Ben glared defiantly at Brent. “Yes to what? You haven’t said what it is you want.”
Brent pushed Ben away from him and leaned back. “I need you to swear the fealty of the Army, Navy and Guard over to me. Acknowledge me as the rightful General of the Realm. Then we will announce that Healy is dead. Then I will convince the Council to offer me the temporary position of Lord Protector until the rightful heir is crowned.”
Ben laughed out loud. Blood and spit sprayed from his mouth and covered the table with specks. “Is that all? Tell me. What have you done with Erebus? Has he agreed yet?”
“Good point, no. I’ll deal with him later.” Brent pulled out his amulet. “Do you remember this? My faith tells me I need not fear Erebus. Yes or no? I need your answer now.”
“Or you kill me, yes?”
“Exactly.”
“Then, yes, damn you. Although I don’t expect it will matter. You’ll be dead soon enough. Erebus won’t let you live, you arrogant bastard.”
Twenty-One
Munsten Castle, April 902 A.C.
KATHERINE AND DOG moved unseen through the streets of Munsten. They cloaked themselves and moved quickly toward the castle. Once they had left the Sect members they had pulled power and ran across the land. Gaea had approached them once or twice and told them to slow down. She wanted them in Munsten for a set time. Today was that time.
Katherine had demanded answers from Gaea. She had learned that Brent was in the castle already and that Healy was dead by his hand. Will, Nadine and her father Steve were only minutes behind her and moving toward the castle, although they knew not why. Katherine found Gaea’s answers annoying. She had called her out on it a week ago running through a tall redwood forest.
“Why so cryptic all the time? Why can’t you just tell the truth and the whole truth?”
“Probabilities. Knowledge will change results when directly observed. The only way to assure desired results is to keep certain facts hidden.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Katherine. I’m sorry, but it would take years to teach you. Trust me. I make sure everyone has the knowledge they need.”
“To suit your purpose.”
“Purposes. Yes.”
I trust her, panted Dog running beside Katherine.
Katherine spared a glance at Dog. Perhaps you shouldn’t trust so much, Doogie-Doog.
I trust you.
Katherine had no reply to that and ran on.
Now they were approaching the main entrance to the castle. Throngs of people were lined up for an audience with the Council to hear their grievances. They would be petitioning for an audience to resolve issues. Many would be turned away. Some would be permitted to enter. Katherine wasn’t worried. She kept Dog and her hidden from eyes and they stepped past the guards and people. In mere moments they were past security and in the open and empty corridors of the castle.
Erebus could be anywhere. Dog and she had been practising controlling their power over the motes on their journey here. They felt they needed to be closer to Erebus. Katherine wielded her staff and walked along the corridor toward what she felt was the centre of the castle.
The corridor changed into a white marble. She heard footsteps hurrying toward her and two officers judging by their uniform were walking at a fast clip toward her and Dog. They moved to the side as they approached not aware of the influences Katherine placed on them with her power. Their eyes swept over them not seeing the pair. They were talking to one another.
“Yes, all the senior officers. Miller wants them all in the Council chamber with the council at noon.”
“What for? Do you know why?”
“No, he didn’t say. He won’t let anyone in his chamber. Healy is off limits, did you hear? The Guard has been ordered to stand down. Something’s up.”
The two officers disappeared around the corner taking their conversation with them. Katherine led Dog toward the double doors at the end of a wide corridor. The sides of the corridor were filled with glass display cabinets displaying all sorts of objects that meant nothing to Katherine. She strode up to the doors and gripping her staff in one hand pushed open the right door.
It swung open to reveal and large chamber with rows and rows of seats surrounding a central area with a throne and tables. Seated on the throne was Erebus. Katherine growled and walked forward holding her staff down at her side. Dog trotted beside her and growled in unison.
Erebus seeing them enter the chamber leapt to his feet and shimmered. He looked surprised and then shimmered again.
“You won’t escape that way, monster,” growled Katherine. “I’m holding you here. You are over Erebus. Banished to nothing.”
Erebus shimmered again and cried out in anger. Katherine drew power and pushed off the marble floor with both feet. She flew across the remaining distance and slashed her staff in front of her and drove it deep into Erebus. The sickle blade on the top parted his skin like water and Katherine stopped it in his midriff. She twisted the staff and grinned up at Erebus.
Erebus cried out and grasped the staff and pulled it out of him. Where the staff touched his body, he disintegrated into a fine powder. Erebus backed away and Katherine leaned on her staff and grinned up at Erebus.
“How’s that for a surprise, you bastard?”
Erebus looked down at the hole in his body. As he looked the hole filled in until he was whole again. He looked down at Katherine and smiled his own black-toothed smile.
Katherine screeched and reached out with Dog for their power. They threw it at Erebus and almost struck him with it when he put up his own power as a shield. Dog and Katherine pushed harder with their power, but Erebus responded in kind. A dull rhythmic sound filled the air along with a pulsing that seemed to radiate away from them.
Katherine could see what was happening. They balanced in power. They remained pushing their power looking for a weakness. The pulsing accelerated and rippled outward across the Realm. Katherine gnashed her teeth in frustration and drew power to her and threw it at Erebus. They were at a stalemate and she knew she had to tip the balance in her favour. She had struck deep into Erebus and activated the virus. When she saw him turn grey at the wound, she had thought him defeated. When it healed over, she knew it had failed. She hadn’t known what to expect but a smiling Erebus was not one of the outcomes she envisaged.
“Katherine!”
She glanced over in surprise and sensed the presence of Will Arbor. She scowled at the interruption and heard Erebus growl. Dog recognised Will and barked in greeting. This is simply the worst timing.
She looked back to Erebus only to see him running out of the chamber by a back entrance. She flicked her hand and dismissed Will, throwing him back to his body and took off in a run.
Nadine, Steve, Martin and I found ourselves in a space behind the inner walls of the castle. The air was dusty, and I coughed. Martin was the last in the narrow space and complained about a lack of light right away. I felt Nadine give me better vision in the dark with her power and then hurried down the hidden corridor. I heard Martin make a sound in pleasant surprise.
“Caution, Will,” said Steve coming up behind me. “Let me lead here. There may be traps.”
I hadn’t thought of that and let Steve go past me.
“Are you sure it was Katherine?”
I nodded and then laughed when I realised he couldn’t see me. “Yes, I think so.”
“You think so?”
“Well, it could be Gaea pretending to be her. But Dog was there, too. They saw me out of body. So did Erebus.”
“How does that matter?”
“It doesn’t. Except I could see the pain on Erebus’ face. Katherine was hurting him. Gaea has never been able to do that. I’m sure it is her.”
“How can she be alive, and you not sense her?”
“She must be cut off. It’s the only answer that makes sense. Gaea’s been doing something. We are all here. Did you notice that? Gaea made sure of it.”<
br />
“You seem pretty sure.”
I heard Nadine snort behind me. “He’s not really. He’s making this up as he goes along.”
“God has his hand in this,” stated Martin behind us. I could hear the sincerity in his voice. He believed it completely. “He has led us here for a great purpose.”
“We’ll see Martin,” replied Nadine.
We concentrated on where we were headed and stopped when we came to a side-tunnel that led away from the castle. Steve hesitated a moment and then indicated the side-tunnel.
“This way.”
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I smell the ocean. If I was Erebus and running, I would head to the sea.”
I didn’t argue and let Steve lead the way down the tunnel. After a short trek, we found ourselves at a dead-end. Steve started tapping the walls and looking around.
“Steve? What are we doing? This is a dead end.”
“Nope,” he said. “It’s not. Terrible design. Tunnels don’t just end. Oh, wait a moment.”
Steve crouched and started looking at the stone floor. “Aha! Here it is.” He lifted a stone tile. I could see it was hinged and below it was a ring. Steve grasped it and pulled upwards. The section of floor lifted revealing stairs leading down. “Let me go first. Careful now.”
We made our way down the tight, uneven stairs. At the bottom, we found ourselves in a tunnel carved from the earth and shored every few feet with wooden trusses and breasting boards. The air smelled damp but fresh, and a slight breeze could be felt on our faces. The smell of the ocean was much stronger now and grew stronger as we moved along. Steve checked everything for traps and it slowed us down. We hastened our pace, and the tunnel dropped down in places with wooden stairs. At places, exposed tree roots had broached the tunnel walls and ceilings and I could feel their pain where the roots had been hacked away. We had walked about a mile when the tunnel ended at a heavy wooden door. It was braced with iron bands and inset into a heavy wooden frame.
Steve approached the door and knelt to look at a metal plate beside the handle. On the plate were a series of metal studs like buttons. He examined it for a time and then stood up and turned to us. He looked defeated.
“This is beyond me. This is expert craftsmanship. I think you push the buttons in a sequence, but I have no idea what the sequence is or how long it is. Plus, all the studs are worn so they must all be pressed. Any ideas?”
Nadine looked confused. She tried to approach the door, but Steve shook his head at her and so she stopped beside me. She took my hand, and I squeezed it.
Martin had his amulet out and the glow was still present. He shook his head at me. “The amulet is growing stronger in brightness. This is the right way.”
I had spent my childhood living with the wolves and my recent memories made me think. I looked at the door before us and smiled when the answer came to me. Wolves dug dens from the earth all the time. Steve saw my look and raised an eyebrow. “Will, please tell me you have an idea?”
“Yes, there is a locked door before us built into a tunnel in the dirt. I say we simply go around it.”
Steve looked surprised and examined the tunnel walls. I looked at Nadine and she smiled. The draoi were always going to be underestimated. “I don’t see how Will. We would need shovels and ten men at least.”
“Step back everyone,” I said and waited till everyone was clear. I reached out with my senses and felt the presence of the trees above us. As always reaching out to nature filled me with such joy. This was my calling. Nature and the draoi were interchangeable. We were in the earth, but above us was a rich forest in a garden and I could feel the trees reaching deep into the soil for water and nutrients. The roots were everywhere and as the draoi knew, the roots were the tree. As the leader of the draoi, I was named after these very roots. Freamhaigh meant roots. I smiled and called out to the trees. They responded with joy and for a time we shared the pleasure of the connection. I explained what we needed and why.
I gave the trees my power and encouraged their growth and in moments the walls of the tunnel nearest the door started to shift. Martin cried out in wonder and thanked God. Roots sprung through and pushed the soil aside. Other roots moved in to support the new tunnel that was opening beside the door. I watched in admiration as nature responded to the draoi of the land. As Freamhaigh, this was what I was after. People and nature living together in harmony.
In a few minutes, a new tunnel had formed beside the door. I thanked the trees and beckoned for Steve to advance. He shot me a grateful smile, and we were soon moving back into the original tunnel on the other side of the door.
Nadine patted my back. “Well done, young man. Don’t let it swell your head.”
We stopped at another door similar to the first and I called on the trees to help us once again. They obliged, and we entered the new tunnel. Once on the other side we looked back and saw spikes on a metal grate suspended above the door. Steve grimaced and led the way down the tunnel. He slowed us down and looked for pressure pads on the floor. It was slow going, but Steve insisted. The tunnel turned to the right and we saw another door. A small table with lanterns and oil on it stood next to it. This door looked like any simple door, but Steve approached it and looked it over.
“I can find nothing. Will?”
I queried the trees, and they told me that beyond the door was a large chamber open to the sea. I told the others and Steve carefully opened the door.
Beyond the door was a large natural cavern with large crystals embedded in the stone. It was a laboratory by the looks of it. Tables and tools lay everywhere. To one side was a wooden shack of some importance being the only building in the large chamber. Central to the room was a large raised stone table with shackles. I knew instantly this was the room the Sect had conducted their tortures against the draoi. My father had likely been tortured in this room. I heard Nadine make a soft cry.
I had no time to examine the room more closely. As Martin and Nadine came in behind me I saw Erebus standing with his back to us. He was in his true form; black and foreboding. Here was the central form of Erebus. I felt his presence and knew he was trapped here in this form. We could inflict real damage to him for once. I felt my heart race. He was facing Katherine and I could see she was dripping wet. Dog stood at her side growling at Erebus with his hackles raised and water pouring off of him. They had come in by the sea entrance. Katherine wielded the same strange black staff. It reminded me of the sickle I once carried. Katherine saw us at once and called out to Erebus to keep his attention on her.
“Look at me, Erebus. I am your end. There is no escaping this cavern. Fitting you should die where so many draoi ended their lives.”
“You have no idea what you are up against. You are nothing! Nothing! I am everywhere in this world. There isn’t anything I don’t touch. Your time on Earth is over at long last. I will return this planet to what it was so many aeons ago. I will reseed it. Bring back the life that is meant to live here. Not this abomination.”
“Never!” screamed Katherine, and she raised her staff at the same time she and Dog pushed their power at Erebus. I was staggered by their power. It was like the draoi power only more concentrated and controlled. Erebus responded in kind and the powers clashed. The pulsing of power reverberated out of the cavern with a deep low sound. It struck us, but I was prepared this time. I reached out across the bond to protect my draoi. This was the power of the Freamhaigh. I was all the draoi and a focus. With my power, I could give, or I could take from the draoi. It only required their willingness to join with me. When I reached out to the draoi across the bond, I felt their instant acceptance. Our family had grown from trust and love and I felt them all in every corner of Belkin respond to me.
The waves of power spread out across Belkin and I felt nature shudder in response. And the horror of it struck to my core. People collapsed in pain where they were. Animals and insects fell to the ground, some with their life ripped from them. Plants and t
rees vibrated in pain they had never felt before. All life in Belkin was tied to these powers and in opposition, they reflected off each other. Belkin screamed in pain and sought salvation. I was that salvation should I find a way to stop this. Before me, Katherine and Erebus were in perfect balance. Neither would win this fight.
I knew more power would tip the balance. I felt Nadine agree, and I drew from my draoi and punched the power into the back of Erebus. He howled and twisted so that he could see both Katherine and Dog and Nadine and I. The pulsing grew louder and quicker. My ears hurt with the rising pressure waves. I reached out to the draoi and pushed all we had at Erebus. I repeated what I had done at the Crossroads, except this time he pushed back with more power and the balance was restored again.
I cried out in pain. The crystals in the cavern shattered, raining pieces all over the floor. I felt shards cut my hands and face. The pulsing grew quicker and my teeth vibrated. I worried then. Across the land, I felt nature struggle to exist against the onslaught. The forced balance would eventually tip to Erebus; it was only a matter of time.
I knew Gaea had placed us on this path for a reason. Her plan was to bring me and my draoi here with our strengthened bond to fight this creature. Katherine and Dog wielded some power equal to the draoi, but whatever it was they were trying it was not working. The harder we pushed the harder Erebus pushed back. It was an impossible task. Nothing could tip the balance.
I glanced at Nadine and saw the determination on her face and saw the same realisation that we were not going to win. Beside her lay the crumpled forms of Steve and Martin. In Martin’s hand, he held his amulet. A stray thought I had had so many months ago came unbidden to me at that moment. I had been dwelling on the trinity of Gaea, the Church, and Erebus. I knew what had caught my interest. It was wrong to include Erebus in the Trinity, and if anything, his powers were similar to Gaea’s. There was something missing from the Trinity and I had sensed it way back then. Now I knew what it was. Gaea and the Church were two arms of the three. The third was whatever Katherine was. I smiled at Nadine and she looked back at me confused.
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