The Gray Isles

by F. T. McKinstry

  “Ealiron has never placed a siomothct on the Aenlisarfon, either, but he just did.”

  Eadred tilted his head forward. After a pause he said, “Farous spoke to the Council on my behalf. They agreed to let me remain here if I would journey to Eyrie and speak to them.”

  “They want the sphere, I suppose.”

  “They don’t. I wasn’t aware of this, but the folciel sphere has its origins in this realm. They think it would best serve the Eye here. I’ve agreed to teach Farous how to use it.”

  “You’d better hope Sedarius doesn’t get wind of that!”

  A wicked smile touched the hunter’s lips. “Don’t let Farous’s kindly nature fool you. He’s twice the wizard Sedarius is, for all his lineage. The Council is leaving the sphere on Urd.”

  Lorth gazed over the isle and the sea beyond. “So you’ll remain here.”

  “For a while.” He twisted around and looked in Faena’s direction. The Osprey noticed his attention and waved. He turned back around with a smile. “Farous wants his tower back. Looks like I’ll be moving into the high wizards’ quarters.”

  “Don’t ever try locking your door,” Lorth advised him. “She’ll splinter it off the hinges.”

  Eadred smiled. “I heard about that.” He rose and stepped onto the sand.

  Ciron had begun to appear as they joined their companions on the edge of the water. The people of Urd spread out into a crescent behind them, facing the moon. Lorth nodded to Aengus and Maeve as they crowded to the front. Maeve moved to Lorth’s side, smoothing the creases from a white cotton dress. She had woven strands of wildflowers in the golden curls of her hair.

  “Are you ready?” Lorth asked her.

  “I don’t know!” she squeaked. “What if he doesn’t know me?”

  “He will,” Lorth reassured her. “He’ll see you in infinite color, like a garden of stars.”

  From Lorth’s other side, Samolan remarked, “He’ll know your scent, if nothing else.”

  Maeve leaned around and knifed the Raptor with a blushing glare.

  Lorth glanced at the warrior sidelong. “And you call me an asshole.”

  The company fell silent beneath the deepening sky as Ciron sparkled just beyond the moon’s nimbus. The sea swelled and churned, breathing with primeval patience along the shore.

  The change in the air happened with such eldritch stealth that Lorth nearly missed it, even with all his senses open and aligned to the sea. Soft gasps, sighs, and pointing hands rippled around him as the water offshore swirled with black. Maeve’s chest rose and fell with a quickened pace as she clutched the edge of his cloak.

  For a moment, the waters stilled to glass. Then, a swell rose up and splashed onto the shore, soaking the feet and calves of the breathless onlookers. Several people laughed and jumped back; Farous said something in Aenspeak concerning the touch of the sea. In a rush of glittering foam, a silvery figure emerged from the water, causing everyone except the wizards in front to withdraw in a murmuring rustle. Aengus breathed an oath.

  A man stepped onto the shore. Tall, pale and shining with light, he had retained the features of his mortal shell; but his curling, earth-brown hair had grown to lengths bound by silver threads, and his blue-green eyes bore the slitted rifts of the Otherworld. Around his loins draped a thin, gray-green web that clung to his thighs, flowed down and moved on the water like a breath. He had been cast as if by a divine sculptor into stunning focus, vibrating with the light of the stars.

  Slowly, without a word, every man, woman and wizard there dropped to a knee in awe.

  A ripple of acknowledgement passed through the water as Hemlock bowed his head. Then, in the voice of the earth, deep and serene, he said, “Maeve.”

  Her breath caught with a small sound as she jerked her head up. Lorth rose to his feet, bringing the cook’s daughter with him. Slowly, as if disoriented, the rest of the group also rose.

  “Go to him,” Lorth said. “It’s all right.”

  Maeve approached the shining form of her erstwhile lover with a trembling gait. He reached around his neck and removed the turtle charm resting on his breast. No one heard what he said as he gently folded her pale hand around the charm, drew her close and spoke into the flowery curls of her hair. Her shoulders tensed, as if she were holding in a sob.

  Whether moved by the tears on Maeve’s cheeks, calmed by the evening, or encouraged by some invisible sign, the people of Urd came forward and surrounded the eamoire, touching and greeting him as if Hemlock himself had returned to them after a long trial. And so he had. The wizards spoke to him of the treecloak and the folciel sphere; a fisherman, the unusually large haul of halibut before and after the storm; a kitchen lad gave him a report on the wellbeing of his favorite goat. His arm around Maeve, Aengus burst into laughter over some comment about the Dark Mistress. Even Forlsc came near, though Hemlock had to speak in the Mother’s tongue before the beast would draw his tail from between his legs and roll over for a belly rub.

  Lorth hung back with Eadred as Hemlock talked to the ones who had cared for him most of his mortal life, healing fears, soothing doubts, and reassuring them of his place in the world. Nearby, Samolan and Filothin shared a casual conversation on the merits of Halnish oak in the building of ships. As the others began to withdraw, Hemlock spoke to Aengus, and then to Cleary, softly and with great care. The netweaver embraced him, his blue eyes shining with tears.

  “How long do you think it will it last?” Lorth asked Eadred softly. “His familiarity.”

  Eadred watched the beautiful being as he held up a hand to his friends. “I imagine it’ll fade over time. He is immortal. Once that sinks in, he’ll withdraw.”

  Twilight touched the sea as the last of the group respectfully departed, saying farewells as they moved away into the shadows of the cliff.

  Finally, Hemlock’s attention settled on Lorth and Eadred. As they approached, his eyes held sadness, as if the distant sun of immortality had already begun to dawn on him. Moonlight shimmered in his hair. “Siomothct,” he said in Dark Tongue so flawless it could’ve been Maern herself speaking. “All my mortal life, I dreamed of being a wizard. And then you two came along. Had I aspired to your interpretation of the Eye, I’d have horrified the Masters of Urd and made my true mother proud.” His dazzling smile faded. “I owe you both my life. By my heart, the seas of the Gray Isles will uphold and protect you all of your days.”

  The hunters bowed their heads low to the honor of the immortal’s promise.

  When they looked up, Hemlock had vanished, leaving only a ripple on the tide and a grand tale worthy of a fisherman’s son.

  Glossary

  Aenmos (EN mohs): In Aenspeak, “creator.” Cast in the male sense. Used as a formal title and address for Ealiron, or for any Formation entity. See also Ealiron, Formation entity.

  Aenlisarfon (en LIS arvon): A council of nine wizards of the Order of Raven who watch over the patterns of human and immortal energies in the higher spheres of consciousness that permeate the world of Ealiron. See also Keepers of the Eye.

  Aenspeak (EN speak): An ancient language used by wizards to invoke and focus power. Comes from the word aen, which roughly means, “the primary fire” or “the source of sound.” Aenspeak is informally referred to as the wizard’s tongue, and is a higher, more structured form of the Dark Tongue, which is differentiated from it. See also Dark Tongue.

  Albatross: A Keeper of the Crafts trained in the arts of seafaring. Holds limited powers of the Eye pertaining to working weather and elemental forces. See also Keepers of the Crafts.

  Apparition: A perceivable thoughtform consciously created from a wizard’s essence to perform a certain task. Apparitions are able to pass between dimensions of consciousness, including the physical.

  Asmoralin (as MOR ah lin): A large, rugged, arid realm southeast of Sourcesee.

  Aspect: A self-aware portion of an entity’s essence, focused on the time-space matrix to express that part of the entity’s nature. Aspects a
re a part of the creator, yet also possess individuality and free will, including living things such as humans, animals, plants, trees, and immortal creatures such as sioros and loerfalos. Term also refers to the perceivable manifestations of the Old One, such as the Destroyer. See also Entity, Old One.

  Blackring: A permanent injunction by the Aenmos that renders a wizard of the Order of Raven unable to focus energy in certain patterns and frequencies beyond the mortal spectrum, thus making those powers latent.

  Black Tooth Hills: A rugged mountain range in the south of Haln.

  Breasin felos oth: In Aenspeak, “May starlight shine.” A greeting. Refers to the position of the stars during one’s birth.

  Darkeye: A circle of square stones used to mark a naturally occurring area of formlessness in the earth. Can be used to hide things on the time-space matrix, or to scry for information.

  Dark Tongue: The language of the Old One, of formlessness; primary sound that emerges from Void and is used to affect things at the most basic levels. See also Aenspeak, Old One.

  Destroyer: The darkest aspect of the Old One. The force of death, transformation and change. Sometimes appears as a black cloaked figure, or a wolf. See also Old One.

  Ealiron (ee ah LEER un): First Formation entity in the Pentacle of Eaon. Creator of the world. Also called the Source, or Aenmos. See also Aenmos, Formation entity.

  eamoire (EE ah mwaar): In Aenspeak, “earth shaper.” The offspring of an immortal creature and a god. Passes between its natural state and that of a human, usually to mate. Rare, due to the inherent difficulty in transforming between Otherworld and human shapes.

  Eaon (EE on): A Formation entity and the creator of Ealiron and Eusiron.

  Elemental summoning: The ability to use Aenspeak to invoke the forces of water, earth, air or fire in order to affect physical events.

  Energy shield: A pattern of energy used by wizards to cloak or alter their or another’s physical appearance, emotions or impressions.

  Entity: The multidimensional aspect of a human soul, a greater essence or consciousness that encompasses all the personalities of its expression, which are assumed to exist simultaneously; that is, beyond the time-space matrix. A god. See also Formation entity, Time-space matrix.

  Eusiron (ee yew SHY run): Fourth Formation entity in the Pentacle of Eaon. A war god referred to as the Dark Warrior and said to have built the palace of Eusiron, which is named after him. Palace is located in western Sourcesee and overlooks the Wolf River; standard is a circle with a wolf in the center, a river beneath and mountains above crowned by the constellation of Laerstroc. See also Formation entity.

  Eyrie (EYE ree): The seat of the Keepers of the Eye and home of Ealiron. Contains a Waeltower that focuses the Source. Standard is an eye in the center of a dark circle, surrounded by the shining rays of a sun. Located in the land of Roth, in eastern Sourcesee. See also Ealiron, Source, Waeltower.

  First One: An immortal aspect created by a union between the Old One and an entity named Om. See also Aspect, Entity, Old One.

  folciel (VOLE seeil) sphere: An opaque, evergreen stone that opens a portal between the consciousness of its user and the forces of the sea. An object of the Otherworld, the sphere focuses above the time-space matrix and is therefore difficult to control and understand. Traditionally used only by Keepers of the Eye. See also Keepers of the Eye, Time-space matrix.

  Formation entity: A divine being that creates the basic structures that comprise physical reality. Formation entities are interconnected by energy that flows within an infinitely complex network that sustains all life. See also Entity.

  Grid: Informal. See Time-space matrix.

  Haln: A realm bordering Asmoralin, the Sea of Carthas and the Sea of Derinth.

  High wizard: Informal. Refers to wizards in the Orders of Owl, Eagle, Osprey and Raven, the highest four orders of the Keepers of the Eye. See also Keepers of the Eye.

  Hunter’s Rede: An unwritten set of instinctual codes called Shades by which assassins practice their trade.

  iomor (EE oh mor): In the Dark Tongue, “light well.” A well of energy fixed in a specific area of the earth; the exteriorized essence of the entity of that particular realm focused as a pure energy source. The Masters of the Eye focus the energy of the iomors using Waeltowers. See also Entity, Master of the Eye, Waeltower.

  Keepers of the Crafts: A group of orders in the Keepers of the Eye with specific powers pertaining to the following: Wren (healers), Albatross (sailors), and Raptor (warriors).

  Keepers of the Eye: An order of wizards and craftspeople who maintain balance and order in the world of Ealiron, and whose ruling seat is the Citadel of Eyrie, in eastern Sourcesee. The orders are arranged in levels of mastery, each of which corresponds to a kind of bird, a color and a tree. There are nine orders of wizards, and three lesser orders called Keepers of the Crafts, who have limited powers pertaining to their craft. Orders are listed as follows as Order; Color; Tree; Type (from highest to lowest): Dove; Gray; Silver fir; Parallel Focus Raven; Black; Oak; Wizard Osprey; Cerulean; Ash; Wizard Eagle; Burgundy; Alder; Wizard Owl; Pine green; Hemlock; Wizard Crane; Grass green; Hazel; Wizard Swan; Indigo; Birch; Wizard Hawk; Yellow gold; Beech; Wizard Robin; Red; Elder; Wizard Wren; Deep brown; Apple; Healer Albatross; Blue green; Willow; Sailor Raptor; Blood red; Blackthorn; Warrior See also High wizard, Keepers of the Crafts, Parallel focus, Raptor.

  Lea Maern silin moth: In Aenspeak, “Mother is whole.” Words of power used to restore balance by invoking the Old One in wholeness. Can also be interpreted as “Mother is one,” or “Mother is all.” The phrase has many shades of meaning, all of which describe the unity of the Old One’s aspects as they truly are, as opposed to how mortals perceive them. See also Old One.

  loerfalos (lo ER vah los): In Aenspeak, “serpent of green darkness.” A very large, immortal dragon-like creature that lives in the northern seas. A First One. Always female. See also First One.

  Lucid dreaming: The ability to become conscious and aware during a dream, and to influence it.

  Maern (MAYrn): In Aenspeak, “mother.” See Old One.

  Master of the Eye: A title that refers to a wizard in the Order of Raven, the highest order of the Keepers of the Eye. See also High wizard, Keepers of the Eye.

  Mindkey: A skill practiced by wizards that opens gates and locks through the awareness of structures and energy fields.

  Mindspeak: Telepathy. Using the mind and thoughts to communicate with another through a conscious connection to that person.

  Moridrun fore sarumn: In Aenspeak, “unveil essence to light.” Power words that reveal the true nature of something. Used by wizards to see through spells, energy shields, illusions, etc. See also Energy shield.

  Old One: The primordial goddess of nature, life, death, and transformation. Formlessness, Void. Often referred to as Maern, Aenspeak for “mother.” Unknowable in her true form, but perceived by all structural consciousness in terms of feminine aspects: e.g., maiden, mother, crone. See also Destroyer.

  Ostarin (oh STAR in): A wooded, mountainous realm in western Sourcesee.

  Parallel Focus: A mortal who is the child of a god. Focused as a human, but also incipient as an entity who will be born above the time-space matrix. Parallel focused mortals are trained as wizards and prepared through the Order of Dove for ascension. See also Entity, Keepers of the Eye.

  Raptor: A Keeper of the Crafts trained in the arts of war. Holds limited powers of the Eye pertaining to the focus and use of weapons. See also Keepers of the Crafts.

  Seat mor streac Maern: In Aenspeak, “By the Mother.” Used as an oath.

  Shade: A code or principle in the Hunter’s Rede. See also Hunter’s Rede.

  Shapeshifting: The art of changing one’s shape into something other than human; for example, a bird or other animal, a tree, fog, etc.

  Silin en Maern tali: In Aenspeak, “Blessed is the Mother.” A blessing, used mostly by wizards and followers of the Old One. Cannot be uttered with any
kind of deception.

  siomothct (she om OCH): In the Dark Tongue, “destroyer’s eye.” An assassin in service to the Keepers of the Eye. Must belong to the Order of Raven. Rank is referred to as Regard, first being highest, third being lowest, according to skill and experience. See also Dark Tongue, Keepers of the Eye.

  Sourcesee: A northern mountainous realm and the center of power for the Keepers of the Eye.

  Tarth: A great, watery realm south of Sourcesee comprising mostly swamps, rivers, lakes, wetlands and jungles.

  Time-space matrix: The structural manifestation of consciousness, in terms of linear, perceivable experience, by which the nature and extent of identity is known. Informally referred to as the “grid.”

  Treecloak: An energy shield cast by an entity over some area of the earth. Refers to the shade beneath the leafy boughs of a tree. See also Energy shield, Entity.

  Waeltower: Based on the word wael, Aenspeak for “focus.” An architectural construct built over an iomor, used by the Masters of the Eye to channel and focus energy. Built as a tower with concentric levels, including a floor containing a pentacle with the Eye in the center, a ceiling with a crystal star of a specific number of points, and a spire above that, made of a crystalline substance with a corresponding vibration, and containing the same number of sides as points in the ceiling star. The geometry and composition of each Waeltower varies according to where on the planet it is. See also iomor.

  Watch-web: A skill used by wizards to spread the mind into a surrounding area. Used to detect the presence of anyone nearby.

  Web: Refers to someone whom the Old One has chosen to provide openings in the time-space matrix through which she can be perceived. Webs are rare and tend to land in positions of power or influence, where the Old One can express her will directly in terms of mortal events. See also Old One.