceived if they are offered peace and order in their lives in exchange for whatever is offered. And the Desanti are so rigid it would be nearly impossible to corrupt them—" Without warning, Ash cried out in pain, holding his right hand.

  "Ash!" The others gathered around him. "What is it?"

  "Nolyn," he gasped, staggered by the unexpected flash of pain. "Something is wrong. I need to go—"

  "Oh, don't worry, Ash," a familiar, condescending voice said from the shadows by the great tree they had been walking towards. "Your 'brother' won't be around long enough for you to worry about." The group turned, the two gypsies drawing weapons as a woman emerged from the shadows, her beauty marred by the smirk twisting her features.

  "Amelana!"

  "Hello, Ash," Amelana purred, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I'd call you master, but I think we're past those foolish pretenses."

  Clenching his fist, Ash took a step forward, scowling. "You look like her, but you are not my former student. Who are you?" he demanded.

  Amelana tsked. "I thought you would be happy to see me, Ash. I know you've been haunted by the morelmi ever since you performed it on me. Or I suppose I should say, performed it on her." Smiling, she walked closer to Ash, resting a finger on his chest over his heart. "She was easy to take over once you broke her. She had promised she would be able to manipulate you as we needed if she won you." She strolled forward, walking her fingers up his chest sensually. "We expected her to fail. But it was entertaining to watch nevertheless."

  Ash grabbed the woman's wrist, shoving her back. "Darkling," he accused tonelessly.

  Cruel laughter rang through the trees. "Darkling? Oh, no. Not quite." She smiled sweetly at Ash. "Don't worry. You can join your brother, your student and your precious Githalin in death soon." She waved a hand and others crept up to them from behind them as well as a few more joining her. "If there is anything left of the Githalin souls when we are done with them. It has been a long time since I have fed on Desanti."

  Ash caught Amelana's other wrist, her slender dagger glittering menacingly just above his eye. He gritted his teeth, the possessed woman much stronger than before. They struggled for the blade with a life-or-death ferocity. The others rushed the group on the bridge, keeping them from helping Ash and trying to kill them as well.

  Getting Ash pinned between herself and two bridge supports, Amelana smiled as she licked her lips. "It is a shame you must die, Illaini Magus. We could have been good together, you and I." Her eyes went wide, looking down between them. Ash grimaced as he shoved the Desanti blade in deeper into her heart.

  "There was nothing good about you," Ash told Amelana as the life faded from her eyes. Shoving her back in disgust, he looked at the dead woman for only a moment. Before he could address the others who had easily dispatched the other attackers, he gasped as the star-shaped scar in his hand flared painfully again, and realization set in. "Nolyn! Storm! This was a distraction. We need to find them quickly!"

  "Lyra said they were going to Market Circle today," Mureln stated, looking away from the grotesque twisting of Amelana's features as she died.

  Almek waved a hand. "Go! We will catch up to you." The mage and bard nodded, needing no further encouragement.

  Chapter 42

  Despite the cold weather, the new snowfall seemed to bring more people out to Market Circle. Terrence chuckled quietly as Lyra complained to the two Swordanzen flanking her like personal bodyguards as they walked down the spiraling ramp to the ground where most foreign traders and the gypsies were located. "I am supposed to serve you," she pointed out. "It isn't proper for a servant to be guarded by the ones she serves."

  "You are one of us." Storm looked sideways at Lyra. "We protect our own."

  Lyra rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself! I know Ithesra like the back of my hand. There isn't any animal that I cannot either avoid or handle with my bow." She patted the silvery, black and white veined wood of the silkwood bow slung across her back.

  Skyfire eyed the bow with some skepticism. "With that crooked stick? If you say so, but it is not the beasts that worry us." He looked at Storm, whose gaze had narrowed slightly, looking poised to draw her swords. "Not everyone welcomes us here. And since you serve us, they may not welcome you."

  "You both worry too much. Besides, it's the Market Circle," she continued, making a face at Terrence whose chuckles grew to outright laughter. "Nothing ever happens here—" she began when screams split the air, people scattering as a trio of lupines, the Forentan giant wolves, burst into the main circle, chasing several people. One person tripped, only to have the smaller of the three animals grab him by the throat and shaken, the sound of his neck and back snapping heralding his death.

  "Get into the branches!" Storm, Skyfire and Terrence ordered Lyra in unison. Storm ran towards the largest of the beasts to draw its attention away from the mother who crouched to protect her small children while Skyfire intercepted the middle-sized animal before it caught up to the elders trying to climb up the nearest bridge.

  Terrence spoke quickly but accurately, the air crackling with energy as a bolt of lightning split the air and struck the smallest animal. Without warning, someone pulled him to the side. Another lupine leapt over him and his rescuer as it attempted to engage the fray. The journeyman mage's eyes went wide at the sight of the bleeding man. "Master Nolyn! What happened?"

  "No time to worry about me," the injured man said curtly. He cast a quick spell that buffeted the fourth beast back from him and Terre
nce. "Swordanzen! The beasts are not acting natural!" Only a slight shift in posture indicated the two Desanti heard him. He looked at Terrence. "We must kill the beasts quickly."

  Nodding, Terrence focused on his magic, his lightning spells as precise and deadly as Nolyn's. One by one, the lupine were reduced to charred hulks of smoldering fur and flesh. With the danger abated, Nolyn staggered, nearly collapsing. Terrence caught the man before he collapsed, putting Nolyn's arm around his shoulders. "Master Nolyn! Were you bitten?! Where are the other guardsmen?"

  Nolyn shook his head, grimacing in pain. "No. Yes, I was bitten. The others... they're all dead." He squinted up at the Swordanzen and grabbed Terrence's arm. "Be ready, Journeyman. It seems we've more to face." Terrence followed Nolyn's gaze towards the two Desanti.

  Storm and Skyfire had not relaxed any, their eyes fixed on something among one of the crowds. As the two Desanti took steps towards the crowd, people screamed and ran at the sight of the two warriors who looked as though they meant to slay each one of them. All save for four people, two of whom Terrence recognized. "Jaline!" he called to the young woman held captive with a knife to her throat by one of the three men. "Zerik Oberlain?! What are you doing?"

  The leader of the trio of mages that Storm had confronted at the Academy glared malevolently at the two Swordanzen, though his words were directed to everyone within earshot. "Fools! You let this savage filth into our borders! Act like they are human! You bring this onto yourselves!"

  "Savage?" Storm narrowed her gaze on the man. "I have not killed anyone since I came here. I am not the one turning on what I have sworn to protect." She took a step forward. "Murderer of innocents!"