The tiger changed into a white-skinned, naked young woman. She ran and embraced September.
“You are here!” Eluned cried, and then stepped back in shock as she saw the other glowing blue woman beside September, “Who is this?”
“This is my mother, Eluned. Breuddwyd, the Cludydd before me.”
Eluned’s eyes were wide with surprise.
“Two Cludyddau o Maengolauseren. It is not known.”
“I know. But a Cludydd has not let the Malevolence through before. I failed Eluned. I’m sorry.”
Eluned looked grave. “We knew that you had not succeeded on the night of the Cysylltiad. The stars disappeared from the sky. In the morning dark clouds spread down from the north, covering the Sun. There was a stinking wind and dirty rain. Then the evil spirits arrived.” Eluned paused, “But it is not safe for us to talk. Manifestations will soon come to hunt us. Follow me quickly.”
She transformed back into the tiger and ran away. September and Breuddwyd followed as panther and wolf. Zig-zagging between the trees, they ran as if being chased. Soon September realised that they were. Materialising from the air and springing up from the ground were numerous manifestations of various forms – Cwn annwn, Adarllwchgwin, Tylwyth teg. They were drawn to Eluned as she sped through the forest. They were followed by fire, shafts of flame and gouts of acid. At first Eluned outpaced the manifestations but more appeared through the trees in the direction they were fleeing. Eluned stopped.
September skidded to a halt transforming into her human appearance at the same moment. She raised her starstone and commanded the manifestations to be gone. Violet light exploded out in all directions, disintegrating the manifestations. In a moment the dim light of the forest was restored and they were alone.
“There will be more. Come quickly. It’s not far now.” Eluned set off again at an even greater pace. She ran so fast that September worried that they might collide with the trees.
They came to a place where the trees were more widely set apart. A thin curtain of silver grey threads hung from the branches. Eluned stopped and became herself. She brushed the threads to the side and stepped through as screeching Coblynau crawled out of the ground and hobbled towards them. September and Breuddwyd followed Eluned through the grey net. September looked back and saw the manifestations halt as though perplexed by the disappearance of their victims. Then she turned to look ahead and her heart leapt with joy. There were people here.
They lay or sat or knelt between the trees, a couple of dozen of them. Eluned stood facing September and Breuddwyd.
“Welcome to the new Amaethaderyn.”
September’s joy turned to sorrow as she realised that the few people she could see were the survivors of the destruction of the village.
“Is this everyone?” she asked to confirm her fears. Eluned looked sad.
“It is. The day after the Cysylltiad we were attacked by a huge force of manifestations. We did what we could but few of us escaped.”
“You have a shield. Padarn and Berddig are here?”
“Yes, here’s Berddig now.”
The young cludydd o alcam was approaching them but September was shocked by his appearance. He looked as if he had aged two or more decades and his face showed extreme exhaustion.”
“Am I seeing double? What other explanation is there for the appearance of two Cludyddau so alike,” he said in a voice lacking the joviality September recalled of him.
“Hello Berddig. I’m September and this is Breuddwyd, my mother, the Cludydd before me,” she explained.
“So, you have returned to us. It is unheard of to have two Cludyddau o Maengolauseren” Berddig said wearily, “I am sorry that we have no means of celebrating your appearance among us. Indeed you are lucky to have found us at all.”
“You are well hidden,” September agreed.
“I didn’t mean that. I meant that we will all be overcome by the Malevolence in a short while.”
September was horrified by his expression of doom.
“You seem to have no hope,” Breuddwyd said.
“Unfortunately that is correct,” Berddig admitted, “We lost hope when the Malevolence descended on us at the Conjunction. Now it is just a matter of time before we are all corrupted. Already many have died or turned to evil.”
“But you have a defence of alcam and plwm.”
“Soon our shield will fail. Padarn is weak to the point of death and I too am tired.”
September felt the hopelessness and the sense of defeat that Berddig expressed.
“We can support your powers,” she said, raising her stone and summoning a dome of grey to reinforce the metal threads festooned from the trees.
“Thank you Cludydd, but without your energy it will soon fail and in any case we have no food or water. Only Eluned can venture outside and then only for a short time before she attracts manifestations.”
“We saw that,” Breuddwyd said, “the wickedness is everywhere.”
“The same is happening all over the Land?” September asked as if the thought had just occurred to her.
“Presumably,” Berddig shrugged, “The spirits of the Malevolence cover all of Daear. I cannot believe that Amaethaderyn was so special as to be the sole target for the evil wrath.”
“Have you not heard from other places?”
“No messages can be sent or received. The atmosphere of hate hinders the power of efyddyn to communicate.”
“You mean Catrin can’t get through to the other cludyddau?”
“That is what I meant.”
September remembered with a shock that since arriving all she had felt was the hate of the spirits and not the chatter of the people that had filled her head before.
“So Catrin is cut off, Padarn weak, you are exhausted, Eluned is hounded by manifestations. What about Arianwen and Iorwerth?”
Berddig’s face took on an expression of grief.
“They are gone; to their planets or the Malevolence we do not know, but they are no longer with us.”
September felt the loss in her heart.
“What happened?”
“Iorwerth led the defence of Amaethaderyn, of course. He stood firm while all fell around him. With his great sword, Aldyth, he despatched many of the manifestations that attacked us, but their number at last overwhelmed him. I did not see his passing so do not know whether it was the fire of Cwn annwn, the spears of Adarllwchgwin, the spit of Tylwyth teg or the stone hand of Gwyllian, but he was overcome.”
There were a few moments of silence and contemplation.
“What about Arianwen?” September asked, trembling with anticipation of the bad news.
“While we ran away to safety, she stayed to bring peace to the dying and succour to the injured, but she too was a target of the Malevolence. Great numbers of manifestations attacked her and she succumbed to them.”
“Iorwerth and Arianwen gone,” September sobbed, “All because I couldn’t do the job I was given.” Tears rolled down her cheeks and she cried. Breuddwyd gathered her to her breast.
“Now, now, my love. It’s not your fault.”
“Yes, it is. The starstone gave me the power to stop the Malevolence but I didn’t use it.”
“You said Mairwen stopped you.”
“Yes, but I should have dealt with her.”
“But from what you said, she has great power too. It is going to take the two of us to tackle her and the evil.”
Berddig and Eluned were staring at the two Cludyddau.
“Your sister stopped you sending the Malevolence back above the stars? That is why our People are on the brink of annihilation?” Berddig said.
“Yes.” September explained what had happened on the icecap at the time of the Conjunction.
“She was here,” Eluned said, “looking like you but clothed in black. She stood at the centre of the village directing the assault, but impervious to any force we used against her. It was she who ensured that the whole village was turned to dust and ash.”
September took a deep breath.
“We must do something, but first, tell us how long it has been since the Conjunction. For me it is just a couple of hours.”
“This is the dawn of the third day since that night,” Berddig said, “On the first day the evil spread across the Land. Late in the day we were attacked. Those of us who escaped made camp here. Yesterday and through the night our shield has been tested by manifestations.”
“I ventured out a few times to try to find food and water,” Eluned continued, “but as you saw, I am soon beset by the evil.”
“You have no supplies?” Breuddwyd asked.
“None,” Berddig replied, “We cannot hold out for long. We will weaken quickly and then our defences, even strengthened by your power, will fail and the manifestations will overrun us.”
“It must be the same everywhere in Gwlad,” Eluned said.
“We have very little time, then,” September replied, feeling her resolve returning. “Mother, we must find a way of finishing the task today.”
“Yes, Ember, but how?”
“I’m not sure, but first we must find Aurddolen.”
“Your Mordeyrn?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“I left him in the mountains, at Mwyngloddiau Dwfn.”
“Let us pray that he still lives.”
“I hope the Mordeyrn can help you,” Berddig said.
“Gold is part of the answer, I’m sure of it,” September said, “but you’re all important.”
“We all want to help while we still live,” Eluned insisted.
“Just hold on,” September urged, “You must save as many people as possible.”
“If Padarn lives today then our defence will hold, but the strain of holding the shield is using up the little energy that he has left.” Berddig was still solemn but he had regained some of his customary joy. “We still have faith in you, Cludydd, um, both of you.”
“Well, there is no time to lose, we must be away to the mountains,” September said.
“How?” Breuddwyd said, “It’s a long flight.”
“We can go by symudiad.”
“What’s that?”
“The way we got here. Instant teleportation, like on those Star Trek shows that Father and Gus watch.”
“I never learnt how to do that.”
“Perhaps you didn’t need to. I’ll show you. Hold my hand and just think of being with me.”
They gripped hands, and September visualised the mining town with its tall grey buildings surrounded by the snow-covered peaks.
Golden light engulfed them.
17
She staggered on the uneven rock of the sloping ground and Mother’s weight pressed on her. The golden spots slowly cleared from her eyes but her vision was still obscured by a swirling blizzard. Dark grey walls were dimly visible through the flurry of snow.
“Do people really live here?” Breuddwyd asked. “The temperature must be well below freezing.”
“You don’t feel cold, do you?”
“I don’t feel cold but I feel the cold.”
“Good. For a moment I wondered if it was just me that the starstone prevented from sensing heat, cold, hunger or thirst.”
“No, it was, is, the same for me. It was that lack of need for food or drink or shelter that convinced me that I was living through a dream or vision, despite everything appearing so real.”
“I think it is just the Maengolauseren looking after us.”
“I prefer to believe that it is God that does that.”
September did not want to reply so took a few steps towards the buildings. Breuddwyd hurried after her.
“Where are we? Is this the place you mentioned?”
“Yes, this is Mwyngloddiau. We’re on the edge of the town, just inside the shield I put up. That’s if it is still here, I can’t tell in this blizzard.” The sky was dark grey. The Sun had not yet risen over the ridge.
“Well if the buildings survive and there are no manifestations then presumably your defence has held.”
“But I can feel the hate of the evil spirits and my hip still hurts.”
“Yes, the Malevolence is all around. Where is everyone?”
“Sheltering inside I expect. Come on, we must find Aurddolen.”
September marched up an alleyway between the towering walls, with Breuddwyd following after her. They soon reached the small deserted square that September recognised. As they approached the building where Aurddolen lived the door opened and a figure in a golden dress stepped out; a female figure.
“Heulwen!” September exclaimed, astonished at her appearance.
“You have returned,” Heulwen said in a strange, resonant but halting, voice, “Who is it that accompanies you?”
September turned to take her mother’s hand and draw her forward.
“This is my mother, Breuddwyd, the Cludydd who came before me. You seem to have recovered Heulwen.”
The young woman took a moment to take in what September had said.
“Mother? Your mother?”
“Yes, Heulwen. Where is everyone? Is Aurddolen inside? Can we come in?”
Heulwen came out of her contemplation. She stood up straight and tall and seemed to become radiant.
“They have fled to the mines.”
“Why? Surely it is safer here inside the dome.”
“They ran away, scared and frightened.”
“Scared of what? The Malevolence can’t get through the shield we put in place.”
“They were in awe of my power.”
Heulwen glowed with a golden light. She raised her pendant above her head. Red lightning sparked from the golden sun.
“Heulwen!” September screamed.
“What is she?” Breuddwyd shouted.
“You should not have returned here,” Heulwen’s voice boomed. She directed shafts of orangey-golden light at September and Breuddwyd. They fended off the flashes of energy but stone crashed to the ground beside them, torn from the buildings.
“This is my province now. I hold it for my mistress.” She thrust both her hands in their direction and fired bolt after bolt of crimson light at them.
September and Breuddwyd raised their hands holding the starstones. A violet wall appeared between them which the red light broke against and dissipated. The air churned, stirring up vortices of dry snow and rock.
“Who is she?” Breuddwyd shouted, parrying the waves of light.
“The daughter of the Mordeyrn. She fell under Malice’s influence. It appears that she has gained some of Malice’s power.”
“Unless it is Mairwen working through her.”
“We must overpower her and drive the Malevolence out of her.”
“Together, we have the power, September. Summon all the energy of the Maengolauseren.”
Mother and daughter stepped forward, projecting their violet shield before them. Gradually they pushed back the golden torrent that streamed from Heulwen’s hands. The girl shouted defiance and redoubled her efforts, but step-by-step September and Breuddwyd approached her. Heulwen continued to fight but her look of shock showed that she realised that she had met a power greater than hers. She edged back towards the doorway.
September and Breuddwyd parted, moving to each side of the golden girl, closing in on her. The violet planes of light encircled and pressed against the desperate golden beams that Heulwen cast at them. The golden light diminished, guttered and was extinguished. The violet shield enclosed her. Heulwen fell to the ground.
The light died from the two starstones and September knelt to examine the young woman.
“She’s like she was before, when Malice took her. She’s alive but not responding.”
“We can’t leave her in case the evil power returns to her and she becomes a danger again,” Breuddwyd said.
“We had better carry he
r inside and see if we can find Aurddolen.”
They stooped to lift her up and carried Heulwen through the doors into the communal area of the building. There was no sign of a cludydd or the townspeople. They lay Heulwen on one of the stone tables.
“Stay with her, Mother, while I look for Aurddolen. His rooms were upstairs.”
“I’ll pray for her and keep her under control if she wakes. Take care, my love, there is evil all around.”
September nodded and went through the door to the stairs. There was silence as she climbed and no sign of anyone in the first room she came to but a glow emerging from Aurddolen’s bedroom attracted her. She stepped through the doorway and stopped in shock.
The room was almost filled with a sphere of reddish-gold light. It was so bright that she shielded her eyes. Its surface flickered but in the moments when the fire almost died she had a glimpse of what was inside the sphere. It was Aurddolen. He was standing with his golden staff and orb raised. It too was radiating light, the almost white, golden light of the Sun. He was unmoving, apparently fixed in his position.
September struggled to find a solution to the puzzle. Aurddolen seemed to be a prisoner trapped inside the sphere of energy. From the colour of the light the sphere had been generated by his daughter. What must she do to overcome it and release him? Why had it not collapsed when Heulwen was defeated by their power?
There was a cry from down the stairs. September turned and ran. Mother was in danger. She leapt down the stairs and ran into the ground floor room. Breuddwyd was retreating from the figure of Heulwen who was now erect on the stone table. Erect but not standing.
Some force was holding her up but her head still lolled to one side and her limbs were limp. She was held in a shaft of red light.
September reached for her mother and drew her back to her. Breuddwyd turned in surprise but relaxed when she saw who was gripping her.
“What happened?” September asked.
“She was as when you left then suddenly this red glow came over her and she was lifted up. I think she is still unconscious.”
Heulwen’s lips began to move and a voice emerged, but not her own.
“Who opposes my servant?”
“It’s Malice. She’s controlling Heulwen and speaking though her,” September said.
The Power of Seven Page 21