Relief flooded through Baschia as Brynn absently ran his fingers through her mane.
'Come, let us leave this place of death,' she urged. But Brynn did not respond.
A shiver ran along her spine and those of her companions, Balhalku growling in apprehension. Then the bodies around them misted, losing solidity before turning into a fine ash-like substance. Baschia remained by Brynn, if he wanted to stay, they would stay. A moment later, she felt a warm 'glow' flow through her, and then the forest started to come alive. The very earth seemed to vibrate as Brynn restored life. Plants and flowers grew with unnatural speed, trees regained their colour, their dead leaves dropping to the ground to be replaced by new growth.
The other may-en-ghi approached and lay down, curling about him. A low rumbling filled the air as they started to purr. They were proud. Brynn had not touched one of these men with blade or bolt. He had used a weapon far more accurate and deadly. To them this was his first real kill.
'Rest,' Baschia ordered.
Obediently, Brynn lay down amongst them and was instantly asleep.
She moved cautiously towards the aura she knew to be him. He was safe now. He had survived, that was all she wanted to know. She could take no joy in his triumph, what was an achievement for him was a terrifying ordeal for her. One moment she was fine and the next she was filled with their fear. If he cut them, she felt the strike, if he used fire, her skin burned. No matter if he used talent or blade, she felt their pain.
He did not feel it for the most part, only when it overwhelmed her, and then he blamed her for making him weak. A deep sense of regret filled them both.
'Why do I not feel guilt? Why is it you must be my conscience?' he asked, though she had not announced her presence. He did not speak, nor did he send. Yet she knew him to be thinking this and knew he would know her answer.
'Mayhap it is not that I am your conscience, could it be you feel guilt over the terror I experience as a result of your actions? Especially considering the recent help I have given you. Everyone you know celebrates when you demonstrate exceptional skill in your talent. From me you feel remonstration, for I know only the horror of your achievements.'
Impatience filled him, this was not the first time she had made the point. 'Could it also be that your view is imbalanced?' he retorted. 'When I heal, do you not feel relief? And what of the comfort I give? Hundreds of times have I made people, animals, and even the environment whole, you acknowledge this yourself. Yet these are not the events you remember most often.'
'It is harder to forget the fear and pain, even you admit that.'
That was true, he thought. The experience for her would be sudden and violent, not easy events to misplace in your memory. Why was it the negative experiences in life were often more memorable than the positive?
'Regardless of who is right in this,' he said, 'I still wonder, when the time comes how I am to unite with such a timid spirit...' he confided, exhaustion putting a strain in his tone.
'Even in gentleness there is strength,' she replied, 'just as with compassion. Mayhap you should not always charge down the aggressive path. When you understand why a creature behaves a certain way, you can find alternatives with which to change its behaviour. Akileena, for instance, your first instinct was to kill him...' she let the silence following her words emphasise her point.
'Have you given any thought as to what will happen to those who survive this war?' she finally continued. 'To those so young they are scarce old enough to court when you force their innocence from them by demanding they take life? Will Akileena's daughter have to raise blade and bow before she even understands the debt she will accrue when she kills for you? A mage's daughter, do you think she will go on to become a mage, to take the vows to protect life after she has destroyed it? What of the other children, will their parents adore you when their children die marching in your army? Who will console them? What talent will soothe their hearts? I am not the only one to fear,' she asserted. 'You fear I make you weak. Mayhap you do not yet realise that my weaknesses can actually be strengths; a means to achieve victory without as many deaths. Mayhap the unity we need will be found if, instead of fearing one another, we seek to understand each other's perspective.'
Suddenly she realised just how weary she was, she would not last much longer here. 'You should rest now. I will leave you in peace,' she thought gently, withdrawing from his spirit-plane.
Peace, he thought, tasting the bitter irony of her words, was lost in the distance between them.
What most frustrated him about these encounters, was his inability to retain a clear memory of them, only a vague recollection of the emotions and thoughts that passed between them. A part of him suspected that she caused it somehow. It was possible she protected herself this way, as if she did not want to be found, as if she was drawn to him, but also wanted no part of him.
Day 16 – Mid-morning
North Kenar Woods
The small group approached the clearing following Denica. The plains may-en-ghi's tan scales had changed to a deep brown very similar to her woodland surroundings. For most of the group, their first sight of the may-en-ghi had been daunting and the refuges still moved hesitantly in the may-en-ghi's wake. Akileena moved to the rear of the dawdling group. 'Fear not, they are just big pussycats with scales and not fur,' he quipped.
'Pussycats!' Elisana objected, strolling over, stretching each limb as he did — ironically in a very cat-like manner. 'You, of all people, Akileena, should know better,' he scolded light-heartedly.
'No insult intended, Elisana. I was just trying to reassure our companions.'
'None taken, but we must deal with your exile status before we can reacquaint ourselves.'
To be exiled from the may-en-ghi community was to be completely cut off from them and the penalty for seeking them out without having the exile removed was death. Those elvan mages who had been granted contact with the may-en-ghi that were caught had themselves exiled as a means to protect the may-en-ghi. But although the exile was voluntary, it still required official removal before the may-en-ghi could communicate freely with the exiled mage again.
'Yes, of course. I can confirm that I am no longer forced to cooperate with Abbarane.'
Elisana turned to his rahn. 'What say you, Baschia?'
Baschia was silent for a moment as she examined Akileena's memories. 'It is to his credit he never revealed his knowledge of us during his captivity,' she said. 'And the decision to exile him was a matter of formality to ensure none of us naïvely contacted him and endangered ourselves.'
'That is true, and, thus, the formality must be repeated. I defer to you, because I was once his tutor, and thus, my decision could be challenged.'
'You were always the odd one who enjoyed his sense of humour,' Baschia teased before becoming serious again. 'Considering the circumstances, I move we suspend exile. A permanent removal will rely on a vote of the entire community. That said; I cast my vote.'
'I second,' Rojon offered, knowing that there needed to be a consensus amongst those may-en-ghi present for the community to acknowledge it.
'I third,' Denica agreed.
Spirah drowsily raised his head. 'I fourth.'
'Balhalku?' Elisana nudged the other dozing giant still wrapped around Brynn with Spirah.
'Fifth,' he mumbled sleepily.
Elisana purred in satisfaction. 'It is good to see you again, old friend.'
Akileena ran an affectionate hand through Elisana's mane. 'I am ever thankful you consider me so, Elisana.'
'How goes he?' Sariah asked with a nod towards Brynn.
'He still needs rest,' Baschia answered. 'He has to heal his spirit.'
The four refugees found seats not too far from the warrior and mage, for they still feared the may-en-ghi a little and watched them with fascination.
'How do you do that?' Te-eira, the young elvan girl who had adopted the human Hagen as a father, piped up. 'How do you speak to all of us and yet not link with us?'
she asked, pushing her long, blue fringe away from her eyes.
Baschia considered the girl and her question. Beneath the uncontrollable fringe were intelligent, honey-coloured eyes. The rest of her hair had been hacked short and someone had recently scrubbed her face clean, but there was already a smudge of dirt across one cheek. Baschia smiled at that, if there was one thing their young had in common, it was their ability to get dirty.
'I am not sure I can answer that, inalla,' Baschia said, using an elvan term of affection that meant little one. 'Our kind has communicated this way since our first steps in this realm. I do not think I know precisely how we do it, just that it is as natural to us as mind-speak should be to you.'
'It is because the link for a may-en-ghi is created when they are conceived,' a familiar voice said, as Brynn sat up.
To Baschia's relief, he sounded normal.
'Baschia cannot remember learning to link with her parents because when she first communicated with them, she did it on an unconscious level. Thus, when she links with us, she does it with such finesse we do not feel it. The may-en-ghi also share a race memory, carrying their knowledge through the generations. This is what enables them to achieve such refinement.'
'Torahn, I know you have just woken...'
'I am adding a condition to our friendship, Akileena,' Brynn said sternly. 'Stop calling me Crown, Grace, Sire — any of that. Future Crown or no, I am Brynn.'
Akileena smiled hesitantly. 'How can I defy such a modest, if grouchy, request?'
Realising the mage needed further reassurance that he held no hostility towards him, Brynn changed to a more sympathetic tone as he said, 'You wish to know about your daughter, no doubt.' Brynn was sorry to disappoint him. 'Riqu has sent no further reports, which is understandable, they need to keep a low profile, right now. As soon as Riqu feels it is safe to get in contact, I will let you know,' he promised. 'And on a similar note, it is no longer safe here, we need to move. Although, we will not get too far today.'
Day 16 – Afternoon
Denas
Pale-blue eyes, lighter than his own, but just as elvan, stared stoically ahead, regardless of the pain he must be experiencing as the interrogator cruelly twisted the metal instrument. Malithorn was doing the questioning, but had left the interrogator to inflict the pain while the Great Lord sat comfortably in a ridiculously ornate chair to one side. Malithorn could not afford to harm Colnba, so he made him attend these sessions. The poor prisoner had been randomly selected and was unlikely to be able to answer any of the questions Malithorn asked. But the point was not to get information, it was to punish Colnba.
'Ah, I see you are busy.' It was Nisari.
Colnba sent her a feeling of appreciation. 'Nay, your timing is propitious. But do nothing more than sending, Liacoren is present and she is monitoring me.'
The warning was needed because although they could mind-speak to one another without Liacoren detecting it, the human mage would pick up any other talented activity and Nisari might inadvertently alert her if she used her other talents.
'At least that is one benefit of our binding,' Nisari reflected. 'Although, at the time we had no notion we would one day use it to have private conversations while you were forced to witness the torture of others at the hands of a tyrant. Speaking of tyrants, why is he punishing you?'
'Riqumorgia not only extracted slaves from this very city, but he also succeeded in getting Akileena's daughter.' His revelation was met with stunned silence. In anticipation of her next question, he explained, 'He did not use talent. I had no way of knowing he was in the city.'
'Malithorn will not care.'
'That is why I am here and why this poor elvan suffers. It is also why I welcome your presence. I cannot afford to show any emotion. One twitch of distress will be enough for Malithorn to escalate the torture, so being able to focus on you will at least mean the prisoner does not pay because I fail to control my emotions.'
He felt Nisari's sympathy. 'Let us focus, then, on the problem that led to this. Which incites the question, why now? Why after all these turns did Riqumorgia decide to get Akileena's daughter now?'
'I wonder if it is because the Saviour is finally active. While it seems the Saviour allowed Nathan to capture him so he could help Riqumorgia's daughter escape, I think the Saviour actually wanted Akileena all along.'
'Why else would Riqumorgia want to get Akileena's daughter if not to reunite her with her father?' Nisari agreed.
'He may be young, but the Saviour is proving to be just as challenging as his prophecy promised. When I attacked him on the planes he chose to confront me as an illa-kaan, which I found an intriguing tactic,' he told her using the elvan term for ice dragon. 'One that may answer our question about the timing of Riqumorgia's actions.'
'You mean because it is the kind of tactic it is said the may-en-ghi would teach?'
Colnba sent an affirmative.
'Think you that the reason Riqumorgia succeeded was because he had may-en-ghi help?'
'I do.'
He felt Nisari's disbelief. 'We have nothing more than a theoretical knowledge of the may-en-ghi,' his rahn pointed out. 'There is no evidence to suggest they are anything more than a legend.'
'Yet there has long been a belief in them,' Colnba reminded her. 'As an apprentice, when I was having difficulty sleeping, I would lose myself in a fantasy where a may-en-ghi called me out into the night to tell me I had been selected to undertake their tutelage.'
Nisari laughed softly, letting Colnba feel her affection. 'You are one of many apprentices who imagined such an honour. I, too, would daydream of being called out of my classes into the forest to be met by a may-en-ghi offering me their knowledge. It was far more exciting than the reality of study, yes?'
'Much more exciting. But I also remember that Akileena disappeared one winter and when he returned he had significantly advanced in his training. It was the kind of leap in skill that triggered rumours of may-en-ghi providing such training. What provokes these memories is that when I was about to overwhelm the Saviour may-en-ghi appeared to support him.'
'Ah, so you wonder whether they were just symbolic or real may-en-ghi.'
'I do. I equally want to believe and not believe. For the may-en-ghi to be more than just legend would be a magnificent thing...' Colnba trailed off, reluctant to voice the rest of his thought.
His rahn spoke it for him. 'But if they are aiding the Saviour, we face formidable opponents.'
The prisoner's scream brought Colnba's attention back into the room. Colnba very carefully set his jaw. Nisari sent a feeling of reassurance.
'How can I callously stand here, Nisari?'
'What choice do you have? If you try to relieve his pain with talent, Liacoren will tell Malithorn and Malithorn will kill the prisoner. I feel just as helpless and am thankful to not be in that room. You will do him no favours if you respond, so be strong, Colnba. Now,' Nisari paused, having to steel her own resolve despite her brave words, when you checked in briefly earlier, 'you mentioned that you encountered a guardian when you went back to attack the Saviour at the moment Nathan was about to drive his sword forward, tell me about it.'
'Very well,' Colnba agreed. Nisari was right, there was naught he could do right now. Still, it was difficult for him to focus. 'Nathan's timing with the sword was really quite wonderful. Unfortunately it yielded no advantages in the end, because, as I reported, when I returned via a different plane I was blocked. At first I thought it was another mage, but it turned out that it was that spirit, the one I have been trying to track for several days.'
'Your first encounter with it was that day you were checking the human mages, was it not? You thought it had been killed in battle and later discovered three entire patrols mysteriously went missing.'
Colnba sent her an affirmative. 'I presumed it was a lost spirit. As it turned out, it was not lost at all. But what I found strange was that the Saviour seems unaware of it.'
'That is odd.'
'Well, I am not completely certain, but he did not communicate with it as far as I could tell.'
A particularly heart-rending cry from the prisoner Malithorn was having tortured made Colnba seethe inwardly.
'Speaking of guardians,' he said to Nisari, 'this prisoner is in great need of one.'
'What we need to do is to provide Malithorn with a new focus,' Nisari told him. 'And we just might be able to do that,' she added as a thought occurred to her. 'Do you know where Riqumorgia disappeared to?'
'Hmmm, now that you mention it, when I discovered he had been in Denas I tried to track him down. I expected that he would return to Sal-Cirus, but he was not there. Instead he went south...' Colnba paused as he made a connection. 'So did the Saviour last we knew.'
Nisari smiled and sent her encouragement. 'Then it makes sense, does it not, that if Malithorn wants the Saviour, mayhap he needs to look south. And if Riqumorgia's daughter is still with the Saviour, that could be to our advantage.'
'I may not be able to track the Saviour, but I can track Riqumorgia.'
'Exactly. Target Riqumorgia. No doubt his daughter will go to his aid…'
'And she will likely bring the Saviour with her. Thank you, Nisari.'
'Aye, I would keep my life, lord,' a hoarse voice begged.
Colnba's vision came back into focus and he felt Nisari disconnect.
'You will have to ask that elvan over there. Would you beg for your life from him?' Malithorn asked the prisoner, giving Colnba a smug glance.
The mage knew he needed to convince Malithorn that he was not as disturbed by the prisoner's suffering as he really was, so he resisted an irritated snort and instead kept his tone neutral. 'While you have been passing the afternoon playing with that prisoner, I have figured out a means to achieve your goal of finding the Saviour.'
Prophecy's Quest Page 24
