Starstone

by Denise M. Main

  “She was. And she may still be, somewhere. But at the moment we're unable to locate her.”

  Not knowing what to make of that nor the odd tone of Demora's voice, Ciaran remained silent and only the sound of feet marked their passing.

  Chapter 24 – Search for the Starstone

  As a last measure Annushi called the six strongest of her seers together in her small chamber on the ground floor of the tower. When they were seated comfortably, she told them what was required, then joined forces with them and began an open scan of the futures in general.

  It was a difficult task at best, and one that was very rarely undertaken, for without any particular life to pin-point, the times to come quickly disintegrated into confusion, a mish-mash of random sights and events seemingly unrelated to all others. But Liath hadn't turned up at breakfast as Tia'mar suggested, although other visitors had, and the identities of those were so surprising that Annushi had difficulty concentrating on the job in hand, which was to search for someone whose futures could only be seen by the blank spots in other peoples' time-lines.

  It was the young Nightlord who found the trouble soon to come.

  “Darkness,” he murmured, fixing his pale eyes on Annushi's black ones. “It is the same which has been shadowing all our 'seeings, but stronger; so much stronger. Liath's dark world.”

  Annushi frowned slightly at the satisfaction that tainted Rajan's soft voice, then let the seer lead her along the path he had taken until they both viewed the strange occurrence. She drew all the rest of the farseers to the same point, ordering them to focus their minds on the thin strip of darkness that ran from one end of the scan to the other.

  But even with their aid, the darkness remained a distinct vision cutting across their collective awareness. Impenetrable, like night that never arrived, but just hung on the horizon; fading a little then strengthening as the futures fluctuated, but never disappearing completely, never yielding to the seers' mental probes.

  “Is it really another world – one we don't know about?” Rajan asked, as they brought their minds back to the present, although he knew full well what it was.

  “I don't know,” Annushi replied. “I've never seen anything like it before. This is definitely the darkness Liath spoke of, the thing that has been haunting our dreams and seeings. Can you 'walk there, Rajan?”

  “I...don’t think so. Something...blocks my sense of direction. It's as though there's a barrier–I can sense the world, but I can't pass through to it. Perhaps with everyone's help...?”

  “No, not yet. Thank you, though, Raj.”

  “Is it death?” Ianna asked.

  “It could be,” the silver-haired seer acknowledged. “But of what, I don't know.”

  “The end of time?” Lian, her prelate suggested.

  Annushi could give no reply to that. Finally, she thanked them all, told them not to worry about the band of darkness, and said she'd see them at dinner. After they had gone, she made her way to the Magi's section of the sprawling Temple – to the order's Head, Tia'mar.

  The tall man with skin the color of polished chestnuts and black hair fashioned into innumerable tight twists, showed no surprise at all to find Annushi standing outside his door when he opened it.

  “From the expression on your face, my friend, I assume you've not yet located our young renegade,” he commented, stepping aside and welcoming her in.

  “No, we haven't. But there is something we have, which I'd like your opinion on,” she replied, waiting until he had closed the door, and then walking across the sitting room with him.

  “Ahhh. This sounds serious enough to be discussed over a glass of wine. Red or white? I do have some of that pink stuff somewhere, if you prefer. Personally, I can't stand it, but there are those who do,” he added sadly.

  “White will be fine, Ti,” Annushi smiled, sitting down on a chair by the window.

  Afternoon was drawing to an end, and small mixed groups of students, order members, priests and priestesses were drifting back towards the Temple, or away to the smaller halls of residence in the grounds.

  The sun shone in, making the walls that were paneled in different woods glow with warmth and life. One corner of the room was set up as a study, with desk, chair and rows of shelves holding scrolls, books, and a host of other objects not so easily named. The floor was carpeted with brightly striped rugs and fringed mats. A sofa in front of a tiny hearth was covered with a large, intricately patterned blanket. It was an odd room, but one where she always felt comfortable. She looked up as Tia'mar joined her, carrying two crystal goblets in his large, sinewy hands. Accepting one, she took a sip, while the Magus sat himself opposite her. Without preamble, Annushi told him what had happened.

  “We were doing an open scan of the futures, when Rajan found the darkness Lee'd spoken about,” she said. “We all joined, and tried to get close, but were unable to progress past the point Raj had reached. I don't know what this darkness is, although there were two suggestions. One was death, but to create that effect, it would have to be on such a wide scale that I can't imagine its cause. The other was that this could be the end of time. And then of course, Liath's statement that it's another world. But Rajan can't walk there – have you ever heard of another world a Nightlord can't walk to?”

  Tia'mar was silent for a moment, frowning. Then, instead of answering Annushi's question asked, “And its actual appearance has nothing whatsoever to do with Liath?”

  “Goddess, I hope not,” she murmured, feeling cold at the thought. “Except for the fact both she and Druin have been aware of it for some time now.”

  “Something is going on, we all realize that, if somewhat belatedly. Forces have been gathering throughout Anraun for weeks now. The ones we attributed to the spring rites, but since they've passed...” he shrugged.

  “I know,” she agreed. “None of us have been ready to admit it aloud, but I still feel as though something's waiting. And yet there's the impression that other forces are gathering. This morning brings my brother, and those odd friends of his turn up. Then minutes later your brother and Casel's daughter arrive. Now this!” Annushi raised one hand in a gesture of rare impatience. “What is happening, Ti?”

  The magus shook his head, only half hearing what the silver-haired woman was saying.

  “A darkness...the stuff that nightmares are made of...” he mused, turning the stem of the goblet between his long fingers. “You couldn't see into, or past it?”

  “We couldn't even get near it. It ran through all the futures – stronger in some, but there in all of them, and would seem to affect the entire land.”

  “A darkness over the land...” Tia'mar said softly. “There is something about that which sets a very faint bell ringing in my mind. I'll most certainly look into this, Annushi. It may take a couple of days, but I'm sure I've read, or heard about something like this. I'd like to talk to the Nightlord. Your brother, too. He seems to be aware of much that has happened recently. I would have spoken with them all this morning, but I was engaged in an experiment I could not leave at that point, not and have my work rooms still intact on my return.”

  As he finished speaking there was a knock on the door, and Annushi smiled. “No sooner said than done,” she murmured.

  “Come, Mesar,” the magus called. “And thank you for the prompt response,” he added as the silver haired man entered and closed the door behind him.

  “My pleasure, Tia'mar. Annushi,” he nodded a greeting to his sister.

  The two magi studied each other. In their youth, they had been close friends, until a violent disagreement with the then Head of the order and current High Priestess had sent Mesar raging from the Temple to the sanctuary of the Singing Plains. Over 20 years had passed since the silver haired renegade had set foot in Thesa.

  “It's good to see you, Ti,” he said quietly.

  The big magus suddenly jumped up, a huge grin on his dark face, and hugged Mesar fiercely. “Ah, my friend,” he said, holding the other at
arm’s length before hugging him again. “Too much time has passed. Every time I hear or see an eagle, or feel the wind blow from the south, I think of you. Why did you never come back?”

  “There was never any need. Until now. And the person who called us here has vanished.”

  Tia'mar stepped back, gestured for Mesar to be seated and poured another cup of wine. “Liath called you here?” he asked.

  “Not consciously; she acted more like a magnet, both to draw us, and the thing which Annushi and her seers perceived. It also brought Casel's daughter and your brother.”

  “The darkness?”

  “The prison world, Danaach,” Mesar corrected softly. “The place where the worst in the universe were imprisoned, and the place from where Dalran Shan’Ghian tried to enlist aid, but only caused death to the majority of his own people of...”

  “Akashii!” Tia'mar finished for him, continued quietly, “That's where I read it, in the magi's old account of that terrible time! The criminals, vile outcasts, dregs and scum, the worst law breakers many societies scraped up – including some of the new rogue Darkworlders when they’d just discovered the ‘talent’ they had; the Stealers of souls. By the Structure! It’s not surprising Rajan sensed the world. The ancient prison world…but it’s been centuries since the way was opened and that was by Dalran and from Iantii. However, I was under the impression the information was only available to, and for, the Heads of each order, and them alone.”

  “And Liath's mother was an Akashii,” Annushi added, ignoring the murmured reflections Tia'mar aimed at her brother. “But why has it returned? What do its inhabitants want this time? There are hardly any of those Akashii left by now, certainly not enough to pose a threat to anyone. Who has called it? Didn’t it…require a certain number of Primes to open the way and bring it back into phase? Morgan would have said something – and wouldn’t Demora be involved?”

  “Demora is calling us to council,” Tia'mar stated suddenly. “Including all you new arrivals.”

  The High Priestess was waiting for them in the audience chamber, silent, almost brooding. Dispensing with formalities, she nodded her greetings, and gestured with a slender hand that they should all be seated.

  “Mesar, it's good to see you again.”

  The silver haired magus bowed his head slightly, and smiled at the white-robed woman. “And you, Demora. Although I wish the circumstances were pleasanter.”

  “Yes,” Demora agreed quietly. “I have an idea where Liath is, or at least where she's been. Those of you who are familiar with the Temple know how far it extends below ground. You may also be aware of a vast network of tunnels far beneath the Archives, guarded by the workings of ancient magi. T'marl, you have been here before, but Resh, Jall, Cinbar and Hallan, you will have to bear with me for a while,” she inclined her head briefly in their direction before focusing on the others. “It came to my notice, only minutes ago, of a recent, slight cave-in, deep within this network...”

  “Goddess! The Starstone shard!” Tia'mar's shocked voice cut through her words. “It's coming back to me now...there were so many things passed on to me by your mother when she left the Magi to become priestess...that was one thing she barely touched upon. Since it had no relevance at the time, I didn’t pursue it.” His horrified gaze met Demora’s. “You don't mean Liath passed through those ancient barriers – that she found the Starstone. It's death for a female to touch the shard...wait, I'll find out.”

  He closed his eyes and concentrated for a time, sending his mind on a journey far below, into the warren, searching for the strange life-force of the triangular ‘ray’ of the Starstone.

  “It's gone,” he whispered harshly. Beneath the dark skin, his face was tinged with grey.

  “What is this Starstone shard, Magus?” Ciaran asked quietly into the silence that followed his words.

  “A gemstone holding vast power,” he replied. “Not used for centuries.”

  “Where has it gone to? And where is Liath?” Annushi demanded, rising from her seat. Her mane of silver, a sharp contrast to the night-black of her robes, seemed to move with a life of its own as latent power began to flow through her body.

  “Sister...” Mesar began in a soothing voice. Annushi's attention snapped to him, then to the youth at his side.

  “The boy is part Akashiian,” she stated. “Can he find Liath? Does he know of this exiled prison world?”

  Resh's gold-flecked eyes widened as everyone turned to look at him. His mouth opened and closed without sound.

  “He's mute, Annushi,” Mesar replied.

  She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “That is of no significance here. He can speak in other ways, we shall hear him.”

  Resh glanced at his master and friend, and Mesar nodded.

  ‘I know nothing, except what my master has told me of the Akashiian race. He found me in the desert as a baby, raised me, taught me his art, how to fight. But, yes, I feel the darkness. Though of this girl you seek, I...I don't know what to look for.’

  Annushi sighed heavily and sat down. Liath had to be found. None of the seers or magi could locate her, none of the people had seen her, not one of the hounds or trackers could find her trail. Demora had even sent bands of warriors to quarter the countryside, but Anraun was such a big land.

  “What was the purpose of this shard, Magus?” Cinbar asked, easing his lame leg into a more comfortable position.

  “Legend, and urban legend, has it that the shard had more than one purpose, shape-changer. Once it used to be involved in the ritual passing on of land-lore from one High Lord to the next, and you’d have to ask a High Lord about the details. Legend mixes it up with the Akashii massacre somehow – but how, I have no idea...” Tia'mar shook his head. “As I said, it's been here for centuries, And as its name implies, it’s part of a larger object – or was once.”

  “In that case, why not ask the High Lord if he knows where the shard and the seer are,” T'marl suggested.

  “I shall send a message to Delgannan asking Druin if he knows where his daughter is and if he knows of the Starstone. But I don't want to worry him unduly, nor Morgan. From what Liath has said, she and the High Lord were forming a deep affection for each other, far too deep considering her Akashiian blood. The last thing I want is him tearing up the countryside, searching for her.”

  “Why, lady, is it so important to have this girl back?” Jall asked, his voice booming around the room.

  Demora looked a little surprised. “She's a seer, and an Akashiian. Alone in the land she could be a danger to herself and to others. In Delgannan she killed one man by controlling the element of air, by turning it into a hurricane that smashed his body, yet touched nothing else inside the room. She could just as easily have used any of the other elements, possibly with more ease and skill than the magus here.”

  Tia'mar inclined his head in agreement.

  “Is that all?” Jall rumbled. “Being able to control those things better than the magus?”

  “Think about it, trader. This land is surrounded by water, the sun is a ball of fire, air is what we breathe, we live on Earth, and the climate is subject to all these. And Tia’mar is the Head of his order.”

  “Well,” he said, “since you put it like that.”

  “I do. But that's only a small part. However,” she said, gazing into space, “there are things I must attend to now, if you will excuse me.”

  Without another word, the High Priestess strode out of the room leaving nine people with puzzled expressions on their faces at her abrupt departure.

  Tia'mar shrugged and turned to his old friend, “Is it possible, d'you think, Mesar, to slow the approach of this other world? At least until we know what we're up against. There must be some factual record of it and the Akashiian attack in the Archives, not just the rumors and fanciful reports Moiror passed on to me. Perhaps in my own library...or even the Doman of Saybel may know. Some of the other Prime Lords and world rulers must also have information in their archives
– not all can have wiped their histories clean of it.”

  “We could certainly try, although I think it will take more than just the two of us,” Mesar smiled wryly.

  “Come, then, let's see what's to be done first, before we spread panic throughout the galaxy. Bring young Resh too.”

  As they left the room, Ciaran stood up, “I suppose I'd better report to Lymol now,” she sighed. “T'marl, why don't you take the others into the dining hall, I'll meet you later at the Crossed Swords.”

  “Sure,” he agreed, then glanced across at Annushi, who sat staring pensively into space. “Will you accompany us, lady?”

  The seer recalled her thoughts from their wanderings and smiled faintly. “Thank you, T'marl, I think I will.”

  In her rooms, Demora decide to ask Rajan to deliver the message to Druin, and to tell the Saybelese seer what was in it. The High Priestess knew full well that he’d be able to open, read and re-seal the message without anyone else being the wiser – and for being asked to perform such a menial task as deliver a message, the Nightlord would. Unlike the two most recent Darkworlders she’d had in the Academy, it always seemed Rajan had a chip on his shoulder. But considering those last two were Rowan and Tarik al Fidhala, the Doman’s sons, Demora was right. Even though Rajan was a seer – those two Nightlords were stronger. A disturbing thought touched her mind; what if they were involved? Frowning, she shook her head. Why on Earth should she think that? Why this growing feeling the Darkworlders were in some way involved? Perhaps she should get in touch with Jarath. He usually kept a tight rein on his nobles and his sons – if they were up to something he may know.

  Chapter 25 – Morgan’s Birthright

  A message came by nightlord from Thesa, addressed to the healer and bearing the seal of the High Priestess. Rajan delivered it in person to Druin, found nothing in Delgannan to keep him there and returned minutes later after paying his respects to Liath’s father.

  When he'd gone, Druin didn’t even bother to check if the seal had been tampered with – to ask the Nightlord to deliver a message, the contents must have been urgent and possibly involving Rajan anyway. The healer read the note twice, spent over two hours in deep meditation, then finally strode off to find Morgan.