The Power of Seven
Page 1
The planets inexorably head for the Conjunction that presages September’s greatest challenge
September Weekes found a smooth stone which took her to Gwlad, the Land, where the people hailed her as the Cludydd o Maengolauseren, the bearer of the starstone, with the power to defend them against the evil known as the Malevolence. Now, having reached Arsyllfa she is re-united with the Mordeyrn Aurddolen with whom, together with the other senior metal bearers that make up the Council of Gwlad, she must plan the defence of the Land.
The time of the next Conjunction will soon be at hand. The planets, the Sun and the Moon will all be together in the sky. At that point the protection of the heavenly bodies will be at its weakest and Gwlad will be more dependent than ever on September. But now it seems that she must defeat Malice, the guiding force behind the Malevolence, if she is to save the Land and all its people. Will she be strong enough; and, if not, to whom can she turn for help?
The Power of Seven is the second volume in the thrilling fantasy series, Evil Above the Stars, by Peter R. Ellis, that appeals to readers, of all ages, of fantasy or science fiction, especially fans of JRR Tolkien and Stephen Donaldson. If old theories are correct until a new idea comes along, does the universe change with our perception of it? Were the ideas embodied in alchemy ever right? What realities were the basis of Celtic mythology?
Evil above the Stars
Volume 2
The Power
of Seven
Peter R. Ellis
Elsewhen Press
The Power of Seven
First published in Great Britain by Elsewhen Press, 2015
An imprint of Alnpete Limited
Copyright © Peter R. Ellis, 2015. All rights reserved
The right of Peter R. Ellis to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, telepathic, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
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This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places and events are either a product of the author’s fertile imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places or people (living or dead) is purely coincidental.
Contents
Part 3 ~ Conjunction
Part 4 ~ Partnership
To Alison
Pronunciation guide
The ‘old tongue’ used by the people of the Land is derived from Celtic languages such as Welsh. General guidelines on pronunciation are as follows:
‘ll’ does not occur in English, in the glossary it is written as ‘LL’. The sound is made by partly opening the mouth, pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth and blowing gently.
‘dd’, written as ‘TH’ in the glossary, is the hard th sound in ‘this’ and ‘that’ but not as in ‘path’.
‘a’ is always as in ‘cat’ and not as in ‘ape’.
‘e’ is always as in ‘pet’.
‘f’ is the v in ‘van’ while ‘ff’ is the f in ‘fan’.
‘c’ is always the hard ‘k’ sound in ‘kid’.
‘ch’ is similar to ck and pronounced as in the Scottish ‘loch’ and not the English ‘church’.
‘g’ is always hard as in ‘god’ and not as in ‘german’.
‘o’ is like in ‘on’ but not ‘open’.
‘i’ and ‘u’ are pronounced ‘ee’.
‘r’s should be rolled.
‘si’ is between the sh in ‘shone’ and the j of ‘john’.
‘w’ is oo as in ‘cool’.
‘y’ is sometimes the u sound in ‘run’, sometimes the i in ‘bin’ and occasionally the ee sound in ‘been’.
‘yw’ is pronounced ‘you’.
‘ae’, ‘ai’, ‘au’ and ‘ei’ are all pronounced ‘eye’.
‘eu’ is the oy in ‘boy’.
Glossary
Word
[Pronunciation] Meaning
Adarllwchgwin
[ad-ar-LL-ook-goo-in] giant eagle bearing red devil-like figures with tridents, air manifestations of the Malevolence
Adwyth
[ad-oo-eeth] The Malevolence, the evil from above the stars
Afon Deheuol
[a-von de-hoy-ol] Southern River, one of the great transport links of Gwlad
Afon Gogleddol
[a-von gog-leTH-ol] the great northern river
alcam
[al-kam] tin, a silver-grey malleable metal
Aldyth
[al-dith] a sword
Amaethaderyn
[am-eyeth-ad-er-in] Farm of birds, a village on the Afon Deheuol, the southern river
Arfordir Dwyrain
[ar-vord-eer doo-ee-rine] the coastal region on the east of Gwlad
arian
[ar-ee-an] silver, a rare silver metal
arianbyw
[ar-ee-an-byou] mercury, dense silver liquid metal
Arsyllfa
[ar-siLL-va] The observatory-cum-fortress in the Bryn am seren in the west of Gwlad
Aur
[eye-er] gold. A rare, maleable, yellow metal
Bryn-am-seren
[brin-am-ser-en] Hills of Stars, a range of low mountains in the west of Gwlad
carregmam
[kar-reg-mam] mother stone
Ceffyl dwr
[kef-ill doo-er] Water horse, a giant aggressive winged horse, a water manifestation of the Malevolence
Cemegwr
[kem-egg-oo-er] Creators, chemists, the Makers of everything
Cludydd
[klee-deeTH] bearer or wielder
Coblynau
[kob-lin-eye] dwarf-like creatures with rock crushing hands, earth manifestations of the Malevolence
Coedwig Fawr
[koy-doo-ig vow-er] The Great Forest south of the mountains
Cwn annwn
[koon ann-oon] fiery hounds, a fire manifestation of the Malevolence
Cyrhyraeth
[kir-hir-eyeth] a moaning, disease-bearing wind, an air-manifestation of the Malevolence
Cysylltiad
[Kuss-uLL-tee-ad] The Conjunction, the lining up of all the planets
Daear
[die-ar] Earth, the planet at the centre of the universe
Diffaithmawr
[dif-eyeth-ma-oo-er] The great desert at the southern end of Gwlad
Draig tân
[dry-g tarn] Fiery dragon, comet. A fire manifestation of the Malevolence
Dwytrefrhaedr
[doo-ee-trev-rheye-der] The two towns by the waterfall, on the River Deheuol
efyddyn
[e-vu-TH-in] copper, a malleable red metal
egwyddorpum
[egg-oo-eeTH-or- pim] the quintessence, the fifth element that
forms the stars and the Maengolauseren
Glanyrafon
[glan-ur-avon] Village on the bank of the river Deheuol
Gwener
[goo-en-er] Venus, the 3rd planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system
Gwlad
[goo-lard] The Land – the occupied continent on Daear
Gwyllian
[goo-iLL-ee-an] old women, earth manifestations of the Malevolence
haearn
[heye-arn] iron, a hard grey metal
Haul
[h-eye-el] Sun, the 4th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system
Iau
[ee-aye] Jupiter, the 6th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system
Llamhigwyn y dwr
[LLam-heeg-oo-in u doo-er] giant flying frogs, a water manifestation of the Malevolence
Lleuad
[LL-eye-ad] Moon, the 1st ‘planet’ from the Earth in the geo-centric system
maengolauseren
[mine-gol-eye-ser-en] stone of starlight or starstone, the stone of power held by September
Malevolence
[mal-ev-o-lens] the power of evil from above the stars
Mawrth
[ma-oorth] Mars, the 5th planet from the Earth in the geocentric system
Mercher
[mer-ker] Mercury, the 2nd planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system
Mordeyrn
[mor-day-ern] Leader
Mynydd Tywyll
[mun-iTH tu-oo-iLL] the dark mountains in the north of Gwlad
plwm
[ploom] lead, a dense, soft grey metal
prif-
[preev] chief, head
Pwca
[Poo-ka] a shape-changer, an air manifestation of the Malevolence
Sadwrn
[sad-oo-ern] Saturn, the 7th planet from the Earth in the geo-centric system
seryddwr
[ser-iTH-oor] observer of the stars and planets
symudiad
[see-mud-ee-ad] the ability to transport instantly from one place to another
Toddfa Penbaladr
[To-TH-va Pen-bal-ader] The Alkahest or Universal Solvent. The liquid that dissolves and combines everything
Trefyncoed
[trev-in-koyd] Town in the trees on banks of the northern river
Tylwyth teg
[tul-oo-eeth teg] pale, fairy-like creatures, earth manifestations of the Malevolence
Dramatis Personae
Alawn
[ala-oon] young guide to Bryn-am-seren
Anarawd
[an-ar-owd] chief bearer of copper
Arianell
[a-ree-an-eLL] bearer of silver at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn
Arianrhod
[a-ree-an-rhod] Chief bearer of silver
Arianwen
[a-ree-an-oo-en] The cludydd o arian, silver-bearer, of Amaethaderyn
Aurddolen
[eye-er-TH-olen] chief bearer of gold and leader of the Land
Betrys
[bet-rees] Chief bearer of tin
Breuddwyd
[broy-TH-oo-id] September’s mother
Cari
[kar-ee] bearer of copper at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn
Catrin
[kat-rin] The cludydd o efyddyn, copper-bearer, of Amaethaderyn
Collen
[ko-LL-en] elderly guide to Bryn-am-seren and cook
Cynhaearn
[kin-heye-arn] Chief bearer of iron
Cynddylig
[kin-THil-ig] older man, boatman and river guide
Cynwal
[kin-wal] Chief bearer of lead
Eluned
[e-lee-ned] The cludydd o arianbyw, mercury bearer, of Amaethaderyn
Elystan
[el-is-tan] young guide to Bryn-am-seren
Eryl
[er-ril] astronomer
Gwrion
[goo-ree-on] mature guide to Bryn-am-seren
Hedydd
[hed-eeTH] astronomer's apprentice
Heini
[High-nee] Chief bearer of mercury
Heulfryn
[hoyl-vrin] bearer of gold at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn
Heulwen
[hoyl-oo-en] daughter of Aurddolen
Heulyn
[hoyl-in] chief bearer of gold and leader of the land at the last conjunction
Ilar
[ill-ar] bearer of tin at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn
Iorwerth
[ee-or-oo-er-th] The cludydd o haearn, iron-bearer of Amaethaderyn
Isfoel
[is-voy-el] bearer of mercury at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn
Maerwen
[my-er-oo-en] the name given to Malice by her mother
Malice
twin sister of September
September
The Cludydd o Maengolauseren
Sieffre
[jef-re] young man, lead guide to the Bryn-am-seren
Tudfwlch
[teed-voolk] young warrior and ironsmith, apprentice to Iorwerth
Previously… in Seventh Child
Part 1 ~ Arrival
Looking at the stars through a glassy stone September has found she is transported to the world of her dreams. She is greeted by the Mordeyrn Aurddolen, a bearer of gold, as the Cluddydd o Maengolauseren, the wielder of the starstone, who will save the people of Gwlad from the Malevolence, the “evil from above the stars”. September is told that she has this position of responsibility and power because she is the seventh child. September is confused because she only has four sisters and a brother but nevertheless when she helps Aurddolen resist an attack by a Draig tân, a fire dragon, she discovers that the starstone does indeed have miraculous properties.
September returns home till the time when the threat of the Malevolence will be reaching its peak. At school she is bullied because of her flab, white hair and silly name and is considered lazy and dim but she finds some answers to the questions her brief visit to Gwlad has posed. On her sixteenth birthday she learns that she had a twin sister who died at birth and that she is indeed the seventh child of her mother. In the evening she looks through the stone at the stars and is again transported to Gwlad.
Her arrival in the village of Amaethaderyn is welcomed by the bearers of the other six metals but they tell her that she must embark on a long journey following Aurddolen to the fortress-observatory, the Arsyllfa. During the preparations for her departure the village is attacked a number of times by manifestations of the Malevolence and September realises that she is the focus for the attention of the evil.
Previously… in Seventh Child
Part 2 ~ Journey
The metal bearers give her gifts of silver, copper, iron, mercury, tin and lead imbued with the powers of the six planets which, together with the Sun, orbit the stationary world of which Gwlad is part. She sets off on the river in a gold-powered boat accompanied by Tudfwlch, an apprentice warrior/blacksmith and Cynddilig a boatman/guide. During the weeks that follow September learns more about her task but they are attacked by various manifestations. The starstone will protect September but only when she is truly afraid.
Tudfwlch and Cynddilig are killed and September is rescued by Heulwen, the daughter of Aurddolen. She is taken to Dwytrefrhaedr, the twin towns by the waterfall. From there, September and Heulwen, assisted by warrior/guide Sieffre and four other guards, set off on the final stage of the journey, on foot, across the range of hills known as the Bryn am Seren. Climbing the highest peak with the Arsyllfa at its summit they have to fight through hordes of manifestations. At last they reach the great doors of the fortress but September is hailed by a woman in black who appears to be directing the besieging monsters. She has white hair and a face that September recognises as her own. The woman warns September that the Arsyllfa will become her prison and then unleashes her forces. September steps through the doors of the fortress, her journey complete, but her task barely begun.
Part 3
~
Conjunction
1
“Are you hurt, Cludydd?” The deep, mellow voice of the Mordeyrn was familiar and the warmth in his tone so reviving. The burning in her birthmark on her hip was gone and although she was exhausted she discovered that she was actually unharmed. She pushed herself onto her feet and thanked Nisien.
“No, I’m okay,” she said, seeing the entrance hall of the Arsyllfa for the first time. In contrast to the dull brown of the exterior, the inside was light. The floor and the columns that held the ceiling were of white marble, veined with gold. The walls were also white, and the ceiling high overhead was translucent. Despite the evil fog that had surrounded the peak, light streamed in from above.