by Lana Axe
Runes held more power than anyone had imagined. More than enchantments for weapons and tools, they had the potential to make the world whole again. It was a lesson the Ancients had tried to teach their descendants when they used runes to subdue the Gawr. Too many centuries had passed, and too much had been forgotten, but the mountain itself remembered.
Chapter 18
Kaiya remained still, holding her body as close to the cliff as she could. For what seemed an eternity, massive quantities of snow and ice continued to rain down. She hoped the overhang was strong enough to withstand the barrage. Otherwise, she too might find herself buried alive.
Finally the rumbling stopped, as did the sliding snow. Scrambling back up the cliff, Kaiya found herself knee-deep in white, surprisingly less than she had expected. The momentum of the avalanche had forced most of the bulk over the edge, leaving the area traversable.
Somewhere beneath the ice lay Tashi, and Kaiya would not leave her behind. A flash of silver swirled in her eyes, sparks appearing in her upturned palms. Reaching out for the priestess’s mind, she located her missing companion. Targeting the snow that concealed her, she unleashed the heat in her hands. Layer by layer the snow melted away, revealing a beaded headdress.
Ceasing her spell, Kaiya dropped to her knees and brushed the snow away. It was Tashi, and she was in one piece. Placing her head to her chest, she heard the sound of a beating heart. Cradling her companion in her arms, she forced the heat from the air and channeled it through Tashi’s body.
A surge of warmth came over the priestess, her muscles aching as they thawed. Her eyes opened to see a mass of purple hair swirling on the wind. She pulled herself away from the sorceress. “I am alive,” she said, stunned.
“Yes, you are,” Kaiya replied.
“You came back for me,” the priestess said. She was insignificant. Only Kaiya’s journey mattered. “Why did you not go on?”
“Because I had to find you,” Kaiya answered, confused. Why shouldn’t she return for her companion and guide? The two had developed a friendship, at least she felt they had. “I couldn’t live with myself if I left a friend behind.”
“What if I had been dead?” Tashi wondered.
“You weren’t,” Kaiya replied. “Can you walk?”
Tashi nodded. Taking in her surroundings, she said, “We’ve lost the path.” All around her was buried in a fresh layer of snow. One area looked identical to the next.
“We need to descend a bit,” Kaiya said. “After that, I’ll have to rely on the wind to point us in the right direction.” The wind had given her the vision of the locations she was to visit, so it had to know the quickest way to get there. “Hold onto my arm,” she said.
Silver magic engulfed the women as they stood side by side. “We have to step over the edge,” Kaiya said. “Hang onto me, and don’t be frightened.”
To her surprise, Tashi felt no fear. Together the pair stepped off the cliff’s edge, and should have plummeted to their demise. But an invisible force guided their descent, cradling them as they flew. This must be what it feels like to ride upon the clouds, Tashi thought.
Twenty or thirty minutes passed, Tashi could not be sure. Still they floated along, drifting eastward. The landscape before her became familiar, and she knew the rune stone drew near. Finally, the wind placed the women gently on the ground, both needing a moment to regain their balance.
“Could you have used this magic to take us to the summit?” Tashi wondered. It had taken some time to travel on foot, time that could have been saved had they used the wind for travel.
“Working against gravity takes a lot more power than working with it,” Kaiya replied. “So the short answer is no.” Even a mistress of air had her limits.
“I see the path,” Tashi said, inclining her head. “It might take two days, maybe more, to reach the rune stone.”
“That will give me time to recover,” Kaiya said. The Gawr was angry, and it wasn’t going down without a fight. If her stores were replenished by then, she might stand a chance against her foe.
A slow march lay ahead of them, with piles of debris—both small and large—hindering their progress. Neither complained, but both longed to find the third rune stone and complete their mission. Every obstacle felt like a nail through Kaiya’s body, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on. The journey would not break her.
With the wind at their backs, they followed the path, straying at times to avoid debris. Tashi mourned the loss of a copse of evergreens, hundred-year-old trees flattened by the Gawr’s wrath. These trees provided homes for birds and furred creatures, and had earned the respect of her people. The Gawr had no right to harm them.
Nearly three days passed before the travelers came within sight of their destination. Neither had slept more than an hour at a time, instead choosing to use small bursts of magic to revitalize them. It was a small price to pay, and the wind graciously stayed by Kaiya’s side, feeding her the power she needed to continue.
Cautiously following the path to the rune stone, the priestess could smell danger. “It’s guarded,” she said, barring Kaiya’s path.
Kaiya already knew. She sensed the magic of the stone, as well as the presence of creatures conjured by dark magic. A tingle ran through her body, and she shuddered, knowing a fight lay ahead. “How many do you see?” she asked.
“Many,” Tashi replied. “They have the shrine surrounded. At least five of them, creatures of stone.” Barely able to believe her eyes, she looked upon the beasts. Two stood on four legs, one on three, and a biped stood guard at the end of the path. Another sat low to the ground, with what appeared to be several appendages along each side of its elongated torso. “I will distract them,” she offered. “When they come for me, you can call down the lightning.”
Kaiya admired her friend’s bravery. “It’s far too dangerous,” she said. Besides, the beasts were looking for a sorceress. Tashi wouldn’t fool them for long. The Gawr would know who the real threat was, and it would direct its minions to Kaiya. “Try to stay behind me, and watch out for any flying debris,” she warned.
Turning her palms upward, she reached into the power of the wind. Sparks flew from her fingertips as she loosed a blast of energy toward the rock beasts. The counterforce of the blast unsteadied her, but she fought it, remaining on her feet. A flash of silver in her eyes, she watched as the spell flew forward.
No effect.
The wave passed over the creatures with a blurring of the light, but it did not faze them. Still as statues, they remained unharmed. Kaiya looked at her hands, wondering if she’d made a mistake. Shaking the thought away, she tried again, this time calling to the skies. The clouds rushed together, darkening and flashing with power. Two bolts of lightning, one immediately following the other, landed in the midst of the stone beasts. Snow and rubble freed by the blast pelted the beasts, but still they remained unmoving, their cold demeanor unshaken.
“They’ve grown stronger,” Tashi whispered. “You have to get near the rune stone. Let me help you.”
Taking in a deep breath, Kaiya reluctantly agreed. If the rune were activated, the Gawr might begin to weaken, as would his creations. “This will protect you,” she said. Summoning her power, she cast a shield of silver to protect her friend from harm. It was only a temporary measure, and it could be broken, but it was the best protection she could offer.
“I’ll get their attention while you make it to the rune stone,” Tashi said. Looking toward her enemy, she saw her own fear. A shudder raced through her body, but she forced it away. I must do this, she told herself, the face of Annin’s child coming to the front of her mind. The child’s future was at stake.
Moving in a wide arc, Tashi ran toward the beasts, nearing each one before pulling away. The magic of her shield caught their attention, drawing them away from their fixed positions. Their movements clumsy, Tashi felt a surge of confidence. She was nimble and quick. These lumbering hulks could not catch her.
Weaving betwee
n the legs of the tall biped, she darted off to the left. Its arm came down far too late—she had already made it to safety. Somersaulting beneath a quadruped, she drew it away from the rune stone. With an exhilarated leap, she landed on the back of the centipede creature, its torso twisting violently in an attempt to shake her off. The quadruped in pursuit tripped on one of the centipede’s legs, but Tashi hurried on, sprinting to a safe distance. Behind her she heard a crash as the beasts fell, entangled.
Tashi continued her flight, a proud smile on her face. All of the beasts were in pursuit, save the two who still struggled to right themselves. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed her companion dashing toward the rune stone, sparks flying from her fingertips.
The presence of strong magic forced the rock beasts away from their prey, their new target identified. Tashi shouted and threw herself among them, hoping to draw their attention, but to no avail. Bound for the sorceress, the creatures had no further interest in Tashi.
Ignoring everything but the rune stone, Kaiya approached the pillar. A single chipped stone stood perched at the top of an obelisk. Its position was impossible, held in place by an unseen force. There was no time to investigate. Unleashing the magic in her hands, Kaiya slammed the rune with a blast of lightning, its deep-red center erupting in a firestorm. A flame of red light burst from the stone, two lines forming in the direction of the other runes. For miles it stretched, connecting the three points of power. Red fire pulsated along each beam of light, the sorceress’s bones rattling in response. Ancient magic had been unleashed, and it buried itself inside her soul.
Sprinting toward her was Tashi, her shield entirely depleted. She quickly caught her breath and shouted, “We’re trapped!” The beasts had them surrounded.
“No,” Kaiya replied, anger flashing in her eyes. Planting her feet firmly in the snow, she focused her mind to the red lights extending from the rune. Summoning her magic, her eyes flashed red.
The stone beasts, oblivious to the danger, continued their approach. As they closed in, Kaiya unleashed her fury. Blasting energy into the lights, she tapped into the magic of the Ancients. A massive explosion threw her backward.
In a flash of red, the rock beasts were struck. Bursting on impact, their forms shattered sending fragments of stone raining down on the sorceress. Her skin stung from repeated impacts as the rubble continued to rain. Shielding her eyes, she scanned the area for Tashi, who had been tossed in the opposite direction.
Kaiya scrambled toward the rune to find Tashi already back on her feet. A deep groaning sound echoed in their ears, the two women clutching each other as they stared straight ahead. The wind swirled before them, gaining speed and lifting the shattered pieces of the stone beasts into the air. Kaiya did not understand. How could the Gawr manipulate the wind? Why would it obey? The answers would have to wait.
Faster and faster the cyclone swirled, smashing stones against the mountainside and reducing them to dust. The pair dropped to their knees to avoid being crushed.
“Can you stop it?” Tashi shouted.
In her mind Kaya pleaded with the wind. Holding her palms outward, she demanded the cyclone stop. It did not. A flash of silver projected from her eyes, the veins in her head throbbing. Pulling deep into her magical stores, she forced the wind to obey. The cyclone continued to whirl, but it held its distance, moving away from the crouched pair.
A warm trickle of blood slid from Kaiya’s nose, making its way to her lips. Pain reverberated through her body, her heart pounding in her chest. Feeling as if her lungs would burst, the sorceress began to cough. “I can’t hold it,” she choked out.
Seeing her friend’s distress, Tashi yanked the sorceress to safety behind the pillar where the rune stone still burned brightly. Unhindered, the cyclone renewed its fury, striking the pillar and pounding it with stones.
“What if the pillar is destroyed?” Tashi shouted over the roar of the wind.
Leaning on one elbow, Kaiya lifted her hand. This had to end, one way or another. She did not know if the pillar could survive the barrage; it was up to her to protect it. With her remaining magic, she forced the air around her into an oval-shaped shield. It glowed with a dim silver light, her stores draining fast. With barely enough strength left to stand, she allowed her companion to pull her to her feet.
Tashi’s dark eyes looked into Kaiya’s, both knowing what they had to do. With a single nod, the priestess stepped within the shield and pulled her companion close. In a quick motion, she forced them both into the path of the Ancient magic.
Red and silver sparks exploded in all directions, the two women flying over the edge of the plateau and tumbling down the mountainside. The cyclone was hit in a massive explosion, sending out a shower of blood-red dust that stained the snow for a mile in all directions. The rune stone remained unharmed.
Groaning in pain, Kaiya could barely move. Every muscle and bone ached, the absolute exhaustion of her ordeal crashing down on her.
“Don’t try to move,” Tashi said. Though her own arms were scraped bloody, she attempted to comfort the injured sorceress.
Kaiya’s eyes did not miss the fact that her companion was also injured. She placed a hand on the woman’s arm, but no magic came. She could not heal the cuts, nor could she provide any comfort for her pain. Accepting her failure, she lay back in the snow and closed her eyes.
Believing the matter to be finished, Tashi allowed the sorceress to rest. Ignoring her own discomfort, she knelt in the snow and stared up at the sky. We did it, Annin, she thought. Her niece would be safe. The Gawr would return to sleep. Stretching herself next to Kaiya, she rested her eyes.
Twitching in her sleep, Kaiya saw visions of fire. Malice pierced her heart, the form of a giant haunting her dreams. With one hand it controlled fire, in the other it coerced the wind. The earth rumbled, obeying the whim of the ancient behemoth, the rivers running backward in reply.
Kaiya awoke with a start, her eyes glistening with silver magic. “We have to get back to the mines,” she said, hopping to her feet. “Now.”
Groggy, Tashi rubbed at her eyes. The two had slept away an entire day. “What’s so urgent?” she wondered. The Gawr had been dealt with. Surely now there was time to rest and regain some strength.
“The Gawr is still awake,” she said. “It attacked us with that wind.”
“How?” Tashi asked, standing. “I thought activating the runes would put it to sleep?”
“They will hold it asleep after I finish the ritual,” Kaiya said. “I have to seal the magic against the Gawr, and force it back to its prison.”
“And that is in the mines?” Tashi asked.
“It’s as deep as I can go,” Kaiya replied. “That means it’s as close to the Gawr as I can get.”
Nodding, Tashi asked, “And this has to be done each cycle?” How could the Ulihi have fought off this terrible creature in the past? Would they be able to fight it in the future?
“No,” the sorceress replied. “As long as the runes are kept active, no one will have to face it again.” Assuming I survive the encounter, she added silently.
“The runes will have weakened it for you,right?” Tashi asked.
“I think activating the runes has made it desperate,” Kaiya replied. By renewing the ancient magic, she had forced the Gawr’s hand. Now it would fight harder, making a last stand to protect its freedom. This would be the fight of her life.
Chapter 19
Escorted by a blustery wind, the travelers made a final push for the mines. Tashi’s knowledge of the area proved invaluable, leading them along unseen paths. Her shortcuts often resulted in treacherous travel over uneven ground, but still they journeyed on. After two days without a pause, they succumbed to fatigue and sat with their backs against boulders, weathered smooth through the millennia.
Neither managed to sleep, the gravity of their task forbidding it. Instead, they sat for an hour, catching their breath and massaging their aching feet.
“Do you believe
your village is safe?” Kaiya asked. Ulihi architecture was primitive, far inferior to dwarven construction. Could the village have survived the Gawr’s onslaught?
“Yes,” Tashi replied with confidence. “We build in sheltered areas. The rockslides will not have affected my people.” The Ulihi had lived among these mountains since time began. If the situation grew dire, they would simply migrate to another settlement. They would survive.
Wishing she could be as certain as Tashi, Kaiya’s thoughts turned to the question she had feared to ask. Projecting her mind to the wind, she asked, Does my family still live? Not an answer, but an image flashed before her eyes. The farmhouse stood, untouched by the destruction that had visited the mining settlement. Her brothers worked the fields, her mother sat on the porch with Flip perched proudly on her lap. Her father puffed his pipe, a blanket draped over his legs. Doozle snoozed at his feet. All was as it should be, as if the Gawr had no effect on her home. Thank you, she said to the wind.
Her eyes wet, she slowly pulled herself back to her feet. It was time to face her enemy, to be rid of it before it could damage the one place dearest to her—before it could crush her already troubled spirit. It was time for the Gawr to slumber once more.
By the following morning, the pair stood within sight of the settlement, the silence of the city overwhelming. Before their eyes, they witnessed the devastation wrought by the Gawr’s wrath. Buildings were leveled, entire streets buried beneath piles of mud and stone. It was far worse than they had seen from above.
Kaiya’s heart nearly stopped as she looked upon something newly constructed, a cemetery complete with freshly chiseled headstones. These were her kinsmen, dying at the hands of an angry monster. She bowed her head, her eyes stinging.
“Too many have been lost,” Tashi whispered, her hand placed over her heart. Guilt rose in her, her stomach clenching. Fighting back the urge to be sick, she renewed her vow to see this through to the end. Though she alone could not finish this. It had to be Kaiya, for Tashi lacked the power. “You must get to the mines,” she said, gently patting the dwarf’s back.