Grace of the Light

by Fergal F. Nally

  “Are you all right?” Jax managed to say.

  “Aye… give me a minute.”

  “We need to leave now, there may be more of them.”

  Raine pushed herself up wincing at the pain in her side. Her breathing settled, the pain eased, she checked herself quickly, no wounds and nothing broken, she was lucky. She looked round and saw five dead wolves. How had they done it? She looked at Jax with new eyes, this man was a warrior, she had underestimated him because of his years. Respect and admiration filled her. She picked up her blades.

  “If only we had horses, we could out run them,” she said.

  “Aye, but we don’t have horses, we’ll have to make do with what we’ve got,” Jax replied.

  In the distance a howl went up followed by another.

  “More of them are coming. Let’s go!” Jax turned and started running down the mountain.

  Raine followed Jax. He pushed the pace. Her mind switched off from her body, random images from the past came to her, of time spent with Severin, Ash and Marianne. Her body knew what to do, she followed it.

  Then the voice kicked in.

  Snap out of it! You are so close, you cannot afford to falter. The Twist is within reach, find the keystone, your hand will unlock the dream, the dream will take you to the song and the song will unlock the Twist. It will embrace your body and soul, making you the vessel of destruction, to kill for the Mother, to kill for the Erthe. Wake up and fight, do not retreat, do not die!

  Raine was shocked out of the past and into the present. The past was soft, easy, not for now. The voice was correct, she would fight, for Severin and the children, in honour of their memory. She focused on her feet, they were a blur, striking the ground taking her further from danger, taking her to the Twist.

  “Stop!” Jax shouted ahead.

  Raine looked and saw him standing at the edge of a deep ravine. She arrived beside him and looked over the edge, a long drop fell away, she saw a river far below. She kicked a rock over the edge and watched it fall, it was lost in trees beneath. She looked at Jax, her heart in her mouth.

  They were trapped.

  Jax’s attention was focused back the way they had come, he lifted his staff, his face tense. Raine knew the wolves had found them, she turned to face the danger. Behind them stood six wolves, bigger than the ones before, equally ravenous and dangerous.

  “Jax?” Raine asked.

  Jax looked at her. “It’s all right. I’ll hold them off, you jump. The river is deep, you’ll make it, it’ll take you to the plains, to Si an Bhru.”

  Raine looked back at the ravine then at the wolves, she shook her head, she would not leave Jax, she would stand and fight beside her friend. She took out her rapiers and faced the wolves, weariness in her heart, they drew near snarling, teeth bared. Three launched themselves at her, she sidestepped the lead wolf, its momentum took it to the edge behind her, its feet scrabbling on gravel. It lost its footing and disappeared over the cliff. The second wolf crashed into Raine’s chest shoving her back, she almost fell but regained balance and thrust her blade up into the beast’s lungs. Blood gushed over her face as she threw down its body.

  The third wolf slammed into her side, its teeth snapping in her hair.

  The impact was too great, she was pushed over the edge. She fell, the wolf clung to her for a few seconds before falling away, snapping at air as it went. Raine’s arms flailed, her throat erupted in a silent scream. She dropped like a stone, the sky blue and bright overhead.

  Raine hit the river on her back, consciousness left her, she vanished under its restless waters. Other bodies struck the surface around her. Her body was dragged down through cold depths. Unmoving, her life force flickered on the edge of a different precipice.

  The voice pulled her back.

  Fight! Fight sister! Fight, come back, return, take vengeance, for all that is good, for the Erthe, for Severin, Ash and Marianne.

  Raine’s eyelids fluttered and opened, she saw light, she felt the river’s icy grip, her heart pounded. She willed her arms and legs to move, they responded slowly. She pulled herself up, away from the grave, the light grew brighter as she swam towards it. Her lungs were bursting, her strength was failing but her face broke the surface of the water. She drew in a gasp of air nearly passing out with the rush of life it brought.

  She went under again but the life injected into her remained, she fought against the current swimming back to the surface a second time. The riverbanks flashed by on both sides as the current swept her downstream. She looked round and saw no way out. She would have to ride the current and look for a chance to steer herself to shore.

  The river was fast but not in spate, she could feel eddies pulling at her from under the surface, rocks and boulders swept by. Her life was in Falinor’s hands. She did not fight the pull, the gorge started to widen, then she saw a fallen tree straddling the river.

  If she could reach it.

  A fine mist lay beyond the fallen tree, she heard a dull roar in the distance. She focused her mind on the tree and steered herself towards its lowest, partially submerged section. She launched herself at the tree struggling against the current. Her hands felt the tree’s slippery surface, she slid along its side, her legs pulled by the river, her head went under the water. Her right hand struck out blindly and found a branch, it was enough to stabilise her. She brought her head out of the water and grabbed a higher branch.

  She clung there for a few seconds breathing heavily, then she threw herself at the tangle of branches along from her. She managed to drag half her body out of the water into the tree’s foliage. After another short rest she crawled along the branch onto the trunk. She looked downriver and was horrified to see the fallen tree was suspended above a huge waterfall. Hundreds of feet below a maze of sharp rocks broke the water up into a thundering spray.

  Fear paralysed her, cold froze her fingers, she shivered. Raine tore her eyes from the drop and looked along the trunk to the shore. The tree was freshly fallen, its roots lay partially embedded in the near bank. She locked her eyes onto its roots and forced herself to crawl towards them.

  The waterfall roared on her left, Raine pushed herself onwards with numb hands, after two near slips she made it to the roots. She stared back vacantly at the fallen tree, she was in shock and needed to dry out. She looked round, the tree had fallen in a landslide, a large hole lay where the tree had once stood. The hole was deep.

  A crack of thunder brought her to her senses, she looked up and saw a menacing sky, heavy raindrops splashed her face. Her mind made up, she crawled along the broken roots and lowered herself into the hole. She felt warmer out of the wind and explored the ground. She found an opening in one side of the hole, it looked like a tunnel. Its wall had been breached by the landslide, the opening was wide enough for her to climb through.

  Raine felt the downpour on her back, she squeezed herself through the opening and entered the undamaged tunnel beyond. She crawled further in and found she was able to stand. Daylight reached into the tunnel which carried on into the distance, its craftsmanship was impressive, the stonework precise. She heard the storm break outside and made her decision. She would explore a little further then return to this spot and light a fire. There was plenty of dead wood within reach of the tunnel entrance and she still had the flint and steel in her belt pouch.

  She took a few steps into the dark and was surprised to feel the temperature noticeably warmer. Reaching out to the wall her shivering hands felt its stone, her breath misted the air, steam rose from her skin. She took a few more steps, the warmth increased, something felt wrong. Her eyes searched the darkness, a glow hovered in the distance.

  Her body rebelled, a wave of rigors shook her violently, she collapsed and lost consciousness.

  She woke in near darkness. A drip landed on her cheek, the air smelt of earth and stone, she remembered the glow and raised her head. It was still there, in the distance. She felt her clothes and armour, she was dry, sweating. How long h
ad she lain there? She felt a strange fascination with the glow and its warmth. She pulled herself up, the way behind was dark too, night had fallen.

  Placing her hands on the walls she progressed slowly down the tunnel, the air grew warmer, the glow brighter. She looked at its outline, it moved slightly, pulsing. Something brushed her hair, catching, she reached up and touched a sticky surface, she pulled her hand away just managing to free it. Her hair remained stuck.

  This was all wrong, she had to leave. She backed away but was held by her hair, in the distance the glowing light bobbed up and down, moving towards her. She searched for her blades but found none, her rapiers had been lost in the fall. She remembered the dirk in her boot and stooped to grab it. She cut her hair free from the sticky substance and ran back the way she had come.

  She held her hands out and raced along the tunnel towards the fallen tree. Her foot caught on a stone, she almost tripped but managed to keep her balance. She risked a quick glance behind and nearly lost the ability to move, where she had stood moments before a host of glowing eyes blinked in her direction. She felt the heat intensify in the tunnel, the heat was coming from the eyes and whatever hidden creature they were attached to. Her head spun from the heat and from something more toxic. Raine felt her strength ebb, she knew she had to move.

  She turned and squeezed herself through the narrow entrance. Just as she emerged outside she felt a tug on her foot, fear shot through her. She hauled herself through the opening, kicking back as she did. Her foot connected with something hard, she heard a scrabbling sound from the tunnel. She lay on her back on the damp earth looking at the stars, the twisted roots of the tree lying around her. The thing could not follow her through the narrow opening. Movement caught her eye, the roots were moving, clawing at the air. She blinked, it was not the roots but long jointed legs reaching out from the tunnel.

  Searching for her.

  Raine backed away until she met resistance. The spindly legs issued from the tunnel opening. They were almost on her, probing. She found a sudden burst of energy, turned and climbed up the bank away from the hole and into the bushes beyond.

  A muffled cry of rage followed her into the night.

  Chapter 14

  Come Softly

  Vish, vish, natha, natha, vish, vish, natha, natha…

  The words of summoning filled Morrigan’s belly with anticipation. She lay on the fallen stone at the centre of Si an Bhru’s henge. She would give birth to her son, Vanth, the destroyer. He would drag her undead army across the divide when the darkness of the grave touched solstice’s sunlight, deep within the barrow. Death from life, a wonderful irony, a river of death magic would flow long and wide.

  Vish, vish, natha, natha, vish, vish, natha, natha…

  Pain tore through her abdomen, she relished its purity, its exquisiteness.

  “Come softly my son, tread lightly on my soul, take my blood and make it yours, grow, become strong. Wither the ties to your mother’s love, take my life, make it yours. Bring your flame to this darkness. Breathe my hatred, take my revenge,” Morrigan whispered feverishly. Her hair was matted and sweat dripped from her forehead. Drops of rain hissed on her skin. She thrashed, naked, on the stone, lost in the birthing. Heavy clouds tore across the sky chased by violent winds.

  Liss stirred in the long grass, his head pounded, he was shivering. He dragged himself up and looked round. He saw the hill’s silhouette and felt drawn. He leaned forwards into the wind and started to run. Rain beat on his face, he opened his mouth to catch the moisture. He was hungry, thirsty, his heart beat with something new, expectation grew within.

  He felt the link between himself and his unborn.

  He raced across the final stretch of land below the hill, he saw the henge at the top, like broken teeth against the night sky. As he approached the temperature fell, his breath frosted the air, his shivering intensified. He leapt at the slope and started climbing. As he neared the outer stones a rending sound came from behind, he turned to look.

  The ground at the base of the hill rose, clods of earth and stone shards flew into the air in a great explosion. The slope shook, Liss was thrown off his feet, he stared wide eyed at the scene unfolding below.

  The blind sloth worm emerged head first from the ground. Its body was protected by a thick armoured hide, bristles protruded from its giant carcass. It shifted its bulk, rhythmic pulsations rippled along its length propelling it out of the ground and up the slope towards Liss and the stones above.

  Vish, vish, natha, natha, vish, vish, natha, natha…

  Liss heard the chant from above and recognised Morrigan’s voice. She was screaming into the wind, gathering strength from the storm. Lightening lit the sky, the stones seemed to flicker and dance. Liss pulled himself up and staggered through the outer stones. He saw Morrigan lying on the central stone.

  He froze. A black swirling cloud issued from her body, writhing around her. Shapes moved within the cloud, Liss heard hissing and clicking. Morrigan’s body rose above the stone and jerked, twisting at impossible angles. Bones cracking, joints popping.

  The worm burst through the outer ring of standing stones on Liss’s right launching itself at Morrigan. Liss instinctively rushed towards it, he had to protect Morrigan and his unborn child. The worm’s head split open, rows of serrated teeth moved within, then several whip like tongues shot out of its mouth lashing the air. It threw itself at Morrigan snatching and swallowing her whole.

  Liss crashed against the worm’s side and felt a rending pain in his right shoulder, he fell to the ground his head spinning. The sloth worm paid no attention, instead it rose up and slammed onto the centre stone where Morrigan had been seconds before.

  The earth shook under Liss, he heard tearing. His vision blurred, he glanced at the centre stone. It had shattered, the sloth worm was lying on it, its flanks quivering. Liss gathered his strength, hauled himself up, his shoulder burning, it would not move. He sat swaying, watching the giant worm. Its flanks twitched intermittently.

  Vapour rose from its body and after a while it moved, its armoured segments rubbing as it turned. Liss watched fascinated and in pain, his shoulder useless. Perhaps it was broken? What did it matter? Morrigan was gone, his unborn child was gone, he felt empty.

  He did not understand. His eyes returned to the sloth worm, the vapour was replaced by wisps of smoke. What was happening? Was the thing changing? Was it burning from within? Was this some new trick? Liss staggered to his feet and went to investigate, he felt no fear. The wisps of smoke rose above the slumbering worm and moved along its body crisscrossing and dividing, forming a fine web.

  Liss watched, not knowing what to do, something told him to keep still, not to interfere. Once the smoky black tendrils had completed their encirclement they took on a more defined sheen.

  Glass!

  The smoke was now a glass lattice, like obsidian, wickedly sharp. Liss took a step back holding his breath.

  Alchemy…

  The glass web surrounding the worm hovered, then, with violence that was almost beautiful, it contracted, slicing the worm’s flesh, disappearing deep within its body. The worm appeared intact for a moment after the glass penetrated. Then a segment came loose near its tail, it fell in a bloody gush and was rapidly followed by more falling segments of diced flesh.

  An elongated segment of the worm’s body remained, untouched. Blood leaked from cuts along its sides. It moved. Liss stepped away. It moved again, a foot appeared from one end of the fleshy tube. Liss was electrified, he overcame his shock and rushed to the stone and tugged on the foot. Another appeared, he pulled with all his strength with his good arm. He managed to free the legs a little.

  He knew it was Morrigan’s body. Was she was still alive?

  Morrigan, Morrigan! Come back to me, come back! Liss beseeched Morrigan in his thoughts.

  He continued his efforts and succeeded in pulling Morrigan out further, her waist appeared, smeared in blood. Her legs moved, her knees bent and with
a sickening sound the worm’s remains fell away. Morrigan appeared, hands over her head, she pushed the rest of the carcass away. Her eyes were closed, her face covered in gore. Her skin was excoriated and covered in tiny cuts.

  But she was alive…

  Liss’s heart sang, he leaned forwards embracing Morrigan. Gently he cleared the worm’s remains from her body, he lifted her and walked down the far side of the hill. The dying rays of western light filled his eyes with gold. He scanned the ground placing his feet carefully, avoiding dips and rocks. He reached the base of the hill, a cold wind coming from the Jacta Arx. He shivered, they would need shelter.

  He saw a river a short distance away. He would wash Morrigan, they would spend the night in the barrow. He did not care for the old stories of kings and wraiths. He did care for the woman in his arms and knew she could not survive a night in the open. It was then he noticed, the swelling of her belly was gone. He stared at her gore smeared skin trying to understand. He was right, his eyes did not lie, she was no longer with child. He looked back at the hill and wondered. He could only deal with so much, he returned to his task and moved off again, carrying his beloved to the river.

  It took him twenty minutes to reach the riverbank. He looked at the water realising it would be too cold for the flicker of life he had seen in Morrigan. She would die. He faltered and stood in the dusk, a silhouette. He looked down at her face for an answer.

  She was serene. He wondered if she was dead but her eyelids flickered. His excitement grew, she blinked then opened her eyes. Morrigan’s voice swept through his mind.

  “Do it, cleanse me of the beast, then bring me back to Si an Bhru. I have work to do, our son is born and growing, I need to be beside him. Do it, do this for me Liss.”

  A shiver ran down his spine as she spoke his name. He felt rejuvenated, strong, the pain in his shoulder melted away. He felt whole again. He carried Morrigan to the river and walked into its cleansing water. Cold penetrated his body, he took a sharp breath.