by R. M Garino
The E'ine obeyed and ran. After several yards Logan stopped.
Cormac’s body. He promised to bring him home.
Above the corpse, the sprites gathered in a tremendous swarm greater than any they beheld before. They reared taller than the trees.
Logan rushed forward through the scenes of horror and grabbed Cormac’s headless corpse. He hoisted it over his shoulder and raced back. The shrulks caught the movement and bounded after.
The strain of carrying Cormac’s body weighed Logan down, but he did not discard it. He gave his word. Obsidian ran to his side, casting magics over his shoulder.
The fog finally disappeared, but the shrulks did not let up. They raced into the clearing, the red sun immobile overhead.
Obsidian stopped and touched the ground. A bolt of lightning crashed from the clear sky and formed a dome around them.
He spared a glance behind him, watched the shrulks surge about. Within moments, they were surrounded.
“Why did you do that?” Logan said. He moved in a circle beneath the dome, but saw no means of escape. The fields were filled with beasts.
“There was no way we can outrun them,” Obsidian said. “Especially not with your burden.”
“Then we will die in the attempt.”
“You think too small, Logan. You see the choices others present you, and you think that is all there is.” Obsidian held up a finger. “There is always another option, one of your own creation. You just have to have the courage to take the leap.”
And then, he clapped his hands together. His sin’del swelled with the movement. A ripple of yellow energy cast out before him and doubled back. The shrulks along the path were incinerated. It shifted, split apart, and lines of energy formed and converged ahead of them. A shockwave rang out from the impact, and the air split in two. Obsidian thrust his hands apart, and the sky opened.
The clear blue of early morning filled the space before them, contained within the jagged rift. Areth’kon Blades on the other side turned to face the opening. Even from this distance, Logan saw the shock on their faces, the fear in their sin'dels. The shrulks sensed the change, and surged toward the breach. The Blades raised their weapons to meet the threat.
“What have you done?” Logan said, his voice diminished with the awe that possessed him.
“I’ve found you a way home.” Obsidian laid a hand on his shoulder, and summoned his attention. “When I drop this dome, follow the shrulks into the breach. It will be brutal, but hold the course.”
“And what about you?” Logan said. "What of the Lost Guard?"
“That is not your concern,” Obsidian said. “Get yourself through. Bring Cormac home.”
Logan felt pride well within him, and shifted the weight of Cormac’s corpse.
“Bathe the Blades," Logan said. He readied himself, and nodded.
“Bathe the Blades.”
Obsidian dropped the dome, and the wave of shrulks crest atop them.
Logan was off like a shot. His sword ended the life of every shrulk that took notice of him. Not that many did. Most seemed more intent upon the breach than on him. He did not stop. He did not look back. A series of explosions told him all he needed to know. The E'ine still held the field. He still fought. The tide around Logan thinned and he raced toward the breach.
The shrulks poured through the opening and defiled the Patresilen with their presence.
The Areth’kon met them with their war cries. The Graduates, The Yearlings, The Elc’atar, the Mala’kar; they all threw themselves into the fray with total abandon. Shouted commands were heard the closer he approached the breach.
“Are they gonna close this thing?” an unfamiliar voice called out.
Logan lay about him with his blade and cut the enemy down from behind.
There, bearing the brunt of the attack, at the vanguard of the Areth’kon forces was his sister, Gwendolyn. Her Pride fought at her side.
Logan leapt through the tear between the worlds, and cast one last look upon the Sur.
A swarm of si'ru in the shape of a tremendous being entered the clearing, and Obsidian stood defiant before it.
Logan hit the ground and stumbled, unaccustomed to Cormac’s weight.
The Areth’kon Blades closed around him, and separated him from the hordes of the Sur.
Epilogue
Logan laid Cormac’s body upon the ground, well back from the chaos, his movements deliberate and precise. The reality of his actions struck home, and his hands shook. He placed his hand over Cormac’s heart.
“Goodbye, brother,” Logan said. Tears welled in his eyes, and his throat thickened. His pulse raced with the need for vengeance.
He straightened and pointed his sword.
Gwen slid to a stop in front of him.
He raised his blade, the tip pointed at her heart.
Gwen lifted her blood soaked hands to either side, exposing her weaponless hands.
"Logan," Gwen said, breathless from her exertions. "You're home. You made it back. You're here."
Logan's felt a wash of emotions; relief, disbelief, rage, gratitude and a need for violence. Gwen swallowed and stared at him, her eyes wide. Could it be her? Was he really home? By degrees his expressions softened, and he lowered his sword.
"Gwen," he said, his disbelief, his desperation thick in his voice.
She threw her arms around him and sobbed into his chest.
It took him a heartbeat to respond, but he returned her embrace with a profound grip. Before too long, however, he pulled back, and pried her arms from around him.
She stepped away and returned her attention to the conflict.
The oppressive pressure vanished, and a strange stillness hung about the world. The glare of the morning sun was abusive after so long in the Sur, but Logan resisted the urge to shield his eyes.
The breach was no more, and the cacophony of battle ceased. The Mala’kar stood, glowing brighter than the sunlight that filled the valley. The Areth’kon Blades kept their aggressive poses, ready for a repeat of the slaughter.
By slow increments their belligerent postures eased, and the attention of the Masters shifted.
Logan readied himself for one last battle.
These were the ones responsible. These were the ones who sent him through.
How many of them are touched by sprites, he wondered?
Trenton moved first, a swivel of his hand raised a wall of light around Logan and Gwen. Thoreau and the rest of the Mala’kar were seconds behind him, and the barrier thickened and rose higher.
From the mass of Areth’kon Blades Logan’s cohort rushed forward. Sionid, McAlister, Bryan, Alis, Senet, and Vadin. They halted between him and the crowd, their sin’dels alight with hope and expectancy.
Logan sheathed his sword and squared his shoulders. Crossing his wrists over his heart, he bowed from the waist toward the gathered Masters.
“Yearlings reporting for duty, Sirs, Ma’am,” he said. “The remainder of the cohort accounted for.”
Continue the story in ...
The Gates of Golorath
&
Angels of Perdition
Books One and Two of the Chaos of Souls Series
And look for
The Gathering of the Blades,
book three of The Chaos of Souls Series.
Coming 2019.
rmgarino.com
Glossary
Aesari (AH-sar-EE): An Angel of the Creator.
Apostate: Tarek, Lord of the Lo’ademn. Originally charged by the Creator to guard the tear in the veil of creation through which the renegade Aesari entered the Quain. He was called the Exile. However, as time passed and he grew to hate his exile, he corrupted his mission, and actively sought the destruction of the E’ine and the Lethen’al by conspiring with the Lo’ademn, who fought against them in the War of Heaven. He was banished from the Quain by Thenaria Tu’renthien.
Areth’kon (AH-reth-con): The Lethen’al Gathering of the Blades, a place for sold
iers to train, to learn to defend, and gain mastery over their selves. To the Lethen’al, the soldiers are the blades. Here, they learn to fight, with their hands and feet, with a sword, and every other weapon imaginable. Every Lethen’al studies at the Areth’kon, for they will never again accept the role of the victim. After they have studied five decades at the mountain temples of the Vaults, they undergo a score of years in apprenticeship at the Gates of Golorath. These are the gates that separate their realm from the human world. After their apprenticeship, some soldiers choose to stay with the Areth’kon and perfect their arts of war. These are called Blades. Those who go further are called the Elc’atar Guard, the finest Blademasters in the world. Some go further, and transcend the need of the sword. These are the Bladeless Masters, the Mala’kar. Others choose to leave. If they are able, they will become Magi, the Keepers o’ the Lethen’al knowledge and magic. Others become Fiftanu, the Seers of the Lethen’al who bridge time and space within the confines of their minds. Others retreat to lead a life devoid of such trials and hardships. These are called Suixander, the Keepers of the earth. They tend the land, the histories, or the arts of the people. But everyone studies at the Areth’kon before they choose the path of their life. A Lethen’al farmer, a potter, a scholar can hold against a pack of shrulks in defense of his hearth and home.
Blademaster: A senior Areth’kon member who has mastered all of the basic disciplines, and is specialized in one or more areas. Usually an Elc’atar Guard or Mala’kar.
Blades, the: An Areth’kon term for the soldiers and Elc’atar of the Areth’kon.
Bore: The intersection of multiple conduits of reality. Located within the Sur, the Bore is where numerous portals to other dimensions and times exists.
Edict of Heaven: Command by the Creator that the Aesari would remain separate and removed from creation (the Quain).
E’ine (EE-eye-n): Lethen’al term meaning “first born,” used when referring to the parents of the Lethen’al. The remixed souls of Aesari who defied the Edict of Heaven and crossed the veil to take part in creation.
Golan’s Pass (Go-lons): River-cut canyon that snakes through the Heleshon Mountains. There are three different levels, marked by three waterfalls. It is the only known pass from the lands of men into the Patresilen. The pass is said to be a place of desolation, loneliness, and despair.
Golden Vale: A human term for the Patresilen.
Golorath (GOLL-or-ATH): The hidden city of the Lethen’al, located in the southern end of Golan’s Pass that guards the Gates of Golorath.
Golorath, Gates of (GOLL-or-ATH): Fabled entrance to the Patresilen, the land of the Lethen’al, located in Golan’s Pass. The Gates have been closed and guarded since the Lethen’al sealed themselves away seven thousand years ago after the Apostate’s war.
Heleshon Mountains (HELL-ay-shon): The southernmost mountain chain, which separates the world of men from the lands of the Lethen’al.
Keepers, of the Temple: Lethen’al who are attached to the Temples (Mourning, and Night); bound to the Guardian of the temple. Characterized by their incredibly long life, and the tremendous power and knowledge they possess.
Lethen’al: (LETH-n-AL) The Children of the E’ine, the remixed souls of Aesari who defied the Edict of Heaven and crossed the veil to take part in creation.
Lifeless: A reanimated body of a fallen Lethen'al. A single si'ru is needed to resurrect the flesh, but the creature is incapable of thought or speech. While typically slow and clumsy, when in a group, they learn from, and adapt to, the actions of an opponent. Given enough of a number, they can overcome any foe.
Lo’ademn (LOW-add-EM): Aesari who are opposed to the Lethen’al. They did not pass through the veil and were never scattered. They remained as they were before the fall. They fought with those that would become the Lethen’al in an attempt to prevent their departure, but their aggression was also against the will of Heaven, and for that they were cast out. They did not merge with matter. Rather, they entered the void, the space between spaces. They have learned how to encase themselves in matter by forcefully removing a human host, thereby gaining the ability to walk the Quain.
Lo’el (LOW-el): The legendary mounts of the Elc’atar Guard. Larger than the largest wolf in both leg and chest, a lo’el is telepathically bonded to a single Elc’atar for life. There is a belief that the lo’el are created for specific Lethen’al. Being accepted by the lo’el is considered a sign that an individual has the ability to become an Elc’atar Guard.
Lost Guard: The remnants of Yearling cohorts who have been lost in the Sur. They have gathered around the E'ine, Obsidian, and they now guard the Bore and cohorts travelling through the Sur.
Magi (MAH-g-eye): Lethen’al that are able to manipulate and utilize the life energy around them. They are more suited to hold and direct the energies, and are far more powerful and skilled than the Suixander.
Obdurate: The metal used to form the swords of the Areth’kon Blademasters. An obdurate blade is crafted by the sin’del from numerous different metals, and has never seen the fires of a forge. As such, it is considered alive. An obdurate blade is unbreakable.
Quain (Kw-ain): The Lethen’al term for the world, or creation.
Raqui: The fabled lost city of the E'ine. It is believed to exist far to the north of the Patresilen. It is a widely accepted belief that none are allowed to go there save the E'ine.
Reven Marthal (REV-en MAR-th-all): The Great Tree. Also called the Occanum.
Roots of Reven Marthal: Lowest region of the Great Tree Occanum, where prisoners of the Lethen’al are held.
Sa’Doran (SA-door-ann): Capital of the Lethen’al Northern Kingdom.
Sanctum: The home of the Lost Guard. Due to its shielding and wardings, the Sanctum rejuvenates all who reside within it. This not only washes away the taint of the Sur, but it prolongs life.
Sephratic Endowment: Belief that the Aesari were created to supplant the Creator in a never ending line of succession. As the E'ine (and Lethen'al) are Aesari, some believe that it is purpose to return to Heaven and claim their rightful place.
Shrulk (SH-rulk): A creature of the Sur known to be vicious and bloodthirsty. A shrulk is on average six and a half to eight feet tall, standing on two legs. The two front forelegs are stunted and tipped with claws. The rear legs are powerful, and house a single great talon. A long, thick tail balances the shrulk. It is covered with small green, blue, and gray feathers, and a mane of black hair around the shoulders and head. The head is extended into a muzzle, which is filled with multiple rows of sharp teeth. The bones of a shrulk are hollow and filled with holes, allowing it to reach incredible speeds as it does not need to exhale.
Si’ru (See-roo): The sprite-like fragments of a Lethen’al’s sin’del, which appear after death of the physical form.
Sin’del (sin-dell): The aura around all living things, which is perceived by the Lethen’al. The Lethen’al are able to manipulate the sin’del with varying degrees of success. This is their life force. It is the aura that envelopes and permeates them. Humans have a similar aura, but it is smaller, held closer to the body. There is a language of the sin’del that every Lethen’al can read, but which few humans can. Emotions can be read, truth or falsehood perceived, and even the decisions reached before the body reacts to it. This is the language of the spirit, and the Lethen’al are spirits made flesh. The Lethen’al believe that it is the sin’del that defines them; that it is, in essence, their soul. Through it, they come to know the world around them, but they also store the threads of their lives in it. It is where memory resides. Lethen’al are not reborn, but while they live, they can access and relive their memories with perfect clarity. They can imprint them on objects, or share them with others.
Skretch: A horned, native creature of the Sur. It resembles the terrestrial millipede, but it is over eight feet long, with an armored, segmented exoskeleton. The skretch hunts by sound and vibration, and lives in the tall grasses of the Greensward.
Soul
Lights: 1) Made by the Lethen’al Magi, these are magical constructs are made of harvested, free flowing energy that light up a room when a sin’del is present. The illumination can be set to the desired intensity, and can be found throughout the Patresilen. Some are in fixed positions, whereas others can be free floating. 2) Made by the human Sharakeen Mages, these are twisted versions of the Lethen’al originals; magical constructs made of a captured soul imprisoned during a ritual murder. The illumination is set by a predetermined warding, and can only be adjusted by a Sharakeen Mage.
Sprites: Small, fairy like creatures that live in the Sur. They are larger than si'ru. They burrow into a sin'del, and eat / replace a si'ru within a sin'del. The infected Lethen'al will feel sick, but be unable to identify the problem. It will wither and die when the host does.
Sur (Sir): The location of the tear in the fabric of reality, known as the Nexus, through which the original Aesari defied the Edict of Heaven and entered the Quain. The Nexus is guarded by the Aesari Tarek. The Sur was removed from the Quain, but remains tethered to it by two points (see Temples).
Temple of Mourning: A hidden temple; one half of the tether connecting the Sur to the Quain.
Temple of Shadows: A hidden temple; one half of the tether connecting the Sur to the Quain. The Temple of Night was discovered and destroyed by Rastef Rhom De’Veldrin for reasons unknown.
Time of Madness: The epoch of history just after the E'ine first formed from the fractured Aesari souls they once were. They had tremendous difficulty settling into their new selves, and their magics were wild and destructive.
Tu’renthien, House: The Royal House of the Lethen’al from before the Apostate War; all Houses swear allegiance to House Tu’renthien. The crest of House Tu’renthien depicts the great tree of Reven Marthal with the roots and leaves showing: this represents the prison of the demon Thelas the House is determined to guard. The tree is covered by a crown with five pinnacles, which represents the strength coming from the five lesser Houses. Behind these is a sword, which represents the protection of the Lethen’al.