As she held on to the hilts of her daggers, she stopped her momentum. The demon fell away from her, and the daggers slipped from the demon’s side. When she looked down at her daggers, she felt a tinge of fear. The blades were gone. She lifted the hilts up to inspect them more closely and noticed at the very base of the hilts were remnants of blade. The slivers of remaining metal glowed orange and radiated an intense heat. Her daggers had melted inside the demon’s body.
The demon roared in anger, furious at the surprise attacker. The beast hit the ground rolling and quickly regained its footing. It spun toward Ireli and charged her at full speed. The short distance between them closed, and neither she nor Caedmon had time to react. The demon struck her abdomen and instantly forced her to give up a dozen feet of ground. She rolled to a stop on her back and tried to skitter away on her elbows, but the demon’s advance was unrelenting. Her fear overwhelmed her, and her eyes locked on to the wounds she had created, only to find a thick orange semisolid substance seeping out of them. The thick liquid darkened and hardened as it sealed the wounds. The demon roared, and the deep red glow within its throat made her scream in pure terror as the evil charged her again.
Vines erupted around the demon and wildly reached for the unstoppable force. The vines wrapped around the beast only to be snapped and severed by its unrelenting momentum.
“Ireli!” Caedmon shouted.
“I abhor humans!” Maleuuenant bellowed.
Maleuuenant’s ferocity was immeasurable. The demon bent down over Ireli’s helpless form, and she covered her face with both arms in fear and screamed in pure terror.
Yet something strange happened. The demon was violently propelled high into the sky, flying backward away from Ireli at breakneck speed. The beast arced at its highest point of flight and raced back down toward the unforgiving ground. The charred body slammed haphazardly into the dirt, nearly one hundred yards away, and did not move after the forceful impact.
Caedmon looked back toward Ireli, who was still lying on her back with her arms crossed over her face. She lowered her guard when she realized the demon’s expected attack had not arrived. Caedmon looked at her in utter astonishment, his mouth agape. Ireli’s eyes were glowing a vibrant teal and radiating light, hiding her natural eyes from sight.
She lay there, completely confused by the unfolding events.
“Caedmon, what happened?” she cried out, her lingering terror keeping hold of her. She wondered where the demon had gone. She could feel an unusual sensation flowing through her, and she heard a female voice whispering comforting words into her ear.
Caedmon was elated and smiled as he had a separate thought running through his mind at that moment. The old guardian had finally found another Ikalreev mage from the spell cast long ago. He had begun to believe he would never find the others, but his purpose was renewed with her awakening.
He was about to answer her question when he was surrounded by a violent wind. It pushed him in different directions as it swirled around him. He took several steps back to maintain his footing against the erratic winds.
His thoughts began to churn as he realized the winds seemed to be emanating from Ireli. Even though he was delighted at finally finding another mage, he knew her power was highly unstable, and the magic’s heart was taking control of her. It was the spell at work, a pristine emotion felt in dire straits, and the Ikalreev magic now flowed through her with the purpose of defending her from any plight.
He cried out to Ireli, but his voice would not carry on the violent winds. He labored to take steps toward her, and the muscles in his legs began to burn as they strained to make a slow advance. The guardian shielded his eyes from the piercing wind and peeked through his protecting arms to see Ireli. Her body was convulsing violently, and her mouth was open wide as if she was screaming the violent winds into existence.
“Ireli!” Caedmon shouted through the howling gales.
The wind would not allow her to hear his cry. His mind raced, and his eyes began to water, fueled by a mixture of irritation from the wind and the thought of losing one of the five blessed by the Ikalreev magic. He could not bear the thought after finally finding the first of them after all this time.
The wind grew stronger, and Caedmon strained to keep his footing as his legs ached in resistance to the erratic gales. The guardian peered toward the demon with half-closed eyes, but he could tell the beast had vanished. The old wolf dismissed its disappearance and redirected his attention. If the demon was gone, then he could not follow it. He was concerned with the human girl before him now. He lowered himself onto all fours and dug his claws into the ground. He clawed his way toward the seizing girl. His pace was much quicker once he was no longer hindered by the gale force winds pushing against the height of his torso.
Ireli’s eyes were tightly closed, and her back arched in seizure. Her mouth was open and screaming gale-force winds.
“Ireli!” Caedmon shouted.
There was no response.
“Ireli!”
Again, she did not respond.
He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. When he did, her eyelids receded and her glowing eyes were revealed once again. Her chest lifted off the ground. She heaved in deeply, and the chaotic winds rushed into her. All the wind around them weakened, and the winds died to a stop when her jaw shut. Her body dropped back down to the ground, her eyes closed again, and her convulsions ceased.
Everything went quiet, and the air became still. The Ikalreev Prophecies portended a violent awakening for the Ikalreev mages, though the old wolf was unable to know at what intensity each mage would awake. He picked her up in his arms and looked down at her beautiful face. Even with the ferocity of her awakening, he smiled because he was no longer alone. She was breathing normally once again and stable for now.
“Thank you, Ireli, for protecting my life,” he whispered.
His eyes gathered tears, and he closed them as he tried to calm himself. No other person had made such a gesture throughout his long years. He started the long walk back to Mor with Ireli tightly held within his arms, finally knowing the spell worked.
Chapter 12
“Rising Mysteries”
“With mysteries abounding, the three mortals blessed with our magic must return to the place of origin. Only there will they wake, renewed and powerful.”
The Ikalreev Prophecies 7:3–4
Faolan rested on the bench in Mor’s town hall. He stared up at the crossbeams and wondered what the others were doing. The day had felt as if it had gone on forever. The hours stretched on with no one to talk to and nothing to keep his mind occupied. He looked through the front windows and saw the sun setting as an orange hue filled the sky.
The front door burst open, and he watched as people flooded into the room. Some of them were bantering back and forth. They were in the middle of a heated discussion, and Caedmon followed the boisterous crowd. He saw the old guardian cradling a human girl in his arms, and she was not moving. Caedmon laid the girl on the bench next to him and left her lying there so he could join the conversation.
Faolan could see she was breathing as her chest rose and fell, and a faint sound escaped her lips. He was not quite sure what was going on and turned his attention to the loud conversation.
“Mayor, we must return to Lesley. Your town will be safe, and the demon will not return. There are matters more pressing.” Caedmon raised his voice.
“Caedmon, you cannot leave! You just got here,” Soren pleaded desperately. “How do you know it will not attack again?”
“I give you my word; the demon found what it was searching for nearby. There is no reason it would stay here. It is gone,” Caedmon assured the emotional man.
“Caedmon, what is this all about?” Kellen questioned the guardian’s urgency.
“That girl is one of the Ikalreev mages,” he revealed to the others.
“Really?” Bayne was in shock. “Her?”
“She bears the Ikalreev magic that controls
the winds,” Caedmon divulged.
“In that little woman?” Soren wondered with a raised brow.
“Yes,” Caedmon confirmed. “Soren, I must consult the Ikalreev Prophecies. The demon is preparing the seals, and I must review the ancient script. I have forgotten details, which I must clarify. The Ikalreev Prophecies are the only source that may provide the answers I seek.”
“What about Mor? Even if the demon leaves, we still have so much to deal with between the Hyips, burying our dead, and guarding the front gate. We still need your assistance,” Soren begged.
“I am sorry, Soren. I will have King Zael send others in our stead. We will be leaving tonight. This matter is of great importance.”
Faolan’s mind raced. He found one? He glanced over at the beautiful auburn-haired girl who was lying next to him. She is an Ikalreev mage, and the prophecies are true?
“It is unclear how the magic will affect her or how long she will remain unconscious, which is why we must make haste. I may understand our next steps if I consult the prophecies,” Caedmon said so the others could better understand his position.
“Caedmon, you are bleeding!” Aili said as she walked into the room.
There was a pause in the conversation.
“I will be fine,” he assured her.
“Nonsense. I will take a look at those wounds,” she commanded.
“Very well.” He knew he should not argue with her.
“Should you not consult with Faolan before you make a decision?” Gavina suggested.
The wolf sighed and wished he could do without the formalities, but he realized it would be best if he did not undermine their appointed leader. If he made decisions for the group instead of Faolan, then the others might think less of the young guardian’s leadership.
The recovering leader watched as the ancient protector approached him.
“Faolan, did you hear what we were speaking about?” Caedmon asked.
“Yes.”
“I must request our group head back to Lesley. The reasons are important, I assure you. I will inform King Zael our return was at my strict request.”
Faolan hesitated. “Caedmon, may I have a few words with you alone?”
Caedmon nodded and asked the others to leave them. The others vacated the room and left them to talk in private. The young leader took a moment to gather his thoughts.
“So it is confirmed? The spell remains active?” Faolan wondered.
“Her magic was real and powerful.”
“You know where the Ikalreev Prophecies are located?”
“Yes, they are protected in King Zael’s library.”
“So just back to Lesley then?”
“Yes, we do not have to go off on some random journey. It is just back to Lesley,” Caedmon confirmed.
“Very well, if this is all as important as you say it is, then we should go.”
“Thank you, Faolan.” Caedmon bowed gratefully.
“Can you inform the others of my decision?” Faolan asked.
“I will,” the old guardian said as he began to turn away.
“Caedmon?” the young leader quietly called out.
“Yes?” The old wolf turned back around and could see the Shadow Guardian was troubled by something.
“Could I ask you something?” Faolan hesitated as he tried to formulate his thoughts.
“Anything,” Caedmon assured him.
“Do you remember how Aili was acting back in Lesley, when we were leaving?” Faolan wondered.
“I do,” the wolf nodded.
“She was saying odd things before I carried her to the wagon. I did not know what to think of it at the time,” Faolan admitted.
“What was she saying?”
“She was talking about wings on my back. About a strangely colored eye and scars all over my body. Things that did not make any sense,” Faolan explained.
“Hmm.” Caedmon was listening.
“But I think what makes it the most unnerving is the champion I faced . . . said similar things,” Faolan stared at nothing in particular as he searched his incomplete memories.
“What do you mean?”
“While the champion and I were fighting, the champion said to me, ’Winged. Evil. Not elf.’ I did not understand what it was saying, but as I have been lying here, I have been thinking about how similar Aili’s words were to the champion’s. Both talked about strange things. They must have seen something or else they would not have cowered in fear as they did.” Faolan’s eyes stared into his memories as they were transfixed on the distant imagery.
Caedmon was curious. “Perhaps they saw something, but why did they fear? That would be my question.”
“I am unsure. I blacked out during both occurrences,” he explained. “I have no memory of either instance. I only remember their responses to what they saw.”
Caedmon tapped the side of his head with a thoughtful finger. “Strange. You experienced amnesia?” The old beast thought for a moment. “Hmmm, could it be possible . . .?” Caedmon waved his hand dismissively. “No, it’s impossible. Do not weigh too heavily on it. I would not draw any conclusions just yet, Faolan. It is hard to say what they saw or if their words even hold meaning. Perhaps they just happened to have hallucinations,” he said, though he wondered about Faolan’s words. His old mind drifted to a part of the Ikalreev Prophecies, and he considered a possible correlation.
“I do not know, Caedmon. It seems more than coincidence or chance hallucinations,” Faolan argued. “If you could have seen the fear in their eyes. If you could have heard the sorrow in their voices. It was almost tangible despair. And I could feel . . . something, a hand on my shoulder. I am afraid, Caedmon.”
Caedmon hesitated as he felt for the boy but had no answers. It all sounded quite strange to him as well and honestly did not make any sense. It would do them no good to dwell on the matter, and so Caedmon stood up.
“Do not be worried by their words. I doubt they have any significance,” Caedmon stated with confidence. “I will tell the others to ready the wagon. Please stay your fears for now.”
“I will try.” Faolan yielded but was unhappy with Caedmon’s conclusion. He was confused by the two occurrences and wanted answers.
Caedmon walked away without further discussion.
Ireli and Faolan were left to lie side by side. After Caedmon had exited the room, Faolan’s thoughts spun in turmoil. He did not understand any of it, and it was all so confusing, between Aili’s words and the champion’s words. Then there were the Ikalreev spell, the mages, and the seals. There was so much he did not understand and it was all so foreign to him, so extreme. It felt as if the world was ending.
He looked over at the beautiful girl lying next to him and wondered who she was and from where she came. He did not understand how a girl so beautiful could be caught up in such a mess. Of course, he did not know her, and she might be fierce, but she seemed soft and kind, at least while she was unconscious.
How unfortunate, he thought. He sighed and looked back at the ceiling. He continued drifting through his thoughts as he waited for the others to come and get them.
◆◆◆
Within the hour, the group of nine set off from Mor just as the sun was descending below the horizon. Faolan and Ireli were lying in the wagon bed when they departed the still-recovering human settlement. Aili and Auvelia sat beside them to keep watch and maintain their stable conditions, though more so for Ireli than the guardian. The injured leader was healing quite well and quicker than expected.
Leith coached the wagon just as before, though he was unappreciative of his bench companion. The healer prepared for the seemingly long travel with the prince as they journeyed back to Lesley.
Caedmon, Gavina, and Kellen walked alongside the wagon as it rolled forward. Gavina and Kellen discussed the unusual events that were occurring and debated their perceptions of the forces at work. They had a great deal to consider between the beast and the Drey’kan on one hand and King Zae
l’s decisions and his current strategic placement of the elven military on the other. They could not keep their strategizing minds from hypothetically playing the board.
While the three leisurely delved into deep military strategies, Auvelia struck up a conversation with Aili in the wagon bed.
“Well, dear, how did you get yourself into this mess?” Auvelia asked kindly.
Aili glanced at the seasoned scout. “What do you mean?”
“Both of you must be quite skilled for the king to recommend you for such a journey.” The scout tilted her head toward Leith on the front bench.
“Skilled is a flattering word,” the blonde healer humbly remarked, “though skill is probably not the reason.”
“What do you mean, dear?”
Aili glanced down at the boards beneath her. “Our technique of mending the wounded differs from no other healer, save my voice.”
“How does your voice make you different from other healers?”
The delicate elf maiden drew her knees in and hugged them before explaining. “The melodies I sing cause those who hear them to heal more quickly and to develop no further complications. My brother calls them songs of warding.”
“Are those the same as your slumbering songs?”
The healer nodded. “Yes, most describe the songs that way because they do not see the beneficial healing part of my singing voice.”
“Fascinating. How did you discover such a healing technique?” Auvelia wondered in genuine curiosity.
The fair healer recollected the memory of the magical discovery and shared. “I was young at the time, maybe twenty-three or twenty-four. I was not a healer then, just a simple elf maiden without a purpose. I assisted small shop owners with menial tasks while I tried to figure out who I wanted to be and where I wanted to go in life. My brother always knew he wanted to be a healer, but not me.
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