In a heartbeat it leapt, silent and deadly, at the young horse. The mare saw the attack and reared up instinctively, catching the hunter in mid air with her front hoofs. The cat’s trajectory was upset by this impact and it landed just short of the foal, which had sunk to the ground in terror. The cat recovered quickly and struck out viciously at the mare narrowly missing her chest.
The predator let out a blood-curdling roar and went in for the kill, jaws wide open. Then in mid strike it stopped as if hit by some invisible force and fell to the ground twitching violently. Blood gushed from its open mouth.
They looked around and saw a disturbance in the river. The splashing came towards them. Ossian gripped his spear and blade.
“Ossian put your weapons down, do as I say now!” Q’uaina hissed urgently.
Ossian acquiesced and dropped his weapons standing with arms open by his sides. Q’uaina did the same. As the sun started to set so, too the light changed. Q’uaina found if she looked slightly away from the river she could just make out the indistinct outlines of horse riders. The splashing stopped and the riders came close encircling them. Q’uaina became aware of her breathing; it sounded loud to her despite the rushing of the river.
A voice spoke, a woman. “Who are you and why are you here in our lands?”
Q’uaina shot a look at Ossian, who remained silent. Q’uaina turned in the direction of the voice.
“My name is Q’uaina, I am from the south, from behind the wall. This is Ossian from the west of here, the grasslands. His village has been destroyed, we do not know by who. I am on a journey to seek the Beekeeper. I have need of his advice and lore.”
Silence followed. The light turned golden and briefly, Q’uaina’s hair seemed to glow.
“You bear the mark of the grave, you may pass,” the woman’s voice said at last.
Then in a lyrical language that they could not understand there was an exchange between the riders. The last rays of the sun danced around their feet. The mare and her foal seemed strangely calm and recovered after their ordeal with the hunter cat.
“You will come with us, you are in light walker territory now… you Q’uaina, you have a ghost within. This needs the attention of the Beekeeper. Come, mount your horse and follow us across the river. Once daylight is gone you will see us clear enough by the moon.”
Ossian and Q’uaina readied themselves and mounted their horse. The foal pranced around them for attention. The mare seemed aware of the presence of other horses nearby. Q’uaina took a last look at the sabre toothed cat from another age and shuddered. She was grateful Morvaine’s mark on her forehead had been recognised by the light walkers. She also wondered about their reference to her carrying a ghost within. Deep down she knew she had returned with something uninvited within her from the Otherside.
The sun vanished completely slipping over the horizon. Slowly, as their eyes adjusted to the silver dusk, they grew aware of their escorts. Their blurred outline became more defined. They set off across the river following the exact path laid down by the light walkers. Q’uaina could see their guides clearly now. There were six riders, five men and a woman. It was the woman who had spoken. Suddenly, she realised these people, these light walkers were of elvin kind. She saw their elvish features, the fair skin, hair, lithe limbs and distinctive ears. Their eyes too seemed to shine, luminescent in the dusk. The woman approached their mare once they had crossed the river.
“My name is Illiana, I patrol this boundary. These are my brothers. You were lucky we were nearby. That beast would have finished you off. We’ve been encountering strange creatures all along our border. They are not of this time; they have been brought back to life from the ancient lands to the north. We don’t know who’s behind this dark sorcery. We will find out though, the balance needs to be restored.”
“That cat thing, it was following us all this time?” Q’uaina asked.
Illiana nodded then changed the subject. “Are you aware of what you carry within?”
“I know something’s not right. The healer in my village detected it, after I visited the Otherside to contact our Shaman. It returned with me, our Shaman’s spirit did not return. I was held responsible and had to leave. The elders, they were going to banish me. I have to find the Beekeeper and seek his counsel, that’s all I know.”
Ossian listened to all of this and everything fell into place. He had been wondering about Q’uaina’s explanation to him a few days earlier. It now made sense, he decided to hold his peace. He understood why Q’uaina had not revealed everything to him.
They were in the hands of the light walkers and rode northeast for a few hours. They came to a small hill and stopped at its foot. There was a sheltered area bounded by rocks where they made their camp.
“We’ll stop here for the night, you can rest, my brothers will keep watch, you will be safe,” Illiana said. “We can choose who to show ourselves to, come morning you will still see us. There’s no need for invisibility away from the borderlands.”
Q’uaina nodded. “Thank you for what you did for us today, we will see what tomorrow brings.”
Chapter 8
The Beekeeper
The night passed uneventfully. Q’uaina woke cold and stiff. Her muscles were rigid and her breath misted the air. Dew sparkled around them. The last stars were departing the heavens, daylight was creeping back to the world. She lay still, all was quiet. She couldn’t move. Her body would not obey. She was locked somewhere in between sleep and wakefulness. A barren, twilight landscape stretched out around her.
Then the voice from within came.
Sister, sweet spirit sister of mine. We are closest at this time of day. This time between sleep and wakening is a bridge between your world and mine. Listen to what I have to say. Morvaine was right; you must seek out the Beekeeper and tell your tale. He has access to the dimensions through the hall of mirrors. You must impress upon him your need to pass through to the Shiffante realm. It is there that our fates will unfold. I will be reborn and you will recover your whole self once more. Do this for me, Carutha, do this for you Q’uaina, for us together…
Pain…light…a fluttering of eyelids. Q’uaina jolted awake, her whole body startled, pulled unceremoniously into the morning by a severe cramp in her leg. She sat up and rubbed her muscles vigorously waiting for the spasm to abate. Her stomach felt hollow, her eyes took in the colours of the waking world around her. Foreboding grew within.
“Q’uaina, they’re gone, the riders. They left during the night. We’re alone.” Ossian stood before her looking distracted.
“Isn’t it that we just can’t see them?”
“No, they’ve gone, they left some food and this.” Ossian opened his hand and a flat crystal disc lay there.
“What is it?”
“Take a look through it, it’ll surprise you, it did me.” Ossian’s face gave nothing away.
Q’uaina took the crystal and held it up to her eye. Without warning the barren, empty Shattered Hills before her erupted in lush greenery and vibrant life. Trees and plants surrounded them, birds fluttered between branches and insects flitted about. All in silence. She was baffled, confused.
“This is indeed an enchanted land. Why the subterfuge? Why make the Shattered lands appear barren? To keep others out? It acts as a barrier, much like my clan’s wall, a barrier against the unknown. To protect and survive,” she spoke out aloud both to herself and Ossian.
Ossian nodded his agreement. “Look closer you’ll see a trail, clearly marked from here heading northeast through the trees. I think they mean us to follow the path. It must take us to your Beekeeper. Do you trust these light walkers?”
“Do we have a choice?” Q’uaina replied. The ache from her cramp had finally passed. She wished their search would end soon too.
They ate a small breakfast. The mare and foal were safe nearby and seemed rested and well fed. Q’uaina wondered if the horses could see the trees and plants all around them as she could using the crystal.
They set out on the mare and followed the path with the crystal. The mare needed no encouragement and appeared to know which direction to take.
After some hours of riding, the path broke through the trees and using the crystal, Q’uaina saw a shimmering veil of mist in front of them. The path plunged into the mist. She felt Ossian’s hands grip her sides from behind.
“Look,” Ossian whispered, his voice taut.
Q’uaina took the crystal from her eye and stared ahead. The air twenty feet in front of them was a haze. The Shattered lands seemed blurred, as if left unfinished. Q’uaina looked through the crystal once more and confirmed the mist was still there. She passed the crystal to Ossian.
“Well, I think we need to keep going and follow the path. What do you say?”
“I agree, I’m not going back, I’ve nothing to go back to. Let’s go.” Ossian said firmly.
Q’uaina nudged the mare forwards and they vanished into the mist. As soon as they entered all sense of direction left them. There was no point of reference, no horizon to be seen. The mare kept moving forwards. Then they burst through the murk and were plunged into bright sunlight. They squinted against the glare, their eyes adjusting. Q’uaina gasped at what she saw.
They had passed the illusion of the Shattered lands and had crossed over into the real land behind the illusion. Now they could see clearly without the need for the crystal. A green vale lay ahead of them, bright with colour, above them an azure sky. In the distance, they saw a single white tower, the path unfolding towards it.
Speechless, they went on. Q’uaina became aware of sounds which had been absent before. The buzzing of insects, the rustling of the breeze through the trees and birdsong. A sense of well being arose within her, a warmth grew from her left hand, where the blue butterfly had joined with her. She knew that answers were near, answers to questions burning through her heart like fire.
It took them a couple of hours to reach the tower. The path wound around the rolling landscape. The rhythm of the horse’s walking induced an almost meditative state in Q’uaina and she had to fight to stay alert. Finally, they arrived at the base of the white tower. They dismounted and stretched their legs.
“Come Q’uaina let’s have a look around,” Ossian said.
They wandered around the tower expecting to come across an entrance. They found nothing. The tower was perfectly smooth without any sign of an opening.
“This is strange indeed, what’s the purpose of this tower?” Q’uaina murmured. Then her breathing quickened. A blue butterfly fluttered into the air nearby, it approached her. She held out her hand and it landed on her fingers opening and closing its wings. Mesmerised, Ossian took a step towards her.
The butterfly responded by taking flight and headed to some trees a short distance away from the tower. They followed it sensing a purpose to the encounter. Then, Q’uaina heard a humming which grew louder with every step she took. Bees… bees everywhere, a symphony of sound, intricate and intimate. A well of concern sprung up from within her and she trembled, overwhelmed.
“Don’t fear, they will not harm you. Just breathe and be still inside, they sense these things you know. They are my beauties. My miracles. They produce the finest melody of honey ever known, spinning spells from nectar. Pure magic, magic that comes from the Erthe herself.”
Q’uaina looked in the direction of the voice and could see nothing amongst the trees. Then a shadow moved off to one side and a figure appeared. It was an older man wearing a dark cloak. He moved closer and became clearly visible. He had long, silver hair and was clean-shaven. His eyes shone an amber hue and seemed to look right through her.
“I am Q’uaina and this is…”
“I know who you are,” the man said. The blue butterfly that they had followed had alighted on his shoulder and was perfectly still. “I’m called the Beekeeper. These bees are my life and I theirs, we are one. Together we spin Erthe magic and create the honey that gives life to this place. The enchantment, the protection for the Shattered Hills is spun from here, from the bees and the Erthe’s bounty.”
He came closer and then stopped in front of Q’uaina. He looked into her eyes and she felt a knowing there.
“You are troubled, you carry a spirit within, it is impatient and seeks revenge, retribution,” he closed his eyes. “Ah yes… the Shiffante. I knew the elder ones had begun again; it has been an age since the last arising. They are restless, they are thirsty once more.”
Ossian pressed forwards. “Beekeeper, can you tell me who is responsible for murdering my family, my clan?” he tried to keep the emotion from his voice.
“If I tell you that, what good will it do? It will lead to more confrontation and pain. The cycle will continue. However, you know this. You are but a player in a much larger game. Come let’s retire to surroundings that are more comfortable. You need rest and refreshment, then we can talk.”
The moment passed. Ossian and Q’uaina both felt the fatigue of the last few days descend on them like a weight. The buzzing of the bees intensified and was hypnotic. The thought of sleep, safety and food was welcome. The Beekeeper gestured for them to follow him. The blue butterfly flitted from his shoulder and came to Q’uaina alighting on hers. She felt a tingling there and looked down to see its wings disappear into her skin. She smiled as a feeling of wellness surged through her.
They arrived at the white tower and the Beekeeper placed his hand on the stone. There appeared a fine green line sparkling in the early afternoon sunlight. The line formed into the shape of a door, which opened when the keeper pushed on it. They passed through and entered the tower, a cool haven of silence. The tower was deceptive, enchanted.
Upon entering its interior, they found themselves in a large courtyard. A fountain at its centre, a series of dancing water columns pranced within its confines. A white building stood behind with many windows evident. Magic was at play; the tower was just an illusion.
Q’uaina wondered what was real and what was not. Could they trust this Beekeeper? What was his plan? What were they to do next? Endless questions, she decided to accept the moment without judgement or resistance.
As she made this decision, she felt a shift, an opening within. Something changed within her; she felt stillness, strength, a peace so deep it almost overwhelmed her physical body. She barely kept standing, the moment passed and she regained her composure. Looking down she saw new butterfly patterns on her skin, blues, greens and reds. They were beautiful. She smiled.
Chapter 9
Agathe
The Beekeeper led them through the building, each to their own room. He showed them where they could wash. In each of their rooms, a selection of food and wine had been laid out. He instructed them to eat and sleep. He would see to their horses and return the following day when their questions would be answered.
After bathing and a light meal, Q’uaina retired to her bed. Her body felt relaxed but her mind spun with the day’s events. So much had happened since she had left home. Until now she had been able to remain emotionally detached from the sense of loss, fear and loneliness.
Something in her heart broke and she wept. Her sorrow was immense; the sense of abandonment total. She knew she was on the cusp of leaving a part of her life behind. Her next few steps at this threshold would bring her to unknown, dangerous places; she would not remain the same person. Her spirit at that moment felt diminished, beleaguered, a pilot light dwarfed by the ocean. She knew she was entering a storm, a battle between worlds. She fell asleep among her tears.
Birdsong woke Ossian. He had slept a dreamless sleep. His body still ached from the trail. He welcomed the discomfort as it gave him a sense of reality against this world of illusion. He had buried his loss deep within, but he knew it would define and haunt him the rest of his days. He had changed. A cold anger burnt deep inside him. He knew he would not rest until he had found those responsible for his parents’ murder and the massacre of his people. When he finally caught up with them… his
heart went cold with the darkness that descended in him.
He saw that it was morning so he dressed and went to explore their lodgings. He was surprised to find that the grand residence of the night before had morphed to a simple wooden hall. Gone were the many rooms and marble floors. Instead, he found a large space dominated by a sizeable table and central hearth complete with roaring log fire. Ossian sat down and watched the smoke drift upwards and through a hole in the roof.
Like home, he thought. His clan, the clan of the bear. He looked into the flames and lost himself in their dancing warmth.
Footsteps. “Good morning.” Q’uaina came into the hall. “More surprises,” she indicated their new surroundings.
Ossian shrugged. “Nothing surprises me now. I’ve seen and done things no boy my age should have to do. Everything has changed; I have buried my parents…” his voice trailed off. He turned back to gaze at the fire.
“You carry a heavy burden Ossian, your heart is weighed down by it. Be careful, don’t let it consume you; don’t become enthralled to it. That way lies darkness, destruction,” the Beekeeper spoke. He stood in the main doorway, morning light flooding around him.
Ossian turned to look at the Beekeeper and simply stared saying nothing. The old man came and joined them at the fire. The wood cracked and the flames blazed brightly.
“It’s now time for answers and a reckoning. So far Q’uaina you have only caught glimpses of the whole. You’ve been tangled up in a web of events and through no fault of your own, you carry a key element within you. This is about to unfold, should you choose to keep on the path that lies ahead.”
He paused then continued. “The Shiffante have upset the balance between worlds. They have perpetrated genocide in their own dimension. They have created a dominance that has attracted the attention of others who practice the dark arts. The dark elves here, or drow as you know them; have joined forces with the vampire nation in our own world.
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