by Sanders, Dan
“And how are you, Ketty?” Lupi asked. “It has been a while, five years, I think.”
“Yes ma’am, something like that.”
“I see you’re still tending the boy prince.”
“It is a life’s pleasure,” Ketty said pleasantly.
Lupi rolled her eyes and said, “I’m sure it is.” She watched an awkward Sabina dancing under the direction of the Prince.
“Don’t they make a lovely couple?” Lupi grinned.
“You’re a troublemaker, Lupita Bothan.” Daimon took her hand and led her, hovering, onto the dance floor.
The festivities drew to a close. Lupi and Sabina had been rescued from the dance floor, and the King rose to bid farewell to his guests. But Magas had his own plans and held his staff in high salute.
“Hail our most gracious host, King Dralia,” Magas intoned. “The Melders of Eostra, keepers of the Lore of Harmony and powers of the known realms, bear a gift this night; a gift for all beings on Annwyn, regardless of the realm.”
Emily wondered why he kept saying, ‘we’ when she saw no other Melders in the room.
“Magas, you shouldn’t have,” said the King. He leaned closer and whispered, “What madness do you bring onto me now?”
Magas raised both arms, and, unaided by any crystal disc, hovered in the centre of the guests, streams of blue and white moonlight dusting his silk robes.
“I bring gifts from the Elementals, from Eostra and from their keepers. First, I need the Chosen One to come forth to receive her gifts.”
A stifled awe rose from the guests. At first Emily didn’t understand. It wasn’t until Noogie’s beak pushed Emily towards the airborne Melder, that she realised Magas meant her.
“I can’t…”
Rupurt hopped beside her in front of the gaze of the assembly. She looked up at Magas, who gestured with his staff. An unseen force lifted her off the floor, floating her through the air until she hovered next to the white-robed Melder. It took all of Emily’s will to keep her paws from running, until she remembered what it was like to be a bird and glided towards him.
Magas’ ancient voice rang with power into the minds of all in the room. “Royal guests, I present to you Emily from Earth, the Chosen One. By humble birth, she has been touched by Eostra, as foretold in the Wellwyn Prophecy. She faces a dark and grim task. They must defeat Gorgos and his Melders, to halt the deadly spread of darkness and his beasts, else our lands, our homes and our families will be laid waste for eons to come.
The room burst into scared moans and whispers, some angry, many curious. This was the first they had heard of the truth of the myth of the Wellwyn Prophecy.
The red-robed man silenced the whisperings by banging his staff on the floor. He addressed Magas formally. “Melder Whiteoak, I am Overlord Darius Morgenstern of the Jalpari, people of the Fire Lore, and friends of the Faoir.”
“We are well acquainted, Overlord,’ Magas said smoothly.
“What you speak is heresy. There is no proof of the prophecy. The darkness of the Abandoned Lands has been contained across the Melwthyn Sea since the Elemental war, eons ago. Where is your proof?”
The room stared at the guest who challenged the venerated and formidable Melder. Magas’ white robe fluttered at his feet.
Emily lifted her paw and revealed the red scar against her soft white fur. “See, here is the mark of Eostra, on my paw.”
Those closest onlookers gasped in recognition.
“It is Eostra’s mark. It is true. Hail Eostra,” yelled a voice.
“Hail Eostra,” shouted another.
A short woman with a crown raised her jewelled hand. She was fighting back tears. “Only today I have heard dark news, my lord Melder. The darkness has broken over the Melwthyn Sea, and the coastal nation of Alendi in the north lies in ruins, a blackened scar on the land.”
The chamber exploded in uproar. The darkness, safely ignored till now, was in their midst. Magas raised his hands for silence. Whispering in the ancient Melder tongue, he led the room in a Mindmeld. As the focal point of the most powerful minds in Annwyn, Magas showed them what the Queen had learned. Into their thoughts he showed them Gorgos and Torek, and the death and deharmonisation of the people and the lands. Cries of pain flowed across the minds of the royals, in a powerful connection, a unity of mind that communicated the deepest of emotions and understanding, pain for the living land, its peoples and its animals.
The King’s disconnected voice of reassurance was as lifeless as the land that had been desecrated.
Emily looked up at Magas. He looked sadly at her. She knew something had happened, but was not able to connect with the minds of the Annwynian royals. Magas faced the crowd and mentally silenced every mouth and mind in the room before he spoke aloud for Emily’s benefit. “That is grave news indeed. The crystal coast has been breached and doom marches on us. But hope is at hand. We have not been forsaken. Behold the gifts of the Exotics.”
The Melder raised his staff and lowered himself and Emily to the floor. He spoke softly, in words Emily could not understand. A musical gust of wind blew open the rear doors and a small winged being rode on the wind, flying corkscrew loops around the room before hovering before Magas. Emily’s heart pounded with excitement as she realised this was an Agramond. Unlike Lupi, she had a serene face and almost transparent blue silk tunic. She bowed to Magas before turning to Emily.
Her bell voice said, “Eama, Chosen One of Eostra, we have waited for this day to give a gift. Your path to save the Twin Worlds is fraught with peril. The outcome is uncertain. You must silence the spirits of the elements to become as one. As the prophecy has stated, the Artefacts of Harmony will harness their power through your will and connection. My gift to you is an answer to your call for help.” She lowered her head before continuing.
“Tonight the Circle of Six will be called, beings from the Twin Worlds, blessed with untapped power, to save the world in times of grave darkness. According to the prophecy, Eama, you will lead the Circle of Six to the ends of this quest, so peace and Elemental harmony may be restored.”
Emily’s mind reeled. She remembered the prophecy: Six will become one. She was sure Magas or Sabina or Aldrick would know who was in the circle. The ominous bell-canto voice of the Air-Elf spoke her final words.
“Also know this; you alone cannot control the power of the elements. You will be tested, Earthling. Your hope will lie in the voice of harmony.”
The Agramond withdrew, borne by the wind on which she’d entered. Emily sought comfort from Magas but his eyes gazed upon a different world. It was happening so fast; she hoped she could remember.
In her mind Noogie came to her in Thoughtspeak. “Em, remember Papa Bijou; he would always say to us, ‘stand tall in the face of fear. Shut your mind-demons away.’”
Emily was grateful for the advice. Noogie and the others were hidden in the crowd. She turned her attention to Magas who had pressed his hands on one of the gargantuan statues along the wall. The floor rumbled and out from the vertical edifice stepped a giant rock being. In two deliberate strides, it loomed over Emily. Its stone head was smooth, as if through erosion. Its sad ruby eyes looked deeply into Emily. After a long pause its rumbling voice said, “The Earth Lore is the most stable and without change. Time is our friend and much have we seen, but you will give a great and marvellous gift to this land and that of your home world; a gift to heal them, to renew them, each year to be the beacon of rebirth and hope. To defeat the darkness that threatens Earth Lore itself, you need help of the ancient masters of Earth Lore. My gift is an invitation to visit Storven–the Reven stronghold, to petition the Reven directly for that support.”
The bottomless tones of the Reven vibrated the floor. With the same slow moves, it resumed its position etched into the wall. The King and the crowd stared as they witnessed what no being in the modern period of Annwyn had witnessed: a Reven speaking to a person, and in the common tongue of Annwyn.
Emily turned to Magas to ask i
f the ceremony had finished, but a fireball burst into the chamber through the window, landing in the same spot as the previous exotic beings. As the flames subsided Emily saw a male Faoir. He had blazing red hair to the centre of his back, flaming eyes that threatened and welcomed all at once. His voice was hoarse and fiery as he said to Emily, “I am of the Faoir, exotic masters of the Fire Lore. We are a passionate people and not welcome in many of the ways of ordinary people, but our fates lie together, Chosen One and I have two gifts for you.”
The being shimmered before her as though pondering his next sentence. He willed the flames of his body to cease. His large teardrop wings waved breezily about him. Even with the flames extinguished Emily still felt the heat from the Faoir burning through her fur and whiskers.
“My first gift is advice. The heart is not always easy to see. You must have faith that change can happen and bring about great things from their dark beginnings.”
The Faoir bowed deeply before rising again and said, “I will leave you with a final gift from the Faoir. She will complete the circle.”
The Faoir shimmered, turned into a ball of hot flames and burst through the window as a burning star into the black sky. From the corner of her eye, Emily saw her friends had inched closer and stood off to the side in support, as though some unseen force held them back from running to her aid.
She realised the Faoir had left without giving the second gift. As Emily raised her paw to ask Magas, a flash of orange and yellow light blurred against the darkness of the surrounding walls. Starting from the top of the enormous ceiling, like a bearing rolling around a bowl, the light blurred in decreasing circles until it landed on the ballroom floor, slowing until its true form was visible. Emily and the others jumped as they saw the form of a giant tigress bound in front of them, its roar echoing throughout the chamber.
“Let me introduce, Kato,” Magas said.
Emily couldn’t believe her eyes. This tigress was unlike the ones on Earth. It was as tall as a horse, with stripes ending in the curls of infinity, colours of deep-red, golden yellow and smouldering orange. The animal’s white whiskers glowed like an incandescent beacon.
Aldrick was the first to step forward from the crowd. “Welcome, Kato.”
Her deep honeyed tones were soothing and singsong. “Glad to be of service to the realm after all these years, Master Icelander.”
The entire room sat in silent shock. The exotic tigress lowered her head and spoke directly to Emily. “Eama, I am honoured to be in your service until the fate of the Twin Worlds is secured, or my life has ended.” She bowed her head.
Emily could only manage to say, “I am honoured, Kato. And you will live to see an ending.” Without thinking, she threw her paws as best she could around the giant head and hoped her words were true. Emily was unable to hold back the tears of relief burning her eyes.
Emily waved her paw for her friends to join her, but the final spectacle for the evening burst into her life. The centre of the pulsing waterfall thrashed about, rising higher and higher until it lapped the chamber ceiling, wetting the nearby floating royals. Out of the water stepped an exquisite woman, shimmering in blue-green skin of crystalline scales, water as her only cover. Emily saw her webbed feet shrink into human form, retaining the scales. She brushed long silver hair from her head, revealing emerald eyes with blue and white markings stretching across her face and out to her ears.
Her voice was soft and had the sound of rushing water. “I am of the Styx, or Water Sprite, by your tongue. Chosen One, my gift to you is instruction.” The Styx swept her arm wide. “I see your heart, Chosen One, and it is pure and good. Eama, the land is out of balance, the elements are not in harmony as they should be. Everything has its place, a season, a symbol, and a controlling element. The season is Spring. You, Eama are that symbol. The controlling element you seek is the lost Egg of Eostra. As a bird you are the symbol of rebirth and as a rabbit you are the symbol of fertility, of plenty. Only as two beings could you fulfil the mission that the Twin Worlds require. You have been chosen to recover that Egg which can be found where the clouds speak with the stars and the two moons. You have until the beginning of the new moon cycle to lay the Egg or darkness and disharmony will prevail.”
The sombre face of the Styx turned to Sabina. She said, “Child of land and water, your past will be your future, if you accept it.”
Before either Emily or Sabina could speak, the Styx lifted her arms and dived into the pounding waterfall, disappearing into the mighty river below.
The King declared the evening a success. He ushered everyone else out and called Emily and her friends to join him in his chambers. But Magas placed his long fingers on the King’s shoulder and said, “Dralia, I need to spend some time alone with them, for the Circle of Six needs to be bestowed. We now have the members. I need one last thing.”
“What is it this time, Whiteoak?” said the King warily.
“Your son,” the ancient Melder said.
Chapter 24
The CoS Bestowed
Private Chamber of KING GWYNGAD, IBENDARI,
ANNWYN
“What does Magas want with us?” Lupi said as she hovered to the bar in the King’s private study and poured a drink.
“It must be something to do with what happened tonight,” Rupurt said.
“I can’t believe it,” Daimon said and sipped from his crystal goblet.
“Which part?” Lupi quizzed.
“All of it.”
“What did they mean, Child of Land and Water?” Sabina mused, her silver hair grey in the soft light. “When the prophecy spoke of gifts, it meant gifts from the Exotics. Makes sense now. Emily must find Eostra’s lost Egg and return it to its ordained resting place, wherever that is.”
“What do you think Emily?” Noogie said.
“I… don’t know, really. It’s too much… too beautiful…”
“Too scary,” said Rupurt.
Emily had been in a quiet state of shock as the King’s personal liege escorted them through hidden passages to the study. She gazed at her companions, their curious faces lit by the honeyed light pulsing from the wooden rods that poked from the walls.
Sabina continued, “It’s beginning to make sense.”
“It’s been fun, almost,” Lupi said, “but I’ll be on my way after the Melder has his little chat with us.”
“You can’t leave now,” Daimon said. “You’ll be needed. You were given charge of the prophecy, for Zeus’ sake.”
“Clouds-alive Daimon, I did my job. I carried that thing for nearly three decades. I can’t do anything here. I’m just a walkabout Agramond with no fixed address. You saw what a real Agramond is like tonight; that’s not me.” Dejected, Lupi sat on the window ledge with her knees drawn to her chest.
The ornate stone door hushed open. Magas swept in, followed by Aldrick and Kato. The tigress’s presence filled the room. Emily wondered where Prince Bevan was.
Everybody kept glancing sideways at Kato and then to Magas, not wanting to ask the obvious question.
Sabina went to Magas, bowed efficiently and said, “How did you know the Exotics would be offering gifts tonight?”
Magas smiled. “I applaud your thirst for knowledge Sabina. It will serve us well.”
The old Melder tapped Daimon’s leg with his staff to vacate his seat. He sat and looked at each of the friends in turn. Emily thought he spent too long looking directly into her, but she could not feel his mind at hers. She was glad her questions would finally be answered.
“I suppose you’re all wondering what happened tonight, and why I summoned you here.” Magas took a swig from his drink and rubbed his nose. “Before we proceed, we must wait for another.”
Emily wrung her forepaws in nervous anticipation. A warm wind puffed at the curtains.
Aldrick stepped forward, grinning broadly and said, “I cannot wait Magas. I have something of interest to Binny and Emily.”
Emily hopped over to Aldrick. Sabina looke
d up from her study of the prophecy. The seer-stone glasses from Loric hung on the end of her nose. Emily thought they made her look like an eccentric old woman.
Aldrick said to Sabina, “I suppose you don’t think these could help you?” He pulled out another set of glasses with a single ruby crystal ball in the right lens and dangled them in Sabina’s vision.
Sabina grabbed the glasses and said, “What, where, how…”
“Question, questions.” Aldrick smirked.
Magas looked at Aldrick quizzically. Aldrick nodded in his direction and turned back to the commotion surrounding Sabina.
Lupi buzzed over and said, “The Loric girl is lost for words, nice.”
Sabina fumbled with the glasses, pulled the ruby crystal from the glasses Aldrick had and delicately screwed it into the missing lens of the pair she was working with. She mumbled, “I am sure it doesn’t matter which frames are used, just so that the complementary crystal energies allow simultaneous connection with both phases of the—”
“Get on with it,” Daimon said.
“My thoughts exactly,” Lupi said.
Sabina pushed the glasses to her eyes. “I can now see it clearly, although some of the references and allusions have an unclear meaning.”
“What did she say?” Rupurt said.
“Who knows?” Daimon lifted his hands up.
Aldrick said, “Binny, can you tell us what you see?”
“The prophecy is longer than I thought. It’s beautiful.”
“Sabina,” Magas said firmly but gently.
“Apologies.” She smiled distractedly. “Here goes the completed verse from before.
“From the Twin Worlds will the Circle form
To find what has been lost,
To bind what has been loosed.
What once was six
Will join as one.
In finding each one, the inner self,
Harmony will rein the Elements,
Fire, Water, Earth and Air,
In Havendel’s bay
Eostra’s Lost Egg will finally lay…”
Sabina looked at the giant tigress sitting with her feline smile. “The circle referred to a group of people, or beings, as we found out tonight.
