Severance

by Fergal F. Nally

  “You forget, I am a Beekeeper,” he smiled and cupped his hands together, closed his eyes and whispered some words. After a few seconds, a wisp escaped from between his fingers. Moments later dense smoke started billowing from his hands. He then blew upon the smoke and it became thicker, even smelling like burning wood.

  Q’uaina stood amazed. She saw that his plan might just work, her faith was restored. She smiled at him and nodded.

  “Right old man, let’s get to work. Tell me what to do.”

  The Beekeeper then laid out his plan in detail to her. Above, in the night sky silver clouds scudded across the heavens. A cold breeze blew in from the southwest. It would be enough to carry the smoke in the right direction. They parted company a short time later.

  Q’uaina’s pulse quickened, she felt more alive now than she had done in some time. The last few days had seemed like a dream but here she was in her own land again, fighting for her life and her future. She would make her actions count. It was important to send a message tonight to those that would harm her, her friends and this land. The enemy’s efforts would be met with resistance.

  She carefully picked her way amongst the crags, down through the trees, taking the Beekeeper’s directions to the river that would lead her to the waterfall. She found the river and cautiously followed it downstream until she heard the sound of the falls in the distance. Then she slowed and gradually made her way through the rocks and bushes downhill. She could see the clearing in the distance beside the falls pool, just as the Beekeeper had described. She waited.

  The night unfolded. The sounds of the forest came and went, breezes sighed through the tops, rustles and noises from nocturnal animals rose from here and there. Then almost an hour later, a strange stillness took over the forest. A tangible change in the air. Rustlings came from deep within the trees. An uncertainty, restlessness in the air, followed by first one, then many cries and calls of panic from various animals.

  Q’uaina heard a crashing directly behind her; a stag appeared wild-eyed amid the gloom and ran past her towards the river. Ahead she could see the darting shapes of other animals, foxes, rodents, a badger and some larger shapes. The plan was working.

  Then she smelt the smoke, at first a faint hint slowly becoming stronger until finally it filled the air with the smell of burning. Q’uaina heard shouts from the trail leading to the clearing. She saw the two horses there buck at their ropes rearing up, eyes bulging and nostrils flared. Two shadows broke cover and went to the horses, the vampire and the drow. This was it; she made her move and ran towards the cave keeping to the shadows.

  She was committed; there was no point in looking behind. She plunged into the darkness of the cave and felt her way along the wall. The interior was cold and damp and her feet splashed through puddles. She sensed another’s presence towards the back of the cave.

  “Agathe, are you there? Agathe?”

  The sound of chains greeted her from the darkness, followed by a low sob and crying.

  Chapter 26

  Setting Out

  “Q’uaina? Is that you? I’d given up all hope…you must leave me, I’m chained to this wall. You cannot free me,” Agathe’s voice was laden with despair.

  “We’ll see about that.” Q’uaina produced a small vial the Beekeeper had given her. He had told her to use its contents on any restraints that she found.

  Q’uaina’s eyes could make out Agathe’s crouched figure in the corner. She reached Agathe and embraced her fiercely.

  “Show me your chains, there is something I can try.”

  Agathe held out her hands and Q’uaina explored the manacles. She found the lock and opened the vial pouring a few drops of the liquid into the keyhole. A hissing sound came from the lock and after a few seconds it broke open and fell to the floor.

  “Can you stand up?” Q’uaina put her arm around Agathe and helped her up.

  “I can smell smoke,” Agathe said.

  “All part of the plan, come on let’s get you out of here.”

  The pair made their way out of the cave keeping to the shadows. Smoke hung thick in the clearing. Cursing and the sounds of panicking horses came from the far side. Q’uaina and Agathe disappeared into the cover of the forest and made good their escape.

  ~

  Carutha woke and shivered. She was cold and hungry. Her mind went back to the events of the night before. The White Spine range, the lost mountain, The Forge. The images played back through her mind. She felt lost and small. Well she would try and follow her chosen path. She checked and found the Shard where she had left it. She examined it again and as before saw nothing, felt nothing.

  Early morning light filtered into her room, she dressed and went outside. Her hunger drove her to the kitchen area where she found milk, bread and honey. While she ate, she listened to the birds in the trees outside. She wondered how this island had managed to keep lush and green whilst the mainland remained dead and wasted. It had something to do with the girl Silverwing, she was sure. There was something fey and ancient about this creature.

  She heard footsteps approach. Firewing appeared at the door.

  “I see you’re up, that’s good. Once you’ve finished your breakfast we can visit Silverwing again. I know about your quest and both myself and Lightwing are to accompany you to the White Spine range.”

  “Well that’s fine by me as I haven’t the first idea of where to look,” said Carutha.

  Firewing’s face broke into a smile. “Don’t worry we’ll fly; Silverwing is reading the waters for guidance. I myself have never been beyond the poisoned city where I found you. Lightwing has been further than me, but even he’s never visited any mountains. The mainland is a dead place apart from the coastal settlements. Some birds have returned to the high places of the city as you saw. They have found food of sorts in the ocean to sustain them.”

  Carutha’s mind went back to the city and the creatures that inhabited its streets. She shuddered. “I saw some deer being hunted by those things, breeders you called them. What are they?”

  “They are what is left of the human race in this domain, long ago the humans destroyed their world by poisoning mother Erthe. What you saw is what remains of their city and their descendants. Brutish, cruel beasts, still intent on destruction. They don’t remember the past of course; they just breed and kill. I have even seen them kill and eat each other. You don’t want to end up cornered by their kind.”

  Carutha nodded and rose from the table. “I’m ready, let’s go.”

  They arrived at the crystal lake and were beckoned by Silverwing once more to approach her on its surface.

  “Good day to you Carutha, I trust you slept well?” Silverwing asked.

  “Yes, thank you. I’ve spoken to Firewing of the quest to place the Shard on the top of the White Spine; the mountain called The Forge. Why must this be done and how?”

  Silverwing smiled and pointed at the crystal floor below her feet. “Look here, I’ll show you.”

  Carutha watched the crystal surface of the lake and saw movement within. The polished sheen slowly revealed an image of a distant snow capped mountain range. The image became larger before her eyes and one peak in particular rose high above the others amidst roiling mists. The vision, a bird’s eye view, became clearer and swooped up the mountain ridge to the summit. It did indeed resemble a great forge with clouds and mists veiling the tall spires in mystery.

  There at the top lay two statues carved into the mountaintop. A man and a woman sat on thrones. Both wore crowns and looked down upon the wasted world. The man was bearded and had long flowing robes, his eyes stern and his expression open. The woman beside him was of similar age with long braided hair. She too wore long robes carved in the stone. At her feet were two hounds, muscular and regal in their own way. Between the thrones lay the peak of the mountain itself. A golden metal frame stood there empty, like a sightless socket. Carutha looked closely and saw that the shape of the frame matched that of the Shard.

 
“The Shard needs to be placed there doesn’t it?” Carutha whispered.

  “Yes,” Silverwing said. “I don’t know what will happen, my knowledge does not extend to that. We are already on the edge of knowledge; so much has been lost. The power that built those cities is spent but the power that created those statues endures within the Shard, it comes from the Erthe. Those that used to wield it are long gone; these statues are what remain of them. The Shard must be returned to its rightful place to ignite the memory of the Erthe power, to allow it to be released to you.”

  “What will I do when… if I succeed?” Carutha asked.

  “You’ll know,” Silverwing replied.

  Firewing and Lightwing met Carutha shortly afterwards. Silverwing had briefed them on their task and they were ready. They stood on the edge of the clearing by the lake and said their farewells to Silverwing.

  “Be safe, listen to the truth in your heart, seek the light always. You will find the way; only you can do this Carutha for you and your race have been wronged. This is not about revenge it is about redress, balance. The mother wants this to happen, she has endured enough.”

  “What about you Silverwing, what will you do? Will you stay here?” Carutha asked.

  “My work here is done,” the little girl said. “I must find the others of my kind, we are few and scattered far and wide. It has been so long. I will search for them and we will help the mother in any way we can. There is always work to be done.”

  Carutha nodded, “I understand. I’m ready. Let’s go and find the Forge and rekindle the Erthe power.”

  ~

  Ossian stood transfixed by the silver moon. He could feel its pull on his blood. She spoke to him, to every fibre of his being. He was the physical form of her light. His ecstasy knew no bounds. Then the scents began to impinge on his consciousness. The breeze carried many messages to him, all jostling for his attention. Small creatures, larger beasts, death, life, and everything in between tried to seduce him.

  Then he found it, the key; the scent of others of his kind. He locked on to them raising his muzzle sniffing the air. At once, he started to move in the direction of the alpha wolf’s scent.

  In the distance, a long howl pierced the night sky. It was different to the previous one. This was meant for him, directed at him.

  We know you are here, we are coming for you…we are the hunters…we are… kindred.

  Ossian took the air and started moving, breaking into a run. He let his instinct take over and answered the call. The land was a blur beneath his paws; the steppes were vast, open and barren. He was brimful of energy and strength. He ran with the wind through the night.

  He knew he should not confront the alpha directly, but needed to make a kill of his own and allow the alpha to claim it. This would confirm his subservience and would give him the best chance of being accepted into the pack. He would then run with them and they would make him their own. Then his work would begin.

  Ossian moved through the night and sought his mark. He scented the herd of antelope. He automatically flanked their position and worked them, keeping downwind. It was easy to see the young, the weak, the old. He followed the herd for some time; watching, waiting. Then he chose his moment. The herd were tense and skittish. They sensed something was awry.

  He launched himself out from a low bluff beside a river. The antelope were drinking and distracted by the water. The herd reacted as one, exploding away from the threat he posed. An old male, huge and slow turned to face him. Ossian could see he was heavily scarred from previous battles; he had a limp and was struggling. Ossian knew this was the one. He would have to be quick and ruthless, it would usually take more than one wolf to take a beast this size down.

  Ossian threw himself at the old bull’s flank and went for its hindquarters. His teeth sunk into the hamstrings and he bit hard and deep. The bull reared up and tried to run. Ossian did not release his grip which became tighter the more the bull struggled. The beast dragged him along the ground bellowing in agony. It fell back into the river and lay there gasping; water running into its mouth and snout.

  Ossian lay in the water, letting it wash around him. Blood filled his senses; this was his river of blood, his first hunt. He was intoxicated, mesmerised with the joy of the kill. He was barely aware of the howling converging on his position.

  The big bull made one last effort to rise to its feet but slipped and collapsed back into the river. Ossian held on for dear life. Then in a matter of moments, he felt other bodies join in the fray, thrashing alongside him in the water. He saw the flash of fang and claw, blurred with movement. Then the bull’s body went limp and he knew it was over.

  Ossian released his grip on the bull’s hindquarters and stood in the river beside his kill. His fur was slick with clotted gore; he truly looked like a blood wolf. His eyes met those of the others around him. He counted many of his kind, his kindred. They were already pulling his kill from the river onto the bank. He lifted his head to the sky and let out a howl from deep within. The others joined in one by one and soon the whole pack was baying in unison.

  Then they stopped. Ossian felt a shift within the pack, deference. He looked up; and saw a shape move forwards on the riverbank. A massive wolf stood there, staring down at him. The alpha, the key. Ossian averted his eyes, put his tail between his legs, and fell to the ground. The alpha took in the scene and approached the kill. Blood still trickled from the carcass. It was a magnificent kill and would feed the pack for days.

  The alpha hovered over the dead bull and the others backed away. Then in one deft movement, he tore into its soft underbelly and the others joined in. Soon the carcass was covered in hungry muzzles tearing and rending flesh and bone. The gorging continued for some time, only when the alpha had his fill did Ossian take his turn at the carcass. Even then, he took his place at the fringe of the pack. He had been accepted; he had brought success and food, he had shown deference to the alpha. He was a blood wolf; he was kindred.

  The sense of belonging, of running and hunting with the pack was like nothing Ossian had experienced before. The others welcomed him. He found himself at the lower end of pack hierarchy. The alpha did not deign to interact with him, instead surrounding himself with his lieutenants and inner circle. Ossian concentrated on improving his hunting and tracking skills. Over the following days and weeks he made himself indispensable and gradually moved up the hierarchy until one evening something extraordinary happened.

  Chapter 27

  Remembrance

  Ossian had immersed himself so much into the wild he had forgotten the original reason for infiltrating the pack. His memory of Karina and Clan Horse’s plight was long gone. Then one day he came across human scent on the wind and his recollection grew. Faces, names came flooding back. Feelings returned, a girl’s memory awoke in his heart like a flame; Agathe. Where was she? He needed to be with her once more.

  The scent filled the wind. He followed it and then saw the settlement on the steppe. His wolf kindred were not far behind, if they came upon this place there would be slaughter. He must act. Without thinking, Ossian broke cover and rushed forwards. He called out, baying at the tents in the distance.

  The guards saw the lone wolf approach and were ready. They drew their bows and let loose a volley of arrows into the air. Ossian was quick and knew what the black streaks in the sky meant. He changed course and the arrows flew harmlessly by.

  “Hold your fire,” a woman’s voice rang clear through the air.

  “It could be him, after all this time?”

  “Wait let’s see what he does,” the woman said.

  Ossian slowed and made his approach. A warrior stepped out from the perimeter of the settlement, a woman. She held a sword in her hand and wore a leather tunic and leggings. Her face was familiar. She looked gaunt, hungry. Her eyes were ablaze, fierce.

  He drew close circling her. His gaze locked onto hers.

  “Is it you? Ossian, is that you?”

  His blood ran with th
e wild, but hearing that name spoken stopped him in his tracks. Then he padded forwards to the woman, standing feet from her and watched her. He bore his teeth and growled.

  “Hold your fire,” her voice called out again.

  Ossian and the woman stared at each other. An understanding passed between them.

  “It’s him, it’s Ossian. He’s here. Leave him be, see what he does, watch and wait.”

  “Look over there, more blood wolves. They are coming, there must be dozens. What will we do Karina?”

  “Arm everyone, but don’t engage. Wait for Ossian’s lead.”

  Ossian turned his head and let out a blood-curdling howl at the pack behind. As one, they stopped in their tracks. The largest, the alpha kept coming and went from a lope to a run. Straight at Ossian.

  Ossian’s blood raced through his body, he knew he had over stepped the mark; his actions had challenged the direct authority of the alpha. He would live or die in the next few minutes. He went forwards to meet his fate.

  As he ran he felt his bones crunch and elongate, his frame seemed to explode, muscles tensed and he was filled with an inner strength. Agathe’s face filled his mind, all he knew was he needed to see her again and in order to do so he must live.

  The alpha, huge and powerful, bore down on him, death in his eyes, wicked teeth bared. Time slowed. At the last minute before impact, Ossian feinted. The movement made the alpha adjust his attack slightly and allowed Ossian the chance to dodge the vicious jaws. The alpha’s momentum carried him forwards giving Ossian a chance to slash at the alpha’s hindquarters.

  Ossian’s teeth sank into the alpha’s haunch and slid down to the left leg, locking onto the lower section. Ossian felt a vessel burst and his mouth filled with the rich coppery taste of blood.

  The alpha recovered quickly and rounded on Ossian with a savage counter attack. Teeth and claws tore at his flank. Ossian felt his flesh part where the alpha’s jaws raked him. He bit down harder on his adversary’s leg not letting go, vicelike. The alpha became even more enraged and let out a furious series of attacks. Ossian felt his ribs crack and a sudden white-hot pain seared his brain threatening to engulf him.