Runes and Relics

by Kay L. Ling

  Tyla took the gems to Raenihel, and when he agreed they were effective, she said, “Pass them around. I’m going back to finish my dinner.”

  By the time she got there, her plate was empty. Lant had eaten everything, assuming she was finished. He brought her another plate with more than before and she devoured it, much to Tina Ann’s amusement.

  “You be eatin’ like a breghlin,” Tina Ann said, dropping her voice, “and them clan leaders be starin’ at you.”

  Tyla didn’t care. “I haven’t been so hungry in ages.”

  “I got more brontskeller jerky.” Tina Ann pulled a piece from her pocket. There was lint stuck to it and teeth marks on one end.

  “Thanks, but I’m not that hungry.”

  The ground trembled, and Tyla froze. “Oh no! Not again!”

  Cries of alarm rose all around her as the ground shook harder.

  Lant put a protective arm around her and she leaned against him, willing the shaking the stop. They didn’t have time for this. They needed to use the gems again.

  The tremor didn’t last long, but there might be more. A wary hush fell over the group.

  “Look!” Tina Ann cried, pointing at the sky.

  Tyla looked up. A large, black bird was approaching.

  Franklin had arrived!

  Chapter 37

  Franklin landed close by, and Tyla leapt to her feet. “Franklin!”

  He flapped his wings, hopping toward her. “I came as fast as I could. Lana sent gems.”

  “I heard. You must be exhausted!” She dropped to one knee and removed the pouch from around his neck.

  “Have you tried to breach the barrier yet?”

  “Yes. Some of the energy turned to water. Elias says the reaction wasn’t strong enough to complete the transformation.”

  The ground shook again, and Tyla rose with Lant’s assistance. The maraku bellowed. Good thing the drivers had staked them to the ground so they couldn’t run away.

  When the shaking stopped, Raenihel came to greet Franklin. “You’re here. I’m glad you’re safe. You brought the gems?”

  Before he could answer, Tyla held up the pouch. “Maybe we should rest longer, but I feel like I’m ready to try again.”

  Raenihel gave Tyla back the gems she had gotten from Tina Ann, and then turned to the breghlin. “Where did you get the gems?”

  “In a river,” Tina Ann said. “Foun’ some last trip, an’ Elias say they be good ones.”

  “So, you stopped to find more.” He looked surprised at her initiative. “Thank you.”

  “Done it for Tyla.” She glared at Raenihel.

  Another tremor shook the ground. Mierek and Aberell had warned that the quakes were becoming more frequent. Disrupting the Amulet’s powers was the only way to end to this.

  “I don’t want to risk worse conditions tomorrow. Let’s gather everyone for another try,” she said, doing her best to look calmer than she felt. Raenihel hesitated, and she was afraid he would protest, but he nodded and left.

  Tyla gave Lant a fierce hug and turned to Ben and Tina Ann. “Thanks again for the gems. We’ll use them in this attempt, along with our other gems.”

  The team gathered in the same spot as before. Raenihel used his pendant to reach Elias while Morodin unwrapped and distributed the artifact gems with shaking hands. Tyla passed out Tina Ann’s gems and the new turquoise, keeping the aventurine bracelet for herself. Her breath caught when her hand closed around it. The gems already felt warm, and her palm actually tingled.

  Everyone looked at her with determined faces.

  “This time, those of us with Fair Lands gems will start drawing their power immediately. The rest of you, concentrate on the energy beam.”

  She had been pulled in too many directions before. She needed to focus on the aventurine. After looking around the group to make sure they were ready, she closed her eyes. “Begin.”

  She tuned out the undercurrent of voices and shut out her own doubts. She wouldn’t let fear of failure undermine her efforts. They had all been caught off guard before, expecting it to be more like practice. This time, they must stay focused, endure the energy drain, and complete the transformation.

  The tingle quickly grew to a pins-and-needles sensation that threatened to disrupt her concentration. This aventurine was far more powerful!

  We feel it too!

  Those gems are incredible!

  They could make the difference!

  The turquoise is more powerful, too.

  Yes! Much hotter!

  She snuck a peek at the barrier and thought she saw a beam of glowing pink light, but whether it was real or a vision she couldn’t say.

  The group’s excitement made it easier to ignore her discomfort. She tried to ignore what everyone else was doing and think only about drawing aventurine and merging its powers with the pink beam. Her mind felt sharper, her senses keener. That must be Tina Ann’s gems at work.

  Good, very good. Hold fast—it’s working. Elias’s thoughts. She could always distinguish him from the others.

  The repelling force was noticeably weaker already. She didn’t need to look to know the rain had begun. Her heart beat faster with anticipation. Could they finish the transformation this time?

  Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours. How long had it really been? Probably no more than ten minutes but her gems were becoming too hot to hold, and the pins-and-needles sensation was moving up her arm. How much longer?

  Hold on! Hold on! The others told her.

  She wouldn’t let go, no matter how much it hurt, but it was getting worse. The others must be able to feel it, but they couldn’t possibly feel it this intensely. Her hand felt engulfed in flames. It hurt so much she wanted to scream. She drew in ragged breaths, tears rolling down her cheeks.

  Almost there . . . just a little longer. Elias again.

  I can barely feel the repelling force now!

  It’s very weak. Almost gone.

  They were right. She hadn’t been paying attention to the repelling force, but it was barely noticeable now. She clenched her teeth against the pain.

  Suddenly the pain was gone. So was the repelling force. She severed the mental link. Her teammates were scrambling to their feet, talking at once and shouting excitedly. She stood too.

  A vast wall of rain stretched along the horizon from the ground to the sky.

  Omara grabbed Tyla and hugged her. “We did it!”

  Tyla wiped her eyes. “I can hardly believe it.”

  A squawk drew their attention skyward. Franklin was swooping toward them. He landed close by and Tyla hurried to meet him.

  “Fantastic job,” he said. “I should fly close to the barrier to make sure the repelling force is completely gone.”

  “That sounds dangerous. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “I’m confident it worked as we expected. The barrier should be completely down. An outsider could go right through. Once the rain wears off and the Amulet reboots, that won’t be possible.”

  “Don’t try it. We’re not sure anything can pass through. All we have to go on is Lana’s experience with the armory ward, and this may be different. We’ll lob some stones across as a test.”

  “Good idea,” said a voice behind her.

  Tyla turned. Lant swept her into a hug. “I’m so proud of you!” Then, he released her and stepped back, grinning. “We’ll get some stones and ride up to the barrier. I know the others will want to go along.”

  “I’ll meet you there,” Franklin said, and flew off.

  He was right. Everyone wanted to go. They were so anxious to reach the barrier that they didn’t mind riding with breghlin, so Ben and Tina Ann took a cartload. As the carts approached the barrier, the team stared in awe at the thunderous curtain of water.

  Beyond lay their ancestral homeland.

  Franklin was already there, wet from the spray despite being a safe distance away.

  The team climbed out of the carts, stones in
hand, and walked in reverent silence toward the barrier. They stood side by side and glanced at one another. Who would throw the first, historic stone?

  “Go ahead, Tyla,” Raenihel said. “You go first.”

  Tyla hesitated, so full of emotion her hands were trembling. Was the barrier still functioning despite the rain, or would the stone pass through?

  Just then, a rock hurtled through the curtain of rain and landed behind them.

  For a moment, they all stood dumbstruck. Then a shout went up as they realized what it meant.

  Tyla threw her stone, but not very hard. She didn’t want to hurt someone on the other side. Immediately, stones came flying back. A few landed in front of her. She laughed out loud, scooped one up, and held it like the precious object it was. She would keep it. Someday, when Eemie was old enough to cherish the history behind it, Tyla would give her the stone.

  Everyone else tossed theirs through.

  “Must be lotsa gnomes over there,” Tina Ann said from behind her.

  Tyla turned, grabbed Tina Ann by the shoulders, and shook her soundly, then did the same to Ben. Both breghlin burst out laughing.

  “You be gettin’ more like breghlin every day. Forgive me for sayin’ it,” Tina Ann said, grinning.

  Tyla was about to make a wisecrack, but the words died on her lips.

  Three gnomes stepped through the barrier.

  Water dripped from their hair and beards, and their clothing was soaked, but they were smiling. They approached, and the one in the middle, a powerfully built gnome in his mid-thirties with black hair and a short, pointed beard, said warmly, “Reunited at last.” His eyes shone with emotion. He and his companions wore identical gray clothing with black belts and boots. “My name is Finnack.” He gestured toward his companions. “Orinth and Pentar. We’re officers from Aberell.”

  The clan leaders, elders, and most of the Amulet Team clustered around the officers, but Tyla and Lant hung back with Ben and Tina Ann.

  After the clan leaders had introduced themselves and told the officers which clans they were from, Finnack said, “I spoke with Elias and Parcune today. They said Tyla is here.”

  Tyla froze, feeling self-conscious, but Lant whispered, “Go meet them. Don’t be shy.”

  She stepped forward and managed to croak, “I’m Tyla.”

  “Yes, that’s her,” said the gnome called Pentar, a young fellow with reddish hair and a slightly crooked nose. He gave her a lopsided grin, “I was on duty the day you contacted us.”

  “Poor fellow fell off his stool,” Finnack said, clapping Pentar on the back good-naturedly.

  Tyla stammered, “I’m sorry I startled you,” but Pentar just laughed. “Hearing from you was the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.” He rubbed the back of his head, grinning. “I’m famous, thanks to you.”

  She smiled and felt herself relax.

  “We’d like to give you something as a memento. It’s from the Winder Mountains, halfway across the world.” He held out a gem. Filling the center of his palm was a smooth, oval cabochon—silver with streaks of white.

  For a moment, all Tyla could do was stare. Then, she reached out and took it. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

  “It’s called windrite—after the mountains it comes from. That’s the only place you can find it. It’s brutally cold there year-round so it’s hard to mine them.” He smiled. “We figured it would be a novelty since it’s warm here all the time.”

  “What does it do?”

  “It’s a serenity stone. When you draw its power, it projects serenity directly to others.”

  That was unusual. It was possible to project emotions with any emotion gem once you developed the skill. This gem did it on its own.

  “When you get back to Elantoth, look on your maps for the region called Courish. That’s where you’ll find the Winder Mountains,” Finnack said.

  Tyla slipped the windrite into her gem pouch, and then looked into the distance with a shiver of excitement. A vast land, some of it very different from the Amulet, lay beyond the barrier. A land full of fascinating places. Like the Winder Mountains.

  Chapter 38

  Tyla woke early the next morning. Lant was snoring softly. Since they had camped in the open, the team had set up tents, and she could tell by the dim light filtering through the canvas that it was shortly after sunrise.

  Sitting up, she stretched and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then crawled from her bedroll. She didn’t want to disturb Lant, so it would be best to dress and go for a walk.

  When she stepped outside, all the tents were tied shut and no one was around. If any of her teammates had risen early, they had probably gone to view the barrier.

  How long would the rain last? It might continue for days, weeks, or months. In the meantime, they would all be waiting in suspense. Only when the rain stopped would they be able to tell whether the Amulet had rebooted and begun to work properly.

  When she reached the first hilltop, she found Bazzik and Vegmir sitting on the ground, looking toward the barrier.

  The rain had stopped!

  She let out an excited squeak, and Bazzik and Vegmir turned.

  “Feel free to join us,” Bazzik said, smiling. “We’re enjoying the view.”

  She sat down beside them, her heart too full to speak.

  Near the ruins of the memorial statue stood a few tents, a cart, maraku, and erum, probably Aberell officers camping nearby to monitor conditions.

  “The rain stopped sometime during the night,” Vegmir said. “We arrived a little after daybreak, and this is what we found. They must have noticed when the rain stopped,” he added, nodding toward the group camped by the statue. “Our camp was too far away to hear the rain. I wanted to go to the barrier and toss some stones across, but Bazzik said to wait for the others.”

  Imagine being able to walk through and stand on the other side. The very thought gave Tyla chills.

  “If we can cross, some of the team may want to explore a little before we go home,” Bazzik said. “Personally, I’d rather go home first and return with a scouting party.”

  She felt the same way. As much as she was curious about the land on the other side, she needed to get home to Eemie. “Everyone at Elantoth is anxious for us to return, especially after hearing Raenihel’s updates. We need to go home soon, but I’d certainly like to come back.”

  She’d spent the last few weeks studying the books in S’s libraries, learning all she could about Ahmonell. It had been equal parts pain and pleasure since she couldn’t be sure Amulet gnomes would ever see any of it in person. No one in the Amulet had ever seen a mountain, an ocean, or an island. They’d never been to a city. Now, there was a real chance they’d see all of these things someday.

  She and her companions sat in silent contemplation. Then, Vegmir stood and dusted off his pants. “I can’t wait any longer. Let’s rouse the sleepyheads and go test the barrier.”

  “If they aren’t up by now, they should be,” Bazzik said. He helped Tyla up and they headed back to camp.

  When they arrived, their teammates were taking down tents and making breakfast. As soon as Vegmir announced that the rain had stopped, all work ceased.

  “I’ll drive,” Lant said, and looked around. “I haven’t seen Ben or Tina Ann. I’ll ask one of the other gnome drivers to help.”

  Tyla supposed Ben and Tina Ann were staying with some of NE3’s scouts. She hated for them to miss this, but there was no time to go look for them.

  It didn’t take long for the team to get underway, and excited conversation buzzed among Tyla’s group as they rode to the barrier.

  Still a distance away, but in sight of the barrier, Tyla grabbed Lant’s arm and cried excitedly, “Look! There’s our answer!”

  Finnack and a few of his officers had come through.

  Tyla set her gem pouch on the driver’s box. As soon as everyone had gotten out of the cart, Raenihel drew Tyla and Lant aside. “I spoke to Franklin last night. He was
leaving for Elantoth at daybreak, and he said Ben and Tina planned to leave this morning too. Some of NE3’s clan stayed to escort them as far as their own clan, and I’m sure they can make it the rest of the way to Elantoth on their own.”

  Tyla was sorry she hadn’t said goodbye.

  “I contacted Elantoth a couple hours ago,” Raenihel went on. “At the time, I thought we’d be staying a few days to see if the Amulet rebooted, but now that we know everything is all right, we can start home.”

  “Good. We should be able to reach Elantoth by Friday,” Lant said.

  “How is everything at home?” Tyla asked.

  “Elias reclaimed his office yesterday and brought Lana and Jules with him. He plans to stay for a few weeks. I asked about Arenia and Eemie, and they’re doing fine.” He turned to the barrier. “I can still hardly believe we were successful. I must send another report to say the barrier is working properly.” He smiled at them. “Let’s go across and deliver the good news from there.”

  Most of the team had already crossed. Stones thrown yesterday littered the ground on both sides of the barrier. Vegmir waved to get their attention, and then beckoned them over.

  Tyla smiled in anticipation as Lant took her hand, and together they crossed into the land denied them so long.

  On the way home, Tyla could finally enjoy the scenery. Every birdcall delighted her. Insects whirred contentedly, and she saw wildflowers she hadn’t noticed before.

  The team detoured to a stream on Elias’s map, refilled water barrels and bathed, and set out for the Zihaddon clan to drop off Morodin. Since Vegmir and Kerosten’s clans lived nearby, they would leave the group there as well.

  The team made good time, arriving in the early afternoon. Morodin called his people together so Raenihel could make a speech and return the artifact gems.

  It was a very moving speech. One Tyla would never forget. Morodin and Vegmir received the gems tearfully on behalf of their clans and made short speeches themselves. They promised to establish a place where gnomes from every clan could view the artifact gems.