by Lexy Wolfe
Chapter 67
After supper of that day, Nolyn followed Ash into his darkened study, looking around appreciatively at the collection of books and scrolls the young Illaini had amassed over the years. He watched Ash as he closed the door then go over to where he kept the wine, bringing two glasses and a bottle over. "You wished to speak with me?"
Ash nodded wordlessly, pouring himself some wine, allowing Nolyn to pour his own. The Edai arched an eyebrow at the gesture of equals. "I'm only Edai. I am not even Se'edai, Illaini. I should be pouring the wine for both of us."
"There is no rank between friends, Nolyn," Ash stated flatly. He waved his hand at Nolyn to go ahead. "I wanted to thank you. I never realized how much of a true friend, how much of a brother, you had been to me." He sighed quietly. "And apologize for how poorly I valued you until only recently."
Nolyn waved a dismissive hand. "Do not apologize. First your family and home village. Then Dessa's rape. Then Bennu's death. Then Dessa's dying." He sighed, shaking his head. "It is amazing you did not turn out like some of those close minded, spiteful bastards that still sit on the Edai Tredecima." He looked at Ash seriously. "I know how internalized grief can poison a soul. I'd seen it far too many times with those I had to arrest for crimes rooted in their anger and hatred. But I knew the risk to you to reveal your heart."
"If I had not found Storm when I had," Ash said in a low, troubled voice, "I think I may have become like them. Or worse. Amelana was wearing on me. I did not care anymore. It was getting to the point, I hated nearly everything. Everyone. Even myself." Ash smiled faintly. "If you could have seen her the first time our paths crossed, Nolyn. Fearless. Furious. I could not ignore her, as much as I tried. She was the first person who frightened me more than I frightened her."
"She certainly is a force of nature," Nolyn agreed, watching Ash with an amused smile. "I am glad you found her. After everything you had suffered, you deserve someone like her."
The Illaini shook his head, waving a hand to add to the emphasis as he lowered his glass. "Gods, Nolyn, I don’t know if I deserve her. But somehow I have earned the blessing to have her. We share something... greater. We can see into each other's souls, touch each other's minds." He shook a head. "I wish you could know this for yourself, Nolyn."
Nolyn laughed gently. "I will manage without, but thank you for thinking of me." Sobering a bit, he studied Ash. "Why else did you wish to speak privately to me, Ash? I doubt it was just for apologies or discussing the wonders of your desert woman."
Ash sighed, looking into his glass. "We will be leaving for Fortress in several days. I do not know how long we will be gone. Or if we will ever return."
A frown settled on Nolyn's features. "Don't start talking like that, Ash. You'll be back home someday."
"You know I deal with the reality of things, Nolyn," Ash stated quietly. "Any one of us may die. Or being a Guardian will forbid us from calling anywhere but Fortress home. Anything could happen." He looked up, meeting Nolyn's eyes. "You are an Edai Magus. You need a proper place to call your own. My home will need a master."
Nolyn's eyes went wide. "You want me to take your home? Ash, I couldn't—"
"You can, and you must." Ash's azure eyes nearly glowed in the light with the intensity of his emotions. "If you want it considered both of ours, that's fine. I admit, I would feel better knowing there is somewhere I can call home. I just want my people taken care of. My uncle is the only blood family member I have that I'd trust, but he has what is left of the Avarian household to attend to on top of his duties as Se'edai." He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Nolyn, you are my spirit brother. I'm begging you. I need to know I can focus on what I must without worrying about what I've left behind."
Silent for a long time, Nolyn finally exhaled loudly, giving in. "Fine, fine. I'll share your house and look after things while you are gone. But only on one condition, Ash." Fixing Ash with a stern look, he said, "You better come home. At least to visit." Cutting Ash off when he opened his mouth, the Edai scolded, "I don't want to hear about realities! I will deal with realities if I have to. Promise me!"
Ash lowered his eyes, unable to meet the open worry for him in his spirit brother's eyes. Finally, he relented. "I promise, Nolyn. One way or another, I'll come home." Satisfied, Nolyn drained his glass, reaching for the bottle to top it off. Ash refused to allow him to fill his own glass, waiting until Nolyn set it down so he could fill it for him.
Chapter 68
Ash walked between Ellis and Nolyn along the outer balcony of the private upper level at the academy, watching his great uncle's profile as he digested the information of the past few days. They stopped at the outermost point, gazing out across the trees. Ellis looked out into the distance. "I am not sure what to say, Ash," the Se'edai finally said after a long silence. "I am relieved you have discovered a means to return the Dusvet Guardian to Fortress. And I know it will not fail because you won't allow it to fail." He turned to look at the Illaini Magus who resembled him so much. "But I am not quite ready to lose my brother's grandson, now that the fact that we are related is finally public knowledge."
"He will be back," Nolyn assured firmly. "He promised me he would return." Arms crossed, he fixed Ash with a stern brotherly glare.
Ash smiled faintly at Nolyn, then regarded Ellis. "I will come home, Ellis. Someday. Master Almek said it is only tradition that holds Guardians at Fortress. He is a wanderer himself because he cannot abide feeling trapped." He looked into the distance, lost in thought. "No matter what, Forenta is home to me."
Ellis regarded Ash and put a hand on his arm. "But what about Storm? Is Forenta home to her?"
Closing his eyes, Ash bowed his head with a sigh. "No. But the Raging One bid her to bring understanding of the warrior folk to our people. Reversing the bigotry that Forenta has believed since the Great War might take a Guardian's lifetime to achieve." The Illaini Magus sighed softly. "I despair of all the effort Storm and Skyfire put in while we were home backsliding back to where things had been before. If not possibly worse."
Nolyn put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "We will do what we can to keep eyes and hearts open while you are gone, Brother." He grinned faintly. "I may consider traveling to Desantiva myself to find my own desert flower."
"Storm is one of a kind," Ash replied blandly.
"Hmm. Well. You do have a point," Nolyn replied, deadpan. "Perhaps a rose without so many thorns. I have a delicate constitution, you know." Nolyn laughed, not even trying to dodge when Ash punched his shoulder.
Ellis chuckled at the two younger men. "The best women are always one of a kind. And they all have thorns." Smile fading into seriousness, the Se'edai looked to Ash. "What can we do to help, Ash? Nolyn will be named joint master of your house, but simply wishing you well and hoping for the best seems... woefully inadequate."
The Illaini was silent for a time, gazing out into the distance before he spoke. "I would be honored if you would see us away. And make sure this portal Storm and I create does not leave any ill effects."
"Ill effects?" Ellis echoed, frowning. "What sort of 'ill effects' are you speaking of?"
Ash sighed. "You know that we mages can see into the fabric, the weave, of all things around us. Desanti see the energy, the life force. Swordanzen hone it as acutely as we mages hone our own vision." He grinned faintly. "That is why they could see your guardsmen even behind their concealment spells."
Nolyn snorted softly. "I still have to apologize to Meris and explain that to the other guardsmen."
Ash managed a faint smile before giving Ellis his attention again. "But Storm can... she sees in ways that even Master Almek cannot explain. She sees time itself. The portal I created with her was... like punching a hole from one point to another. And we will have to hold it open until everyone goes through because it closes when we cross the barrier. There are many things outside of the physical plane..."
"And something may get through or be roused simply by the amount of energy being w
ielded," Ellis concluded, pressing his lips together. He looked to Nolyn. "Nolyn and I will be there, as well as a chosen few whom we trust. If anything emerges, we will dispatch it back where it came from or trap it until another Guardian can deal with it. The Dusvet has shown us enough to allow us to do that much. Forenta will not be unprotected while you are gone."
Ash relaxed. "Thank you. We will be leaving the day after tomorrow." He smiled a little wanly. "I know Forenta will be in good hands while I am gone. I am just sorry I cannot be here to help you both with the task I should be here for."
"Nonsense. You and Nolyn and even Terrence have inspired a new generation, Ash," Ellis said quietly. "Zoe says the Great Mother has remarked on a new current of hope and a renewal in faith in Her and the ideals of our people." He grinned. "One day, Forenta will be able to leave her darker, more selfish days behind."
The Illaini Magus chuckled quietly. "If there is one thing Master Almek's other students have done for me, is they have opened my eyes to the value of the other nations. Their unique embrace of the world has brought them gifts that Forenta lacks. Seek them out. Only together will we be able to face whatever it is our small group of Master Almek's students has been being prepared for all this time."
Chapter 69
Once they all made their goodbyes to Ash's household staff, the group rode towards a wide clearing some distance from the house. The group chatter bore evidence of their collective excitement and nervousness. Storm hid her fear the only way she could in front of the others, withdrawing into herself and locking her eyes forward.
Outwardly stoic, the mage glanced down at the young desert woman, squeezing her hand reassuringly. Ash kept a comforting arm around her as he looked to Almek and the others. "Once the gate is stable, go through quickly. Storm and I have done this twice now, but I do not know if the distance between here and our goal will affect us more along with the duration we would need to hold it for so many more of us. Storm and I must be last because the spell ends with our completing the passage through."
Almek nodded once. "I understand, Ash. My memories of the place were sufficient to guide you?" Ash nodded wordlessly, pulling his cloak around Storm more when the wind gusted. "Ash. Storm." When the two looked at Almek, he said in a low voice, "Whatever happens, I'm proud of both of you. Whether the attempt succeeds or not, I am glad that you are as willing as able to make the attempt at all."
Ash smiled a little, nodding his gratitude to the compliment. Storm looked forward again. She closed her eyes tightly, but it did not stop a tear from escaping. The mage gently brushed it away with a soft caress of her cheek. "Are you ready?" He smiled at her nervous nod. "Then let me see through your beautiful eyes, my Swordanzen." Tightening his arm around her, he murmured softly, "I will protect you, my heart."
The Illaini Magus shivered involuntarily as his perception sharpened. Storm opened up to him even more than she had the first time. Even the sounds and smells altered to the woman's more heightened senses. Then she began to scry. Awed, Ash could only stare for several moments before he felt Storm's hand tighten on his. Schooling his discipline, he focused on the portal spell with careful precision.
From the crest of a giant root bulge behind the group, Ellis and Nolyn watched the two. Nolyn's eyes widened. "Dear gods," he breathed. "You can feel the power he is harnessing from here!"
Ellis squinted a little. "Not just him. Both of them. He is carrying the Forentan factor of the spell, but she is devoting as much of herself to the Guardian magic. And something else I cannot put my finger on. They are truly bound together, like the old stories passed down that Avarian himself used to speak of."
A sharp whistle of warning from one of the guardsmen in the trees drew their attention in alarm. "Se'edai Magus! The ground!" The two turned to look in dread. The ground behind them seemed to bubble as something dug its way to the surface. Shouts of alarm were raised as the animated skeleton of an ancient, cat-like creature pulled itself out of the ground, shaking the dirt off its head. It raised its head, eyes like hot coals glowing from its eye sockets.
One of the guardsmen fired an arrow that merely glanced off the creature's spine, drawing only a brief, hateful glare. Another cast a lightning spell. The distraction lasted only seconds longer before it looked up at Ellis and Nolyn, crouching.
Nolyn looked over his shoulder to Almek's students. All their mounts but the drizar were mincing their feet nervously. The loyal beast was rock steady, Storm and Ash oblivious to everything around them. In front of them, the air began to shimmer as the portal started to open. He looked to Ellis. "They're too far gone into the spell. We need to hold that thing back!"
Ellis nodded, raising his hands as he barked out a harsh spell. Thick arms of rock and roots erupted to ensnare the monster's legs. Even as it pulled free of one of the bindings, other bindings replaced it as the other mages followed the Se'edai Magus' lead.
As the portal stabilized, Nolyn jumped down to join the group. His horse spun about, pawing the air with its hooves. The Edai Magus called over his shoulder, "Go quickly! I don't know how long we can hold that ungodly thing back!"
Almek hesitated only a second before spurring his horse through, the others hurrying to follow him. Skyfire held back as he looked to Nolyn. "Let the monster go as the portal closes," he said curtly, glancing up at the creature that started peeking over the hillcrest, pulling free of the bindings that kept returning as it struggled to move forward.
"What?!" Nolyn asked incredulously. "Are you insane!"
"Just do as I say!" With the rest having crossed the threshold, Skyfire spoke to the drizar who bobbed his head and moved to follow Skyfire into the portal. Skyfire's drizzen leapt forward to bolt down the long, unnatural tunnel. Mindful of his riders, the drizar did not move as fast.
Nolyn grimaced and cast a shield spell just as the monster broke free and jumped. It rebounded off the shield as Storm and Ash entered the portal tunnel. Glaring balefully at Nolyn, it crouched to jump at him.
The guardsman mage flicked a look at the portal and saw it shiver. He smirked as what Skyfire intended dawned on him. "You want them, beast? Go get them!" He dropped the spell, distracting the skeletal monster.
The monstrosity looked sharply at the tunnel and snarled, dashing into the portal. The portal shut abruptly with a deafening crack of thunder. Nolyn was thrown from his panicked horse, stunned as he grabbed his head to cover his ears belatedly.
Ears ringing, pain stabbing through his head, he could only feel someone shaking his shoulder. Nolyn opened his eyes dazedly to look up at Ellis who was saying something to him. He shook his head, indicating he couldn’t hear anything, so the Se'edai pointed imperiously. Looking, Nolyn sagged in relief.
A pile of bones was the only evidence of where the portal and the beast had been. But only the back half of the beast remained. Dragging himself up to his elbows, he looked at the star-shaped scar in his palm. "Goddess watch over you, Ash," he whispered.
Epilogue
The bitterly dry air tasted heavily of evergreen, the sunlight shining unfiltered through the cloudless sky such that the white snow blinded any who looked on it for long. The portal opened out onto an open road, the towering mountain of Fortress rising above the spires of pine trees in the distance. The horses thundered through the portal, their hooves digging up the pristine snow, the dirt beneath speckling their tracks. As they cleared the portal, the riders reined in their horses, turning to watch as those following cleared the barrier. The roar of the bone monster echoed as the drizar stepped through.
Reaching claws raked the drizar's haunches, the desert mount shrieking in pain but not allowing his rider to be disrupted. A moment later, the portal crashed closed with a thunderous explosion. Turning to bare his teeth, the drizar hissed malevolently at the pieces of inert bone.
Released from the thrall of the spell, Storm and Ash sagged unconscious. The two mercenaries and bard jumped off their mounts and moved swiftly to catch them, easing them to the ground. Skyfi
re, Lyra and Terrence stood guard, flicking worried looks over to the others as the healer knelt.
Taylin touched their brows with light fingers and frowned. "There are no injuries, just utter exhaustion. I can do nothing for them." Pausing a moment more, she continued quietly, "They are still linked. They have to come back on their own." She looked up at Almek, worry in the depths of her turquoise eyes. "This level of fatigue, in the shadow of death itself, is a dangerous state. It is like being pulled underwater and not knowing which direction is up. They may be so tired, they cannot find their way back to us, and it is not within my ability to call their minds and souls back."
"I can help them." Mureln took off his cloak, draping it over the pair before pulling out his mandolin, kneeling by them. "I have called those near death back before." Troubled, he qualified, "Though perhaps none quite so close to the precipice."
Looking down, Taylin caressed their cheeks lightly, worriedly. "Keep them with us, Murlen. I have someone else to attend to."
The bard nodded once, all his attention on the unlikely couple. "Come on, Storm, Ash." His fingers picked out a haunting, alluring melody. "Come on," Mureln murmured. "It isn't time to lose you. Find your way out of the darkness."
Tugging her cloak around herself as the wind gusted, Taylin approached the drizar. The healer and animal regarded each other warily. After a moment, he turned so his injury faced her, lowering his head with a chuff. She smiled faintly, reaching to lay her hands on the beast to close his wounds.
Across from Mureln, Emil grimaced as he tried to get Ash's embrace loose so Skyfire and Emaris could lift the pair. "I can't get 'is arms loose from 'round 'er," he told Almek. "'e won't let 'er go."
"No, don't try, Emil." Almek dismounted carefully, moving to kneel by the unconscious pair. "Ash won't let Storm go. Not until he knows she is safe." He covered their entwined fingers, a tear rolling down his cheek. "They are truly lifemates in every sense of the word."
