by Linda Jordan
“Surely, the Four should be removed,” said Varion.
“The Four especially must stay. They are our power. They will help keep the Fomorians confined,” said Meredith. “Now, go down the stairs and choose a few minor things to remove.”
He did as she said, beckoning some of his advisors to go with him.
They descended the stairs into the pit and began looking through the treasures. Occasionally, one of them brought something up, an ornate torc or a jeweled knife. Something worth saving.
Meredith noticed she was steaming and turned to find Egan standing very close.
“Control yourself,” she said.
“He will try to escape.”
“Of course he will. We must keep him in. He will wait till the last minute. Right before the door closes,” she said.
Meredith watched as her brother and the officials wove beneath the massive metal and stone columns which had been built to support the heavy metal doors. The Vaults were deep. If they heaped a mountain of stone on top, then perhaps, just perhaps… With spells in place. It might hold the Fomorians.
Meredith turned to one of the stone spirits standing nearby, “We must get enough large blocks and boulders to seal the top. Can you and your kind have them standing by? Our spells will only hold them alone for so long.”
He nodded and bowed at her.
“I will see it done.” He turned and left, gathering his kind as he left.
The cold wind blew and the fog came, shutting out the sun.
The first Fomorians had arrived.
Chapter 34 ~ Skye
When she sensed the Fomorians, Skye fled, flying up on top on a tall stone building that overlooked the courtyard. She knew their winds could knock her off in a second. Toss her in the air like a seed.
Still, she felt safer there than on the ground.
How could this plan work? It seemed impossible to contain the gods. One of them, she didn’t know which one, made earthquakes. How could they contain that in a simple deep pit?
Of course Fae had different magic than that of the Fomorians. Perhaps Meredith knew some sort of binding spell that would disable them.
Skye certainly hoped so.
She felt the winds, Conand and Elatha, and the fog, Cethlenn, move into the pit. She struggled to hold on to the top of the building, their power drew her to them. Perhaps far back, they were even kin.
They were obviously drawn to the power of Faerie.
They must have recognized the Four. Those items in particular had caused the Fomorians’ downfall if the Fae’s old stories were to be believed.
Then came Corb, of the sea, and Domnu, the deep abyss of the ocean. They had transformed themselves into humanlike bodies, but their wateriness couldn’t quite hold the forms.
There were others whose real names Skye didn’t know. Earthquake, deluge, tsunami.
Last of all came Balor, drought. His gaze burned a path in front of him, leaving the white stones of the courtyard with a scorched, deep black trail. Then he closed his third eye and put kerchiefs on to hide it.
Skye noticed when Balor saw the Luminary down in the pit, with all the others. Varion wielded Lugh’s spear and Nuada’s sword, trying to do as much damage to the Fomorians as he could. Some of the court officials had also found swords as well.
She watched as Balor saw the Four. The sword, the spear, the cauldron and the stone.
He too was drawn to them.
Sucked under by their power.
The history and mythology of the Fae was contained in the four treasures. It was impossible to believe they were going to be lost forever.
There was something else there too. She felt as if Meredith had added a little extra something to the Four. Even Skye could feel the longing to possess them, as if they contained everything she’d ever wanted.
As the giant Balor plodded down the great stairs, the earth shook beneath his feet. He wrenched the sword of Nuada from Varion and held it high. Yelling out in victory. The Luminary huddled near the foot of the stairs, still holding the spear.
A cone of magic spiraled out from Meredith’s hands. She joined with Adaire and Egan. Skye felt herself drawn into the spiral. Her energy was sucked into a dome which Meredith was creating over the vaults. The elder water spirit was drawing power from Egan, Adaire, Dylan and any other Fae near her.
Skye’s power was at Meredith’s disposal, but her mind reeled at what the elder was doing. Skye had only heard about Fae using other’s power. Never had she witnessed it. It was the stuff of the old stories, from when Fae were young.
She had had no idea Meredith carried that much magic. Or that she could withstand using all the energy flowing through her.
Meredith had been using that reservoir of their power to gather up the energy used in maintaining Faerie’s boundary, building on the enormous power she held until it reached a peak. She had unraveled the boundary completely, reeling the magic in, transmuting it and using it to seal the vault. Entrapping the Fomorians.
And her own brother, as well as three court officials.
Skye felt grief for the Fae. And a sort of relief, mingled with disbelief, at the Fomorians’ capture.
Then the heavy doors were being pushed back into place. The earth rumbled as the Fomorians understood what was happening. Some of them ran for the stairs.
The Luminary was there first. He tried to get up the stairs and escape, but was knocked backwards as he hit Meredith’s spell.
As soon as the doors were slammed shut and sealed, much quicker and easier than they’d been opened, massive stones were floated over the top and set in place by hundreds of stone Fae. Granite after marble after white quartz.
The earth continued to shake. Water tried to flow out, but was contained by the spell.
Skye could feel the air, the winds trying to escape. They too were powerless against Meredith’s spell.
Meredith continued to draw on the power of others. Skye watched as she kept a balance of earth, air, fire and water, using whoever was nearby. Fae were streaming into the courtyard as if called, and allowing their power to be used to maintain the spell. Those who had already helped and were exhausted, left the center, moving to the edges so they could keep watching.
Skye watched as two nearby buildings were dismantled and the blocks floated over by Stone Fae. After several layers, they began to form a ring of stones. Mortaring everything in place. Sealing it. Water spirits, then it filled with water.
Soil was brought in, by earth Fae and around the ring, copper panels were placed here and there. Roses and vines were planted, their stems wrapping around the panels, clamoring up them. Water lilies and lotus were put in the pond by sprites and undines. As were orange and yellow fish whose shiny scales glistened in the sunlight.
A stone island was created in the center of the pond. One of the large metal bowls was set in the center and an oil fire was lit. It would burn forever.
Skye flew down to the tiny flame and blew on it. The flame leapt higher. She’d added air to seal the spell, completing earth, water and fire.
Then she landed near the others. She felt so weary and worn out. Still her mind reeled at Meredith’s ingenuity, flexibility and strength.
When the spell was finished, Meredith collapsed.
Dylan caught her before she hit the ground.
Chapter 35 ~ Fiachna
Fiachna wearily followed the others into the palace. He was exhausted and covered with dust from prying loose blocks off nearby buildings. And placing them over the Vault.
His magic felt depleted.
He wanted nothing more than to go sit in the woods, by a quiet stream. Drinking the sweet water and allowing his mind to join with a pile of stones. To soak up their energy.
So, he reveled in the coolness of the palace, feeling the energy of the surrounding stones begin to fill him up again. The beautiful green chalcedony pillars of the colonnade, the marble floor, swirling in black and white. The floor felt smooth beneath his feet. The th
rone made from strands of gold, copper and silver which had been woven together, sat empty.
The palace smelled charred.
The Luminary was dead.
Or dying in the Vault.
He had seen the necessity of it. Still, Fiachna felt they had committed a terrible crime.
The Luminary had been chosen by Faerie. By the land, the water, the air surrounding them and by fire. Yet, Meredith had probably been right. None of them had seen another way to contain the Fomorians.
They lay Meredith on a low platform off to the side of the throne room. Water Fae huddled nearby, the young undine stroked Meredith’s face, moving her wild hair off of it.
Fiachna knew they were trying to infuse her with their power.
It wouldn’t work.
He’d seen it happen once or twice in his long life. Fae who used up all their power. Held nothing back. It had always been for a good cause, but once the power was drained so low, there was nothing that could be done.
If she lived, she’d be powerless.
To be a Fae without power must be an awful thing.
But she’d saved all of them.
And perhaps the world.
Because after they’d destroyed Faerie, Fiachna had no doubt that the Fomorians would have turned their attention to the humans. They had little reverence for the living.
Fiachna could feel the unease of everyone present. They were leaderless and the boundaries of Faerie had collapsed. Someone needed to take hold.
He walked over to the fire Fae. The strong one who’d been outside Faerie.
“What’s your name?”
“What?” asked the fire spirit, looking away from Meredith and towards Fiachna with confusion filled eyes.
“I asked you your name.”
“Egan. Why?”
He clearly was preoccupied with Meredith.
“Because someone needs to take control here.”
“Meredith…”
“Will be damaged. If she lives. She will be without any power. She used too much of her own power to save us. Don’t make her sacrifice count for nothing. There are several Fae over there, from the old court, who are just waiting to take power. They will be as inept a leader as Varion was.”
“I know nothing about the court. I’ve been gone for a thousand years.”
“Good. We need strength and we need new ideas. Faerie has been growing weak for too long. It should never have been closed off from the world and those in power stayed too long. This Earth, and humans, need us to help them. Now, go up to the throne and speak. Claim it as your own. You might be challenged. I think you can deal with that.”
Egan stared at him.
Fiachna could almost see the thoughts spinning his head.
Egan stroked the leather bag which hung at his hip and turned to walk up to the throne. He stood in front of it and fire blazed from him, creating a corona.
Everyone turned to look at him, drawn by his heat and magnetism.
“My friends, we must act. The boundaries of Faerie have been thrown wide open. We will probably never again have the power to close Faerie completely. I have spent the last thousand years among humans. They are a good people, although a bit paranoid. We must mask our world for a short time. Let them discover us gradually. To do otherwise would invite war. We must teach them to live with us, to live with this Earth and not destroy it.”
“No! We should have nothing to do with humans,” said one of the former court officials.
“How do you propose keeping us secret?” asked Egan.
“I agree with Egan,” said one of the newcomers. The powerful dryad. She stood close to him, although not so close as to catch fire. The woman had long dark hair and skin the color of pale oak leaves. She was lean and muscled.
“I too have lived among the humans. They need guidance or they will destroy this world. They’ve been left on their own too long and like errant children, need to be tutored and directed towards healing the damage they’ve caused. They desperately need our help.”
One of the newcomers, a water spirit, stood up beside Egan as well. He said, “I agree. Water is the life blood of this Earth. If we do not cleanse it, their filth will infect our water as well. With the boundaries of Faerie gone, our water will mingle with theirs. We must enter into their world more fully. But quietly at first. Choosing those able listen without fear.”
The group of court officials began to drift away from each other. None of them had the magical power to directly challenge Egan, even without his supporters. They had no plan. They couldn’t put Faerie back together again.
An old fire spirit standing next to Fiachna said, “It’s been a very long time since a fire spirit was the Luminary. A very long time.”
“I call for a decision,” said the sylph who was part of their group. She hovered above the arched ceiling above the throne.
“I add my call to hers,” said Fiachna.
“But we don’t have another choice,” said one of the court officials.
“Do we need one?” asked Fiachna. “When Nuada was reinstalled as Luminary, a second choice was not needed. When Lugh was given the task, a second choice was not needed. Sometimes the answer is clear. As always, the elements will decide.”
Finally, one by one, the Fae in the room took up the call.
And the elements answered. The throne turned to flaming metal. The colonnade gained an aura of fire. The pool behind the throne gave off a halo of rainbow colored flames. A breeze blew through the palace making the blazes flare. For a few moments, the entire palace became an inferno. Just long enough to make a point.
Then the flames waned. The dryad next to Egan looked rather faint. The water Fae looked dried out.
Egan’s intensity would be difficult for some.
Ravens were sent to speak with every Fae within Faerie.
Fae warriors were stationed by the vault. Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the Fomorians broke out. Hopefully, the vault would hold them long enough that another solution could be found.
By the time the sun set and the moon rose, Egan was declared the Luminary in an official ceremony.
He sent earth, water and air Fae to the old boundaries to make them look impassable.
Fiachna chose not to go.
Just this once.
He felt weary of protecting the boundaries.
Chapter 36 ~ Egan
Egan stood in one of the humid palace baths where Meredith lay propped up against a stone wall, inside a pool which was fed from a sacred well. Her skin was a pale green, but since he’d mostly seen her in human form or in distress, he didn’t know for sure what she really looked like. Except she looked sick and in pain. He smelled seaweed and fish.
The room was tiled with royal blue, turquoise and cream colored smooth tiles. Inset into them and forming curving patterns were a variety of beautiful shells. Water musically flowed down the walls like a pleasant stream deep in the woods. Light filtered into the warm room through a frosted Fae glass window of a green blue color.
The light made the room feel like it was underwater. At least to him. Who had never once been underwater. and never intended to be. Fire Fae were cleansed by heat and sand, not water. Water merely dampened their fire, or put it out. Sometimes permanently.
Even being in the steam made him uncomfortable. His body just expended more heat to keep him dry.
He removed a piece of one of the peppers from the leather pouch and nibbled on it, feeling the burning in his mouth and the back of his throat. The sweet peppery taste danced on his tongue. He closed his eyes for a couple seconds, enjoying the sensation. Feeling the fire hit his body and energize it.
Egan shifted from one foot to the other, watching Dylan, Lynette and three other water spirits tend to Meredith. One of them was always feeding her energy, as if it would reanimate her.
He wasn’t sure it would.
The room changed. The water rolling down the walls turned quickly into steam which crept beneath h
is scales. It felt uncomfortable, even though he like the heat.
The palace made him feel uneasy. It kept shifting wherever he walked. As if responding to his presence, making a place for him that was the most conducive to fire spirits wherever he went. But to do that was to exclude many Fae who couldn’t be comfortable in the heat.
He didn’t want that.
Egan scratched a scaly arm.
Two days had passed and Meredith still wasn’t awake. She was alive though. That was something.
He felt torn between coming up with a plan for helping Faerie integrate itself into the rest of the world and staying by Meredith’s bedside.
Dylan rose from Meredith’s side and motioned for Egan to follow him out of the room. They stood in a wide corridor made of red marble.
“You need to leave. You’re not helping her heal,” said Dylan.
“I don’t know what else to do,” admitted Egan.
“You’re turning the place into a sauna. She needs coolness.”
Egan looked at Dylan, “I did that?”
Dylan nodded his head and sighed. “The palace is responding to you, mostly. Normally, it changes depending on who is viewing it, everyone sees the palace they expect and are comfortable in. Who knows what it actually looks like or is? But now it’s overwhelmingly reacting to you, no matter what anyone else wants to see. Look, we’ll call you the moment she becomes conscious. Don’t you have work to do?”
“I do. But I’m worried about her.”
“We all are,” said Dylan. “But the best healers in Faerie are here. If they can’t help, certainly you can’t either. Go focus on what only you can do. Work off some of your heat.”
Egan nodded and left the water Fae to their work of tending Meredith.
Most of the old court officials had left the palace. Many of them were plant or water spirits and felt uncomfortable around him. But that left the normal palace routine in complete disarray.
He knew no one here and trusted them even less.
Except the rock spirit, the older one, Fiachna. He was solid.
Egan knew other advisors would come, but he needed advice now.