Taking the weapon in her hand, he bowed his head once in approval and then completely fell apart. The water he had been composed of fell back into the pool with a splash and as Arianne sat back to keep from being caught in its splatter, she felt a breath of fresh, crisp air rushed over her face. With a wave of gratitude, she knew then that whatever spirit that had lain here waiting for someone to come had finally been released from its duty.
When it was gone, the water still glowed but Arianne noticed its light was diminishing. Soon the magic that kept this place secured would be gone and the cave would return to the world again. She wiped a tear from her eyes as she wrapped her hand around the hilt of the weapon that had not known touch in thousand of years.
This was the weapon that had fought Mael and slain his most deadly consort, the Primordial Queen Syphia, the Dreaded Mother of all. Their battle was so savage and Antion's wounds so grievous that he had succumbed to them not long after Syphia herself had crawled away and troubled the world no more. It was said that Mael's tears had been so great at her passing that his grief had caused the ice that gave the Frozen Mountains its name. He had taken her to be buried in the heart of Mael's Pit.
‘Arianne!’
Celene's cry snapped Arianne out of her thoughts and she stood up and went to the entrance of the small cave and stepped through the Veil, to see the Lady of Gislaine searching the interior of the wyvern's lair.
‘Celene!’ Arianne replied, causing Celene's eyes to shift to the rear of the cave.
‘Arianne, thank goodness!’ Celene said with obviously relief. ‘Where did you go? One minute you were there and the next you were gone! We thought some new menace had come for you!’
‘I am sorry,’ Arianne apologised reaching her. ‘I was drawn here and I found what we sought. Look.’ She presented her grandfather's sword.
Celene’s annoyance was temporarily diffused as she stared at the weapon presented. ‘Oh Arianne, it’s beautiful,’ she spoke, her voice filled with wonder.
‘Did you find her!’ Keira called out from the mouth of the cavern.
‘Yes,’ Celene looked over her shoulder, ‘she is here and she's found the weapon.’
‘Oh,’ Keira stepped into the cavern as Arianne and Celene went to meet her half way. ‘Well now we know why they attacked us. What is it?’ She asked.
Arianne showed her the sword of Antion and Keira stared at it for a long while. ‘After all this time, we have come a long way to find a sword. Will it do what you think it will?’ She asked appearing somewhat sceptical.
‘My mother believes so,’ Arianne replied. ‘This will strike a blow that will save my child's life. ‘
‘Then it is good we have finally found it,’ Keira smiled tautly, showing her doubt had not been dismissed entirely. ‘But we need to attend Melia, she's been hurt.’
Arianne felt immediately ashamed because she'd forgotten the fourth member of their company. ‘How is she?’ She asked.
‘She will live,’ Celene answered, ‘but she can travel no more tonight and too be fair, neither can we. It has been a long day fraught with danger, we need to rest and set out again tomorrow.’
‘Agreed,’ Arianne nodded. ‘There is still enchantment left in the cave where I found the sword. Let us move Melia in there and we can rest without fear that something will attack us at night.’
‘That,’ Keira said with a smile, ‘is the best idea I've heard all day.’
PART SIXTEEN
THE MISTRESS OF FURNSBY FARM
Taking refuge in the cave for the night, Arianne used her elvish healing skills to complete the treatment Celene began on Melia's shoulder. When she was finished, Melia’s pain was lessened somewhat after its painful resetting by Celene. Although it would still ache from the dislocation, at least Melia would have more or less full use of it which concerned the watch guard greatly since she needed to be fully able to resume their quest. There were other injuries too, not as severe as Melia’s but the battle had left them with cuts and bruises, some that required attention and others that required rest.
After moving into the small cave where the sword had been found with Arianne’s help to pass through the Veil, Keira favoured them with a hot meal after Celene had built a fire and Arianne had ensured Melia was settled for the night. They sat around the pool with their meals, forgetting the bloody business of the day and talked of home, their husbands and all the gossip that seemed trivial in light of their purpose the next day. They avoided the subject of the quest for the evening.
That subject was in abeyance for the night. Still, with the sword of Antion retrieved, spirits were better.
As usual, Celene took first watch while the others slept with Keira offering to relieve her during the night. Although they were guarded behind the Veil, Celene was conscious of its diminishing power now that the sword had lost its ancient protector. Arianne had wanted to contribute to the watch but neither the Lady of Gislaine or the Green would have any of it. She was a woman pregnant and needed as much rest as could be afforded during this journey. Tomorrow they would be approaching Mael’s Pit and she needed all her strength for what might lay in wait for them.
As much as Arianne wanted to refute their words, she knew they were right. The second full moon was almost upon them and she could feel the swell in her belly that indicated her son’s growth. Her elven endurance had brought her this far but even she could not ignore that she was tired far more easily than before and there would be a time when movement with the agility she’d possessed when fighting spiders and wyrms would be improbable. She had no idea what she would face when she reached the Enemy but she needed to be at her best when that encounter took place.
When dawn broke the next morning, they wasted no time in preparing to resume their journey down the icy mountain. Celene had emerged first from the cavern and gone to retrieve all the weapons left behind following their battle with the wyrms and its formidable mother. Swords, knives and bolts were reclaimed from the dead carcasses and return to their owners. They ate another meal at breakfast to sustain their descent while Melia and Arianne packed up their campsite. The watch guard was on her feet, the night’s sleep and the combination of elven and Angarad healings kills had done much for her condition. She was eager to resume their journey.
As they descended the Frozen Mountains, they were faced with a series of canyons that abutted Mael’s Pit. From a distance, they could see the wide chasm that lead into the depths of the earth. It had snowed the night before so the tops of the canyons were covered with icicles, frost and snow. The downwards slopes of the mountain would take them through the many corridors through the canyons that would eventually lead them to the pit and there was something daunting in knowing that its high walls would give them little room to manoeuvre if ambushed.
Unfortunately, there was no other way forward.
The canyons that were known only as Mael’s Tears were the result of the dark god’s fury at the death of his consort, Syphia. It was said that he had ripped the earth apart in grief at her death and was also the final battle ground between Mael and the Celestial Gods. As they finally reached the foot of the Frozen Mountains and took one of the corridors through the canyons, it s was easy to see imagine that terrible conflict. Even covered with ice, the violence to the land was evident, like the scars worn by the earth itself.
‘I do not know if I am happy to be off that mountain,’ Melia confessed as they began the trek through the canyon pass, her eyes looking about her and trying not to feel overwhelmed by the high walls around them. ‘
Arianne who was experiencing the same emotions, agreed immediately. ‘I share your concern,’ she said. ‘At least on the mountains we could see what was approaching us. Here we are almost blind.’
‘At least we’re almost at the Pit,’ Keira reminded, attempting to lighten the ominous mood. ‘The full moon is two days away and we will be there well before the time needed. That is something to take comfort in.’
‘That is true,’
Arianne nodded but was unable to laud the effort too greatly. ‘However, we are no closer to learning who this Enemy is and how Antion’s sword will be of use to us. Still, I suppose that one way or another, I will know my fate and that of my child.’
‘And on that happy thought,’ Celene grumbled by how much doom was in Arianne’s voice at that admission, ‘we shall continue.’
‘I wonder what lies beyond Mael’s Pit,’ Melia wondered out loud trying to move past the subject as they continued along, surrounded by frosted walls and snow beneath their feet. Overhead, the sun was hidden beneath the clouds and there were too many shadows in the canyon for her liking.. ‘I know there lies a vast sea but little more than that.’
‘My people used to call it the Quandiara Sea, which just means Edge of the World,’ Arianne explained, keeping her eyes aloft so that the sky was within sight. ‘Before the Primordial Wars, it was as far as they ever explored. However in those days, the ice had not covered this land.’
‘Maybe there’s nothing,’ Keira suggested. ‘Maybe its the end of Avalyne and if you cross the sea, you’ll far into the Aether.’
‘Well that’s a grim thought,’ Celene cast the woman of the Green. ‘I like to think that there are new lands, lands that have yet to explored, that might even have their own races. The Gods do not always reveal themselves to us, perhaps the folk there have their own trials and victories. Perhaps some day in the distant future, we will encounter each other.’
‘Some of my people have attempted to sail those seas,’ Arianne offered, ‘of course, they never returned or they were killed long before they ever reached it. The folly of those who can be convinced to carry out all kinds of foolishness if enough lather has been placed upon their egos.’
‘That is not a trait exclusive to elves,’ Celene pointed out with a smile.
‘Absolutely,’ Melia agreed, ‘My people are no better. I am from the East and because of our proximity to Abraxes, many of our tribes fell under Balfure’s sway even before he made his move towards Carleon. The Nadira who lay in the outermost region of the Eastern Lands remained unaffected only because of distance. Of course, we suffered the price for that. The other kingdoms such as that of Raya, chose to fight for Balfure and considered it an affront that we refused him. As a result, we have spent years at war with them.’
‘There has been little effort made to reconcile with the people of those lands, Arianne admitted from her knowledge of Dare’s efforts in that regard, ‘however, at present we are too busy trying to rebuild after the occupation.’
‘Some people may not be changed,’ Keira declared, ‘it may be too much in their nature to be anything other than what they are.’
‘Perhaps you are right,’ Melia said glumly. ‘The world is a large place and there will always be darkness as well as those who will exploit it to their own ends.’
‘I must agree with Melia on this,’ Celene replied. ‘I thought we were done fighting but now it seems that the lesser enemies who had remained hidden during Balfure’s reign have chosen his demise to appear. I fear that we have a long way to go before there is truly peace in Avalyne.’
‘Some enemies may not be lesser,’ Keira pointed out. ‘Some may have chose not to ally themselves with Balfure for reasons of their own. Perhaps they have grander schemes in mind and choose to wait until he was...’
‘Be still!’ Arianne ordered suddenly, silencing them immediately as her voice echoed down the passage.
For a few seconds Arianne did not speak but her sword was drawn and that provoked the others into doing the same. Even though the sun was above them, there were many shadows thanks to the high canyon walls and the formations of icicles here and there did not help the situation any better. Minutes passed and only their breathing could be heard. Celene began to get impatient with the anticipation and though her heart told her to trust Arianne’s senses, her mind that was more reliant on things she could see, began to falter.
‘What is it?’ Celene asked finally.
‘I can hear them,’ Arianne whispered softly.
‘Hear who?’ Melia asked, her own patience dwindling as well. She had unslung her crossbow.
‘I don’t know,’ Arianne replied, wishing that there was an answer she could give them. She could only sense that something was near. Their proximity was so close that she could feel their breath upon her skin but she could not see them. She knew they were there, she could feel them!
‘Let’s get out of here then,’ Celene prompted, not wishing to discount Arianne’s senses but not at all eager to remain if there was danger close by.
‘I don’t know if that’s wise Celene,’ Arianne stared at her.
‘We should not remain to be targets,’ Melia added her voice. ‘If they are here and we cannot see them, we will be far more difficult to overcome if we are moving.’
‘Melia is right,’ Celene replied and saw that Keira had drifted away from them, falling back. ‘Keira, the way back is no better than going forward. Stay close.’
Keira held her ground and raised her chin to look at them.
‘I am afraid I cannot,’ she answered.
‘What do you mean you cannot?’ Celene started to say when suddenly, the mounds of snow and the stalagmites of ice around them began to change shape. Until now Celene had not paid attention to how many they were but as they transformed before her eyes, she realised with a sickening sensation that they were many.
‘This was not the place that I would have preferred we had our first meeting Queen of Carleon,’ Keira said to Arianne. ‘However, I suppose it could hardly be called that since we have known each other for so many years.’ There was cruel mocking her tone and her eyes which had been soft and understanding as long as Arianne had known her, became as hard as flint.
As she issued her cruel words, her red hair began to lengthen, growing past her shoulders and taking on a life of its own as it swirled about her like serpents, dancing around her head as if it unrestrained for the first time in too long. Keira’s eyes turned blood red and Arianne’s heart turned cold when she realised that these were the eyes of the spiders they had encountered in Caras Anara.
‘This cannot be...’ Arianne gasped as the full horror of their situation dawned on her. All this time? The Enemy had been among them all this time and they had not known? Not even had the slightest suspicion? Arianne’s shame was equalled to her utter astonishment.
‘But it can be,’ Keira’s words were like a jab from a sword. ‘Think about it all the events that led us here.’
Now her body began to change shape also. While the top half of her remained mostly Keira for now, everything beneath her skirt was changing into something terrible and grotesque. They could only watch as her legs were replaced by the unmistakably power legs of a lizard. And there were six of them. Her lower half or rather her abdomen took on the shape of an insect, growing so large that she now towered over them. It was swollen and pulsed obscenely with veins that crisscrossed it dark flesh.
Celene maintained her poise even though like Arianne, she felt as if all the air had been driven from her lungs. The revelation of Keira’s deception had stuck like a blow to the stomach and with a sudden start, she realised that man in Horwyck hadn’t been warning her about Arianne, he had been warning about Keira! Somehow, he had seen Keira’s glamour that she was more than human. How had he seen it and she, who had been at Dare’s side fighting all manner of darkness not realised what Keira was?
‘What is happening to her?’ Melia demanded, her crossbow raised to fire but her mind was still struggling to reconcile herself with what she was seeing. This was Keira, who had cooked their meals and insisted they had to maintain their strength and spirits, who she had saved from the Berserkers at the Splinter and had until now, been considered a friend to them all.
‘Who are you?’ Celene demanded realising now how thoroughly they had been duped and trying to learn as much as she could to escape this trap with their lives.
‘She is not K
eira, she never was.’ Arianne managed to say, now starting to accept what was had perhaps been in front of them all this time. ‘How...how...long have you played this part, monster?’
‘Monster?’ Keira glared at her, swivelling her fat, turgid body in Arianne’s direction. It filled Arianne with revulsion seeing this beast wearing the face of her friend.
To look at this thing that had been Keira, Arianne tried to understand what she was looking at. There were parts of her that resembled one creature but there were other parts were similar to another. Her dark flesh looked like leather hide, her legs had brittle dark fur. Her hands had now become claws and her lips widened across her face, turning blood red to reveal teeth that were serrated and sharp. It struck Arianne at that moment who she was or rather what she was.
Once that understanding filled her mind, it made all the other pieces of the puzzle fit seamlessly into place.
‘You are Syphia,’ Arianne stated without question. ‘The Dreaded Mother of All.’
Oh the irony of it, Arianne thought fleetingly as she descended into despair. All this time, they had thought the Enemy was a man and how foolish they had been to never consider that she might have been female and among them. That was why her mother could not tell her for certain how the Enemy would watch her because the Enemy was a Primordial and not even an elf had been able to fight them without the help of the Celestials.
‘Oh Gods,’ Celene exclaimed her face turning white. ‘This is Mael’s consort?’
‘I WAS HIS QUEEN!’ Keira or rather Syphia roared and her hair swirled about her as if they were the physical manifestation of her emotions. ‘I gave him his army! The wyverns, the trolls, the caracals, the spiders and the shifters! Every foul thing that inhabits your nightmares, I gave birth to them!’
‘What have you done with Keira!’ Celene demanded refusing to feed her posturing though inwardly, she was terrified at how quickly things had spiralled out of their control. ‘The real Keira!’
Celene’s instincts told her that there was no hope, that Keira was dead but she had to ask, she could not abandon Keira to that reality if that was even the slightest chance that their friend was alive, somewhere.
Avalyne Series 01: The Queen of Carleon Page 25
