Athine Verses: The Narkurru

by Shannon McRoberts

  The Narkurru

  The Daughter of Ares Chronicles, Volume 2

  Shannon McRoberts

  Published by Obsidian Poet Press, 2018.

  This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

  THE NARKURRU

  First edition. April 16, 2018.

  Copyright © 2018 Shannon McRoberts.

  ISBN: 978-1386690504

  Written by Shannon McRoberts.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Verse Two: Prologue

  Verse Two: Chapter 1

  Verse Two: Chapter 2

  Verse Two: Chapter 3

  Verse Two: Chapter 4

  Verse Two: Chapter 5

  Verse Two: Chapter 6

  Verse Two: Chapter 7

  Verse Two: Chapter 8

  Verse Two: Chapter 9

  Verse Two: Chapter 10

  Verse Two: Chapter 11

  Verse Two: Chapter 12

  Verse Two: Chapter 13

  Verse Two: Chapter 14

  Verse Two: Epilogue

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  About the Author

  Verse Two: Prologue

  “TO YOUR LEFT, ATHINE,” Andraste yelled out towards her cousin. In response, Athine tumbled out of the way just as an angry specter flew at her screaming. Another one was right behind that one. The touch of these screaming specters was cold and bone chilling. They were more of an annoyance than anything to an immortal born like Athine, but they could infect humans and make them do harm to others. Because of this, she was bound to stop them. She had taken an oath as the Vesait’e, protector of the N’Loron, to handle all the otherworldly threats that might cross over into the land of the living. Even the annoying ones like Celtic Banshees.

  Andraste lifted her golden staff and summoned a massive bolt of Sh’cersay. Although she did not have the power of the Ph’tiahon like her cousin, she did have great control over the magic that she created when she was still a young immortal. Andraste’s magic had grown over the years to a point where it could greatly wound even spirits.

  Athine spun around and commanded Is’che’aiq with ease. It had been some years since she took up the role as protector and with each passing moment she was more and more comfortable with what some would call her destiny. She learned to trust Is’che’aiq as he did Athine. They worked together in rhythmic sync. It was almost as if the two shared the same thoughts at times.

  Today, Athine had been summoned to Ximira by her grandmother, Morrigan. It seemed someone had unleashed a group of Banshees in the Celtic Isles at the tip of Nalecia. The N’Loron in the area was severely weakened by an impetuous human mage trying to do incantations near a sacred shrine. The result was the outpouring of angry Banshee specters.

  Andraste and Morrigan had tried for days to fend the creatures off and seal the N’Loron, but it was to no avail. Because the N’Loron was so weakened by the magic, Morrigan was sure that only her granddaughter could put things back in order. The only problem was that since she got there Athine barely had time to even inspect the tear in the N’Loron let alone devise a plan to stop the Banshees. It was as if the creatures were coming out in waves.

  “What magic caused this, Andraste?” Athine asked during a lull in the outpouring of specters.

  “Human magic from what I have found. The mage was killed, so I’m not completely sure what went on here. Yet, I have a feeling that this mage may have been endowed by a Narkurru. The Narkurru are demon spirits often trapped in the Underworld. They feed off whatever power they can obtain. Usually they bind themselves to a human, giving them corrupt magical abilities in return. It would almost be a symbiotic relationship, but often the magic kills the humans that use it.” Andraste explained to Athine.

  Another wave of the screaming specters came out of the rip in the N’Loron. Athine readied herself and dug the heel of her boot into the soft cavern floor. Her long red raven streaked hair followed every swoosh and clang of Is’che’aiq as she tried to dissolve the specters. There were simply too many of them to ever dissolve them this way. She had to find a way to close the rift in the N’Loron.

  “Athine, listen to me. You need to take Andraste and try to focus your combined magic into the rip of the N’Loron. If you both combine your Sh’cersay you should be able to close the wound.” Is’che’aiq mentally told Athine.

  Athine did not hesitate to grab Andraste and tell her of the plan. In the years since she picked up the spirit sword she had learned to quickly hear the thoughts of the Ser’urn’el and act. Athine and Andraste lifted their hands and focused on the image of their magic healing the fissure in the N’Loron. In only a moment of time the specters became less and less. The ones that were still in the realm of the living were quickly dispatched by Athine and dissolved into the eternal essence of the realm.

  Relieved Andraste turned to Athine. “Once again you have saved this realm from utter chaos. Will you stay here for a while and visit with your kin?”

  “Andraste, my dear cousin, as much as I would like to spend an extended amount of time here and to see Ximira, I do not think that would be wise. I have a feeling that as long as the Narkurru are corrupting humans I will never be able to rest. I will return to Arocia in the morning. But first, I would like to try grandmother’s famous red wine.”

  ALLYRGUE WOKE UP ALONE in a cave. She could have sworn that she died in the ill attempt at creating the tunnel in the mountain pass under the great river. Her Chaddral magic was not strong enough to command the earth and contain the collapse of the underwater passage. The very ground had opened up and swallowed her in a great watery gulp. Yet, here she was alert and oriented to the fact that she was in a cave. Perhaps this was all a bad dream. On the other hand, maybe the afterlife was supposed to be quiet like this. The cavern she was in surely was not of this world. It glowed with different colors of beautiful rocks. Allyrgue had no idea how rocks in the heart of the great river could glow; this must be the other realm. In the distance, she heard a babbling brook and felt a faint wind upon her cheek. Allyrgue closed her eyes to take in the surroundings. She could smell the sweet scent of hyacinth. She wondered how they grew in the darkness. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see a ghostly figure walking towards her. The figure in front of her reminded her very much of her mother, but her mother had passed into the N’Loron years ago. She was over 100 years old when she passed and this specter in front of her was no older in looks than Allyrgue. The spirit acknowledged her with a smile and then began to speak.

  “Welcome, daughter. Do not be afraid. I am here to ask for your assistance. Your expert Chaddral powers, especially your command over the earth, are needed to help Cerynian.”

  “My expert powers? I have no expert powers or else I would not be here in the otherworld talking to my dead mother, would I?” Allyrgue stated in confusion.

  “On the contrary my dear, you are here because I used powerful magic to have the earth find you and bring you here. You are not yet passed on to the otherworld. You are very much alive and we need you like that. You are the only one that can help the ancestors.”

  “Ancestors?”

  Kiharuna explained to her youngest daughter, “Yes, the clan of Emayth’i, the original name of our people. They need your help creating a new resting place for our departed spirits.”

  “Do not our people pass through the N’Loron and arrive in Asun’r?”

  Kiharuna looked dejected as she spoke. “No. When our ancestors chose to reject Alaric’s dark R’Kelray spells and instead accepted the white Chaddral magic he prevent
ed any other souls from entering Asun’r. He cursed the rest of our souls to wander the afterlife trapped in the Underworld unable to rest. The spirits inside Asun’r have reached out to help those that have been banned from entering. Anatsuha, greatest of the Emayth’i R’Kelray mages, has offered to help us along.”

  “Grandmother has agreed to help us? How? Why? Would the R’Kelray mages and souls not still be loyal to the immortal we turned our backs on?”

  “They would if Alaric had not abandoned them and left Asun’r to crumble. Now all souls from our people are facing immortal damnation if we cannot find a place for us to rest.”

  “What do you need me for? If I am still alive what can I possibly do?”

  “The Council of Crythl, an alliance of ascended immortal beings made up of R’Kelray ancients and Chaddral followers, has a plan that only you can execute. They are immortal shades now. Not quite dead, not quite alive. They have powers almost equal to Alaric and with this they can create a place for our tribe’s souls to enter. However, they need you to use your Chaddral magic to transform this cavern into a safe place. None of the Crythl’s magic is as strong as yours when it comes to commanding the earth to do your bidding. In fact, Anatsuha will join you and me in creating a final resting place. We will create Nal’yera.”

  Allyrgue worked hard to do as she was instructed by her mother and grandmother. She used every ounce of her magic to help carve out Nal’yera. When it was done the damned spirits and the Asun’r spirits were all able to enter the cavern as one people. Nevertheless, Anatsuha feared another crumbling afterlife if the people forgot about them like Alaric did. She did not want her efforts to have been in vain. She did not want her people to disappear into the eternal essence to merely be recycled. No, she would see that there would be a Raelisuir appointed in each generation that would help keep the people in the realm of the living connected with the departed souls. It was no surprise when Allyrgue was voted to be this person. She was to return to the village of Cerynian and tell them of what happened.

  For a while, this worked well. The village prospered under the guide of the Crythl and the Raelisuir. However, as the years passed the people of Cerynian noticed that the Crythl were becoming more and more powerful. They were gaining powers and were able to cross over to the realm of the living when they wished and not when they were called. The Crythl were becoming a new kind of immortal and they knew it. Their demands became more and more bizarre as they required blood sacrifices to speak to the Raelisuir. They demanded favors and patronage. If they did not get these favors, they would see that no one else entered Nal’yera. It was no different from having a jealous immortal patron again.

  A small group of villagers banded together with the current Raelisuir, Ila the youngest daughter of Allyrgue, to put an end to the Crythl rule. Ila called out the Crythl spirits with a blood sacrifice and used the dark magic, R’Kelray, to bind the Crythl spirits out of Nal’yera permanently. It was the only thing that Ila knew to do. The spell would stop the Crythl from becoming immortals. The binding spell would also keep Nal’yera safe from collapse of any kind.

  After the banishment of the Crythl, Ila moved Cerynian away from the use of magic altogether. She explained to the people that the only way to protect Nal’yera and their way of life without an immortal patron would be to move away from any kind of magic, even Chaddral magic. In return, they would be able to rest assured their trip to the otherworld would be safe unlike in the past. The group agreed to abandon magic forever in order to preserve both their way of life and their afterlife. Ila stepped down as the Raelisuir to focus on her new life. Illernarga took her place. His purpose was to continue to guide the village away from magic and immortals as would all Raelisuirs from that day forward.

  ANATSUHA’S WOEFUL CRIES filled the Underworld as she wandered from realm to realm looking for a place to rest. Most of her magic was gone, but she still had that which she crossed over with. Behind her walked the few remaining R’Kelray mages. All of them were immortal shades and unable to rest. The loss of their power and their followers made them unable to rematerialize in the world of the living.

  The moaning of the group attracted the eye of a young demon passing by, a Narkurru named Lye-Ashe. She yearned to find a way out of the Underworld. She also heard that this group of shades once had the ability to walk on the earth. She thought it was worth a try to absorb the spirits into her staff, Shultash, and perhaps, just maybe she could gain their ability to cross over without being called.

  When Lye-Ashe absorbed the spirits, she also gained knowledge about the people that banished them. She tried for years to enter Nal’yera, but the Chaddral magic always kept her from entering. Her hopes of absorbing more souls to power her staff and her ability to materialize were waning fast. Until she heard the faint chanting of a Cerynian Raelisuir named Hon’hin.

  ALARIC WANDERED THE realm of the living in search of new followers for years after being forsaken. Now that the Cerynians were no longer his to command, his powers were weakening. He had spent so much time on that one group of people because they made him strong. He never found the need to obtain new followers, until now. However, even the gradual loss of his powers and need for new followers did not quell the anger at being abandoned by his original followers. He was now hell bent on causing Cerynian mortal doom.

  It was a chance meeting that day when Alaric stumbled into the shady Amazonian riverbanks. The nearby village was still smoking. Alaric could smell the magic lingering in the air. He could tell it was Athena. He wondered what these people had done to deserve an elder goddess’ wrath. Then he heard it; the soft sweet sound of human angst. He looked to his left. There under a great oak a young girl with mounds of black hair sat crying next to a fresh burial plot. Alaric approached the girl with utmost caution hoping not to scare her.

  “Why do you weep,” he asked gently.

  “Who’s there,” The frightened girl asked through her tears.

  “Just someone who is concerned at your sadness. What happened here?”

  The girl, End’rak’igh, cried, “Athena came. We do not know why. She just showed up and began destroying our village. Is’sul, the village elder and my sister, she tried to please our goddess. She tried to see what was wrong; why there was such a rage in her eyes. Athena cut her down with no regard. My sister had worshiped her faithfully. We all did. This is our repayment. Utter destruction!”

  Alaric contemplated what the young girl had told him. Dare he scoop up this girl and comfort her? Could it be this easy to find new followers? And then it occurred to him. These forgotten and forsaken children of Athena will be his weapon to gain his revenge.

  “If I told you I could show you a way to get revenge on Athena, would your people follow me? Take me on as their new immortal?” Alaric asked ever so carefully.

  End’rak’igh was hesitant. “I cannot speak for the remaining others. I can make you no promises.”

  “Are you not their new leader? Is it not your birthright to assume the duties of your recently deceased sister? Would not your people desire to seek their own vengeance and open their arms to someone that could help?”

  The fire smoldered in her eyes as her Amazonian pride began to overcome her childish grief. At that moment End’rak’igh the Amazonian took command. She looked at Alaric with new eyes.

  “What can we do to gain revenge on Athena?”

  “Simple, End’rak’igh, you do to her followers what she did to your village. You wage war on them. If you kill off her followers then she will lose power. Some even say if you kill off enough of an immortal’s followers they become mortal.”

  “But, our warriors are almost gone. It will take years to regain our ranks. Maybe that was Athena’s idea all along.”

  “Would you be willing to train new blood to take on your Amazonian ways if I could steer you to a group of promising individuals?”

  “I’m not sure, it’s forbidden to allow those not chosen by Athena into the clan. New blood can make you
weak. We must remain strong.”

  “What if I told you that there was a group of villagers to the north in a town called Cerynian that has a very strong will, much like your own? They were once a clan of powerful mages, but they abandoned their immortal to live a life free of any patron. This has made them very willful creatures.” The words oozed with malice from his lips.

  “How would we convince them to join us?”

  “You wouldn’t need to. You only need take those you want to fill your ranks. I will do the rest. I will convince them to stay.”

  “I will call the great council and we will form a raid party.”

  And so, the feud between the Amazonian warriors and Cerynians was born.

  Verse Two: Chapter 1

  IT WAS AN HOUR BEFORE dawn when the Amazonian war cry pierced through the small sleeping village. The inhabitants were startled awake and most certainly caught off guard. Amazon warriors poured through the crude gates surrounding the town like ants on a sugar hill. They began grabbing the pregnant women left and right as the villagers scrambled to hide. They had come again to this village to fill their ranks with unborn children and young girls that could easily be molded into willing warriors of their tribe.

  The Cerynians were no match for these warrior women. The poorly equipped farmers had no defense against the highly skilled daughters of war. For years, the Cerynians had endured these random attacks. Most of the time the village had ample warning to prepare against an attack, but recent Amazonian wars had made the Amazons more aggressive in their raids. This was the second raid in less than a week.

  After the raid, Hon’hin, the village’s chief Raelisuir stood before the remaining villagers in a town meeting. His own daughter, Eunara who was recently wed and expecting, was taken in this raid. With tears in his eyes he addressed the villagers. “My people, we can no longer wait around for another raid on our children. It is time for drastic action. As your Raelisuir it is time for me to step into the twilight and speak to the Crythl.” He spoke slowly and smoothly as the morning sun poured over his ashen hair. Gasps emerged from the remaining few. Ila, a village elder, stood up and spoke.