Avalyne Series 01: The Queen of Carleon

by Linda Thackeray

  ‘If I had not used it, you would not be here to be so smug,’ Arianne retorted with a grateful smile that her friends were unhurt. Mostly.

  Celene was about to respond when suddenly the ground beneath trembled with a shudder that silenced them all immediately. Around them, grains of dirt were shaken loose from the rocks and pebbles skittered to the ground, clacking loudly against the rocky ground as it sparked upon impact. A low rumble corresponded with each new rumble, like the approach of thunder as a storm grew closer and closer. The sensation of imminent danger came so quickly upon Arianne that it almost choked her with and any ill effect she had suffered from the wyrm earlier was forgotten because she knew what was coming.

  ‘Run!’ Arianne cried out.

  But they had run out of time.

  The creature that emerged from the cracks in mountain was no wyrm. In comparison to these, the wyrms were small and insignificant, this beast was not. This was a wyvern, fully grown, with powerful muscles rippling beneath the iridescent scales that would have been beautiful to watch if you one was not the source of its fury, with claws and teeth. The wyvern’s red eyes swept across the terrain, taking in the sight of its dead children before turning her serpentine head towards those who was responsible for the slaughter.

  For an instant, none of them could do anything but stare at the massive beast with their mouths open in frozen horror. Only when it took a step towards them, were they forced into motion. Melia raised her crossbow and began firing at the creature. The first bolt that flew through the air struck the creature in its side had little effect. Even a formidable piece of steel was not going to penetrate a wyvern’s scales. The cold wyvern shrugged of the bolt as if it was rainwater on its back and Melia watched with growing fear as the metal bolt clattered impotently to the ground.

  Aim for its belly!’ Celene shouted and wished she had a bow and arrow for those were weapons useful for an enemy such as this.

  Melia nodded mutely and resumed her efforts. Taking careful aim with one of the few bolts she had left and let it fly at the wyvern. The projectile flew through the air and this time, could not be as easily discarded. The bolt struck its belly and though it was not enough to bring down the beast, it was successful in provoking the beast’s fury and it opened its mouth, preparing to vent the full torrent of its rage.

  ‘GET BEHIND ME!’ Celene ordered the others as she held up the shield between them and the wyvern. Celene had no idea if it would hold. The shield was made of dwarf iron mined from Iridia, the hardest known substance. Whether or not it would survive the wyvern’s cold breath was a mystery she wished she did not have to find out this way. As Keira and Arianne took refuge behind her, Melia jumped out of its path when a blast of ice scrambled behind as the blast of ice came forth from the creature’s widened jaws.

  The steel iced up in her hands and became so cold that it was almost impossible for Celene to maintain her grip but it did not brittle or shatter and that gave her the determination to continue. A sudden scream from Keira made Celene peer over the shield to see that the wyvern’s enormous head looming towards them, its jaws wide open. However the Lady of Gislaine was having none of it. Instead, she swung the shield wide, slamming the iron edge into the side of the wyvern’s head. She expected it to be disorientated enough to allow them time to escape.

  The action had won them no more than seconds and Keira pulled Arianne into a gap between the mountain and another tall boulder capable of providing them with a temporary hiding place.

  ‘We've got to run for it!’ Keira exclaimed. ‘Did you see where Melia went?’

  ‘No,’ Arianne said frantically, ‘We cannot run. We will never make it down the mountain. We need to spear it!’ Arianne cried out when Celene joined them in their place of safety between the rocks. The wyvern was breathing its cold breath against the large boulder with relentless determination, turning the rock cold and cracks to form in its surface. Eventually it would make it cold enough for even their brief refuge to crumble.

  ‘I am open to any suggestions you might have...’ she started to say when her words drifted a moment as if she had an idea. Until the wyvern smashed its tail against the boulder and forced the words out of her, ‘We need a distraction!’ Celene shouted as she felt the wyvern resume its effort to freeze them out. ‘Melia, can you hear us!’

  ‘I hear you!’ Melia cried back as she worked feverishly to retrieve the bolts she had used on the worms. The drake’s attention was still fixated on Celene, Arianne and Keira, allowing her to move without notice for a few seconds. Without them, she was powerless to be of any help to her friends.

  ‘We need you to face it head on!’ Celene called out.

  ‘What?’ Melia stopped short and stared in their direction past the enormous bulk of the creature, disbelief etched upon her face.

  ‘We need it distracted so we can strike!’ Celene returned over the wyvern’s roar.

  The creature turned towards Melia upon realising that was another prey out in the open.

  Melia grasped what Celene intended and knew that the tactic was dangerous to say the least. All of them could be killed in one foul swoop if they erred in its execution. Unfortunately, it was also their only chance. However, for it to work, Melia had to move now. Taking a deep breath, she raced forward, avoiding a deadly swipe by the wyvern’s claws when it attempted to strike her as she ran. Upon missing, it used it tail instead, attempting to swat her away like an insect. Melia managed to elude it, leaping onto the boulder that Celene and the others were hidden behind.

  ‘I hope you are right about this!’ Melia cried out before swallowing thickly when she saw the wyvern coming towards her.

  She stood her ground and perhaps it was her defiance, daring to face it in the open with her crossbow aimed boldly that stayed the creature’s desire to turn her to ice. The wyvern wanted to feed upon her bones, to taste her marrow upon its tongue. It rumbled forward as Melia began shooting bolts at it, taking precise aim so as to strike its soft underbelly.

  The beast roared in outrage and rose up to its full height when its skin was broken, preparing to avenge the pain by snapping its jaws around her skull. Melia’s fingers trembled as she continued to shoot; her fear threatening to override her senses. However, she forced away her fear because it was imperative that she held her ground. In a matter of seconds, she emptied all the bolts she had into the beast’s belly and heard its deafening roar in her ears. In its fury, it chose to abandon the desire to feed upon her, deciding instead the quicker path of simply freezing her.

  Melia saw the wyvern’s mouth widen and knew what was coming. She jumped as the cold blast came at her, landing badly on the shoulder that popped loudly when she hit the ground. The pain was beyond belief, like white heat searing through her body. It forced a cry of pain from her lips and for a few seconds she could not move. She was almost prepared to let the wyvern have her when suddenly, Celene made a running leap onto the rock, her sword brandished high above her head as she towards the wyvern.

  The wyvern was reared up on its back legs, its belly exposed as he saw Celene lunging towards it. It had little time to react as her swords slid deep into the creature’s sternum. Hanging on tight, she let the weight of her body pull her downwards, the blades cutting through the wyvern’s soft underbelly and ripping open its stomach in a bloody trail. It writhed in excruciating pain and flayed its head from side to side as it screamed a bloodcurdling cry that seemed to fill the world with its pain. The wyvern’s entire body quaked as the weapon did their worst, tearing out its insides and spilling blood and innards through the fissure of torn tissue.

  As it struggled in agony, Celene was thrown away from the wyvern like a rag doll. She landed in the dirt just in time to see the wyvern staggering away. The beast was heaving and straining against the agony of movement. Its spilled organs were dragging across the dirt in a gruesome display before it rolled heavily onto its side, its breath ragged and thready.

  Celene picked herself up; glad to have
suffered only scrapes and bruises but her gaze still fixed upon the wounded animal whose life’s blood had turned the ground into a crimson pool of blood. She saw her sword still protruding from its belly and knew by its terrible wounds that the creature was not long for the world.

  A part of her felt sorrow for killing these beasts for they were rare and would soon be a thing of legend, however it was still one of the Enemy’s agents who would have spared no compassion if it were them in its place. With that in mind, Celene's heart hardened to its plight. The wyvern’s breathing soon shallowed and when the glow of its red eyes dimmed forever, it moved no more.

  Only when she was certain of its demise was Arianne able to release the breath caught in her throat as she emerged from their hiding place. She hated that she had to be protected but the little prince inside her was fragile and she understood why Celene wanted her to stay back. If she failed in her quest then all of Avalyne would be lost. She had to keep the terrible vision she had seen in Lylea's pool from coming through.

  ‘Are they okay?’ Keira hurried past her, going to see how Celene and Melia fared.

  ‘I do not know,’ Arianne said honestly as she saw Celene standing up wearily, an angry gash across the side of her face. Blood stained Celene’s cheek and matted the gold of her hair, but other then that small injury, she appeared unhurt. Melia however had not moved from where she had fallen and that alarmed all of them immediately.

  Keira and Celene hurried to the watch guard who was lying on her back, her face contorted in a grimace of pain.

  ‘Melia, are you alright?’ Keira asked and immediately knew that it was a foolish question because she obviously was harmed if she was still on the ground.

  Celene who had grown accustomed to dealing with injuries after years of travel as one of the King’s company, immediately knelt down next to her as Melia to examine her injury. ‘Where does it hurt?’ She asked promptly.

  ‘My shoulder,’ the watch guard admitted with a grimace as Celene helped her to sit upright. Even the slightest movement sent icicles of pain through her body.

  ‘You saved us,’ Keira stated as she knelt down next to Melia as well. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘We saved ourselves,’ Melia pointed out through her gritted teeth as Celene made an exploratory examination of her injury. ‘I merely furnished the opportunity.’

  ‘I did not think that would work,’ Celene answered honestly, ‘It was a gamble.’

  Melia shot her a look of astonishment. ‘What do you mean you didn’t think that would work? Are you telling me I stood in front of that beast and dared it on a gamble?’

  ‘Would you have done it if I said so?’ Celene retorted, snickering mischievously.

  ‘Well no!’ Melia sputtered indignantly and then exhaled loudly, knowing she would have done it even if it was a hazardous plan. They did not have much choice at the time. ‘I hope to return the favour some day.’ She made a face at Celene who winked at her with a smile.

  ‘You were very brave,’ Keira pointed out, giving Melia her hand to hold.

  ‘You certainly were,’ Celene agreed concluding her quick examination of her wounded comrade. ‘If you had not done it, we would never have been able to defeat that creature.’

  ‘I hope that is the last of them,’ Keira sighed, having had just enough of wyrms and wyverns for the rest of the day. ‘At least for while.’

  ‘I hope so too, after this I could use a rest,’ Melia grunted as Celene placed her hands on the watch guard’s shoulder and prepared to pop the bone into place. She knew what was coming and tensed even before Celene’s warning.

  ‘Brace yourself,’ the lady of Gislaine said and Melia nodded, closing her eyes.

  Celene’s action was swift in order to lessen the length of the pain but not its intensity. The sharp, bone-jarring sensation rose up in Melia’s throat and escaped her mouth in an agonized cry as the bone was put back in place. Her hand clenched spasmodically around Keira’s and for a few seconds, it appeared as if she might pass out from the pain. Admirably, she remained conscious though her experience showed by the tears that had welled in her eyes.

  ‘I am sorry,’ Celene apologized for causing her pain but there was no way around it if the shoulder was to recover.

  ‘Its alright,’ Melia whispered. ‘It had to be done.’ She panted, trying to come to grips with the pain when suddenly, she realised something. ‘Where is Arianne?’

  Both Keira and Celene exchanged glances as they realised they had forgotten the queen entirely. Arianne had been right behind them when they had gone to Melia after the wyvern had been killed. However, now that Melia had pointed it out, they looked over their shoulders and saw that she was not among them.

  In fact, as Celene stood up and swept her gaze across the terrain, there was no sign of Arianne at all.

  ********

  When Keira and Celene had gone to Melia, Arianne had fully intended to join them until something familiar tugged at her senses, drawing her away from them. Towards the large crack in the mountain that allowed the wyvern to come upon them so suddenly.

  Prudence demanded that she call attention to what she was doing but so transfixed was she by the sensation that she simply went ahead, thinking nothing of the consequences. Only when she was shrouded by its darkness and assailed by the stench of decay and dung did she hesitate. Still that hook upon her was firmly imbedded and she had no choice but to proceed. A piece of broken briar lay within reach and Arianne reached down and picked it up, using it as fuel as she create a makeshift torch to illuminate the cavern she entered.

  The first thing she was of course the bones.

  They were scattered across the floor, cracked, not and none that was apart of a skeleton. Arianne's stomach clenched when she saw that some of them were human, elf and dwarf while others were of animals. There were a grisly testament to the many who had fallen to the savagery of the creature outside. As magnificent as it was, one had to remember that it was deadly too. She held her sleeve over her mouth as she progressed deeper inside and noted the crushed shells of the wyrms this wyvern mother had birth and felt a hint of regret that she and her companions had been forced to kill them all to survive.

  The cavern was for most part, was the long time den of a predator, with little else in it other than the remains of its past meals and its spoors. However, something in here was drawing Arianne deeper to it and only when she reached the far wall, did she understand what it was. There was a faint glow beckoning her from the opening of a smaller cavern, one that was too small for a wyvern or its progeny but the right size of a man or and elf.

  As she reached it, she understood at last why she had sensed it and none of the others had. The same spell that kept the world of men and elf separate was at work here. This was the enchantment that allowed the elves to enter the Veil.

  Attracted to the light like a moth to the flame, Arianne entered the safety of the Veil and found herself in the small cave that shimmered with unearthly light. The glow emanated from a rock pool in the middle of the cavern, with the reflection of the shimmering water dancing across the walls. The aquamarine hues that washed over her was calming in the face of the ugly darkness she had just stepped out of and Arianne felt the safety of home reach over her shoulder and envelope her in a comforting embrace.

  This was what it was like to be in the Veil, to know that it protected them from all the evils in the world.

  ‘And what blinds us to it as well,’ Arianne whispered the unspoken thought for the first time.

  The glow came from the centre of the pool and when she neared the edge of it and stared into the clear, bluish green water, she saw what she had come here to find.

  The Legacy of Antion.

  The sword that belonged to her grandfather, the first High King of the Elves, Antion lay in the middle of the pool. The weapon was forged by the stars themselves and presented to Antion when he led the elves against Mael and the Primordials during the war. He had fallen in the middle of that conflict, lea
ving her mother to take up the mantle of High Queen and finish what he began. Arianne's oldest brother Antion who was Lylea first born and whom she had never met since he’d left Eden Ardhen centuries before her birth, was named after him.

  Lylea had explained to her that when Antion had fallen they were in the midst of battle and there was no chance to find his body and give him a proper burial. They had kept him in the mountains, his body hidden away to ensure that it was not desecrated by Mael and his agents if found. They created a spell of enchantment into the Veil and placed him there, along with his sword, until such time as they could return to reclaim it.

  Until she could reclaim it, Arianne realised.

  She reached for it and as her fingers broke the tension of the pool, the glow seemed brighter and rising from the bottom of it, Arianne saw the swirling water take shape. For a moment she thought it was her eyes playing tricks on her but then the reflections and shimmers began to take shape. She retracted her hand and found herself kneeling and staring as something rose slowly out of the water.

  It was the shape of an elf.

  He looked like a sculpture made of water as he walked towards her at the edge of the pool, carrying her the sword. He wore the armour of a High King and a helmet with wings. She imagined him from the pictures she had seen and knew that he had dark hair and her blue eyes, even though she could not see it now. He did not speak when he reached her, merely kneeling down and reaching out his hands to present her his sword.

  The sword was beautifully ornate. From pommel, grip, hilt and finally to the blade itself, it was etched with intricate elven designs. The pommel had the image of a star, indicating the House of Antion and Arianne stared at it mesmerized and when she looked up at the water image of her grandfather, she was certain he was smiling.