by David Wind
She knew, and was certain that they did as well, of the powers and abilities that were now free within her, for herself and for them. With a short inhalation, she said, “Neleh, what’s happened since we left?”
“First, know that the woods are filled with ghazi. Why, I know not, but the day after I came, thousands of ghazi arrived and went into the woods. They stay there now. They burn no fires and make no noise. They hide for some reason.”
Mikaal, his brows pulling together into an almost solid line, stared at Neleh. “They hide in the woods? How many?”
“Thousands. There are Women of Power with them, dark sorceresses.”
Mikaal turned to Areenna. This is strange.
Yes, Areenna agreed. “Tell us what has happened.”
Neleh spoke for ten minutes, bringing Areenna and Mikaal up-to-date using both words and thoughts. The news was less than cheerful, and Areenna reacted poorly to the information that her father and two hundred and fifty of The People were all that remained to face the ghazi army. Then she told them about Roth’s plans for the defense of Tolemac.
Areenna looked at Mikaal, whose eyes had widened at this last piece of information. “The Masters’ strategy is perfect. Even Roth believes it.”
Neleh looked from Areenna to Mikaal. “Believes what?”
“The Masters want Dees. They want Tolemac as well, but conquering Dees is their real objective. If they succeed, they will be able to destroy everything that Nevaeh is. That is their ultimate aim; everything else is the strategy to achieve their goal. The attack on Freemorn is a deception to make Roth believe they are going for Tolemac. While Roth gathers the might of Nevaeh at Tolemac, the Dark Masters take Dees and then the Island. If they succeed, they will control all of Nevaeh.”
My father has fallen into the same trap.
Neleh’s eyes widened at the significance of Areenna’s words. My mother stayed with him in Caymir. Half The People remain to fight as well.
Mikaal stared west, toward Tolemac. “We must get messages to Nosaj and to Tolemac. We must warn them of everything. Gaalrie?”
Areenna shook her head once. “She is one way. Let me think.” Closing her eyes, she dug into her memories, trying to uncover what her intuition told her she possessed.
What did Sophia say, just before she sent us out? Something about not discovering all the gifts?
Mikaal stared at Areenna, looking deeply into the sea foam eyes while he made himself think in small, backward steps. “Power,” he whispered. “It was about power…”
Areenna’s head snapped back. “Yes! She said, ‘You seek a power where there is none. You think of it as receiving a gift from another, while you have yet to discover all the gifts given you.’ That’s it! You have yet to discover gifts given you!”
Neleh looked from Mikaal to Areenna. “What is it?”
Once again, Areenna closed her eyes. She retraced the path that Neleh and Mikaal had taken when they’d joined her below, and opened herself. Her eyes snapped open. “Mikaal, we have the abilities of the Staff, we have the abilities given by The Eight. What else can we possibly need? No, we have all, we just need to know how to find them and use them.”
“Now would be a good time.” Mikaal sat on the ground. When he did, Charka came behind him and pressed his snout to Mikaal’s back.
Neleh sat, and Duv curled at her feet.
Areenna sat cross-legged with Gaalrie now perched on her shoulder, her tiredness, and the hours of walking through the tunnel forgotten. Directing her thoughts to Neleh, she said, Mikaal and I share the powers of the Staff of Afzal. We each received gifts… abilities when first called to the Island. Now we must find one of the powers with the abilities that will connect us to Tolemac.
They sat in a perfectly formed triangle, Areenna at the apex, Mikaal and Neleh forming the base. She reached out and took Neleh’s right hand in her left hand, and Mikaal’s left in her right.
Mikaal closed his right hand over Neleh’s left and closed the triangle.
The moment Mikaal’s fingers closed around Neleh’s, a flash of light crossed Areenna’s eyes. Her back arched, her head snapped back, and her eyes looked skyward but were unseeing. She reached out with her senses, and as she had with her hands, took Mikaal and Neleh and brought them within. Not within her mind, but deep within her body, to where her powers lay hidden within that special part of her, which made her a woman.
The fiery heat of Areenna’s power filled Mikaal, consuming him with its intensity. He fought, holding himself back, refusing to allow her to take, when he sensed Neleh surround his consciousness and create a barrier between him and Areenna’s subconscious emanations. Only then did Mikaal and Neleh move deeper within Areenna.
Like a forest afire, the crossing of a male into where her powers lay, brought forth an uncontrolled repelling. However, the instant Neleh covered his presence with her own, the fires eased and Areenna became aware of what had occurred.
Good, she pushed to Neleh as the three were again in accord with each other. There is a place deeper within me, a place I have tried to enter but cannot. We start there.
Like swimming underwater, Areenna led them deeper and deeper until, suddenly, they were blocked. Mikaal pushed against the block, and was repelled. He tried twice more, and failed each time.
Then Neleh attempted to break through the block, but could not.
Neleh floated before the block. There must be a way.
Mikaal envisioned both Areenna and Neleh as solid bodies with him, not just the emanations of their minds. He watched them materialize, floating within the heat of Areenna’s powers, both were sitting. He looked down, saw he was in a sitting position as well, and realized he was seeing himself as they were, sitting on the ground. He stared at their figures, at the way their arms stretched between each other, forming a triangle—
—This is it! The Trinity! Sophia’s last words were ‘Complete the Trinity’, just before she sent us out. This is what she meant. With Neleh, we are the Trinity. We must do this together.
Areenna took in his words, took in the meaning of what Sophia had said. Yes, together we try.
The three pushed their senses at the block, putting every ounce of their power into the act, and their attempt exploded and died. Mikaal’s disappointment mixed with his spiking anger. It should have worked.
There is a way, Areenna assured him. To balance power, there must be a fulcrum.
I don’t understand. What is a fulcrum? Neleh’s question caught Mikaal off guard.
A fulcrum is the point at which something can be tipped, opened, or… changed. He paused for a moment. It can be a key that unlocks…
As his words trailed off, Neleh’s eyes widened. Was that what I was, on the Mountain of the Two Peaks when we fought the Master?
Stunned by Neleh’s thought, it took Areenna several seconds to rethink everything. Yes, as it was when we fought together. Take us within.
The thought was barely out when Neleh pulled them both into her and, acting on instinct, wrapped not her abilities, but the powers that roiled within her, around them and, with a lightning strike, dove into Areenna’s barrier.
The strike destroyed the barrier, opening the block and freeing the white powers of the Staff. Within the combined trance of the trinity, no one, not even Areenna heard the scream of pain that ripped from her throat when the block gave way. The pain coursed through every nerve, every muscle and every bone in her body seconds before a flash of white filled her mind, easing the pain, taking it away.
In the next instant, their minds separated. Areenna’s breath came in spurts. While she had no memory of the pain, there was a stiffness throughout her body. She shook her head while she calmed her breathing. “I…” she tried but could not express her thoughts. Both Mikaal and Neleh squeezed her hands.
Areenna looked at Mikaal, who understood what must come next. She looked at Neleh. “We must do the same for Mikaal.”
Neleh took a deep breath. She nodded and, in the next ins
tant, Neleh drew all of Areenna’s powers within her. She joined Mikaal, who led them to where his powers lay.
Everything was different. Unlike Areenna, his heat was dry and harsh, and his maleness a barrier in itself. Join us now, come within me, Neleh called.
Mikaal tried, but failed. He pushed himself with all his might, but could not join within Neleh’s power. Something stops me.
Neleh’s thoughts were confused. I don’t understand. We have just done this.
Release us.
Neleh did as Areenna asked.
“There is something more we have to do. I’m not sure,” she began, as she thought about how they’d retrieved the Staff’s powers that were within her. She mulled over all aspects until only one possibility remained.
“Part of the Staff of Afzal is within me, part within you. My part opened and is free within me, but the part of the Staff within you, protects itself from Neleh. Yet, we need Neleh to access it.”
Mikaal played with the words, chasing them through his head. “Neleh is the key, but the Staff fights to stop Neleh. If I am right, it will not fight you; it will seek you. The Staff wants to rejoin. Jalil warned us not to let that happen. We must each keep our part of the Staff separate.” Mikaal paused, deep in thought, following the path of his intuition.
“Neleh must go within you, not you within her. When you reach the barrier, it will open for you. When it does, Neleh will lend you her strength to push through. The instant it does, I must retain the Staff.”
The sea foam shade of Areenna’s eyes deepened. “This will not be easy.”
Mikaal could not stop his smile, nor the sarcasm. “I would expect no less.” He looked at Neleh. Go now, into Areenna!
The instant she did, Mikaal reached out with his mind and pulled them within, sending them tumbling to the seat of his powers, to the barricade they must open. It took a few seconds for Mikaal to adjust himself to what was happening, and to prepare to do what he believed possible.
He steeled himself for what came next. Now!
Areenna reacted immediately by pushing her entire essence at the barricade. She struck at it, her powers mixing with the power of the Staff and, as it hit and spread across the barrier, the block fell apart and his body arched back under the lances of pain exploding in every point on his body.
Now! he commanded again. Neleh while fighting the pain as her mind moved with the speed of light, pulling Areenna back into her, covering, and blocking her power from the Staff as the Staff’s powers rushed to join her. Then, with Neleh blocking Areenna, Mikaal drew the Staff to him, joining it with all of his abilities.
There was a flash of white, and they were once again sitting on the ground on the mountain near Dees.
<><><>
Roth sat in his seat at the head of the council, while the kings and queens, princess and princesses—who had been able to reach Tolemac before the barrier was set—gathered in the chamber.
Shortly after the raising of the barrier, Enaid had received a message from Ilsraeth that the five thousand warriors of Northcrom who had remained behind, had crossed into Tolemac a bare hour before the rise of the barrier and awaited word from Ilsraeth.
Prince Darb had arrived with the remaining troops of Brumwall, while Libon remained in Welkold, but had sent four thousand warriors and another ten thousand arrows. Trebor and Akassia arrived from Lokinhold with more troops, while King Esnal and Queen Ammie remained behind.
Roth scanned the room, and then spoke. “Everyone here knows we have no choice but to succeed. The alternative is slavery and death. With half of Nevaeh sealed from the other half, we must be victorious. The question becomes: how?”
Roth glanced at Enaid, who nodded imperceptibly. “Fortunate are we, that the armies of Northcrom and Morvene crossed the border before the barrier was raised. Fortunate are we, that we have had warning of their plans.”
Roth looked at the sealed doors, and then at Enaid. “We are secure, My Lord. No one eavesdrops.”
Roth looked at Prince Samot, who sat in his father’s seat. “Fainhall was lost before they reached our shores. We await word on the fates of Nomis and Eetak; however, in matters of this council, Prince Samot will speak and rule for Fainhall. The soldiers of Kashold are here in their full force.”
Prince Trebor and Princess Akassia sit for both Welkold and Lokinhold while their kings and queens remain behind with skeleton forces. All toll, we are twenty-three thousand strong.”
King Retlaw stood. “And less than a quarter of the army we must face.”
Roth nodded. “Yet, you came, did you not?”
Retlaw laughed as he sat. “I did, My Lord, indeed I did. I came because I wanted to hear how you would defeat our enemy. How you would conquer their warriors and free Nevaeh once and for all.”
“You sound cynical, Highness.”
“Cynical?” Retlaw shook his head. “You mistake my tone and words. I have followed you for twenty-two years and never once have I regretted it. I do so again, with joy, for would I rather die in battle, blade against blade, then be overwhelmed in my keep. All I seek is to know your plans.”
“And you will. When we meet tomorrow morning, I will explain everything.”
Enaid, watched carefully, seeking a sign in each face, a sign that warned her of something not right. Lessig had spies everywhere, and until she was certain, no one, not even a king or queen, was exempt from her scrutiny. When she finished, she was certain all was as it should be and Lessig had not corrupted any within the chamber.
Just as she began to relax her vigilance, she sensed another reaching out to her. She tensed when she realized it was Sirod. She grasped Roth’s forearm, her nails biting into his flesh. She leaned to him until her lips touched his ear and whispered. “Sirod… Nosaj, they are here,”
Roth turned to her, his chest tightening. “Freemorn has fallen?”
“No. End this now.”
Roth stood. “For now, I think it best to end here. It is closer to sunrise than sunset. I suggest we all get a few hours of sleep. We will reconvene this council after the morning meal.”
Enaid stood and together, they left the chamber. Behind them, some of the rulers followed, while others formed a few small groups to discuss what had happened. As they walked, Enaid sent messages to Ilsraeth, Layra, Laira, and Akassia to meet them in her chambers.
As they walked along the hall, Roth probed, “Talk to me.”
“All I know is that Nosaj, Sirod, and all who remained in Freemorn are coming. They have abandoned the domain and will be here tomorrow with the sunrise.”
Roth stopped in his tracks. “For Nosaj to abandon Freemorn… it is inconceivable.”
“Yet he has.” She started forward again. They reached her chambers and entered. Within moments, the other four women arrived, each with questions overriding their features.
“Something has happened in Freemorn. We need to combine our abilities. Sit with me,” she ordered, pointing to the floor.
When the five women sat in a circle, Enaid grasped Ilsraeth’s hand on one side and Layra’s on the other. They in-turn, grasped the younger women’s hands. A moment later, Enaid drew on their abilities, and pushed her sensing outward, toward Freemorn. She found what she sought and drew back. Then she did the same, but this time toward Aldimore and Dees. An instant later, she touched an overwhelming presence and withdrew.
Her eyes opened. ”A small number of The People protect Freemorn. The Dark Army is a day from Caymir. But it is Dees that is in more danger. Two armies of the Dark Masters approach Dees. One from the west, the other from the east. They are two to three days from overrunning Dees.”
Roth stared at Enaid, her words reverberating in his head. To lose Dees and Freemorn would be catastrophic. Worse, the three armies would be an overwhelming force against Tolemac. Yet, something was wrong. “Why send both forces to Dees? It makes no sense.”
“Solomon…”
Roth shook his head fiercely. “I will make arrangements for Nosaj’
s arrival. Send for me when you are done.”
Enaid watched Roth go to the door and pull it open. As he did, a wave of pressure washed over her and a shape formed in the center of the circle of women.
“Solomon, wait!”
CHAPTER 32
“NELEH, HOW LONG has it been since we left?”
Neleh’s brows furrowed. “Since you left Tolemac? Two weeks.”
Areenna’s jaw dropped. She looked at Mikaal. “Two weeks… how is that possible? It seemed but a day.”
Mikaal stared through Areenna, seeing nothing other than his memory. “The climb down from the surface… It took longer than we thought… How long were we held by Sophia? And another half day to reach this point.”
Areenna shook her head. “No, it is more than that. She did something to us. Moved us ahead somehow. We could not have spent so many days below; we ate only once on the descent, and drank not at all.”
“I cannot think of a moment that I do not remember from the time we stepped onto the Island.”
Areenna closed her eyes, replayed her memory of their descent beneath the Island. Then she exhaled and looked at the eastern sky. Her inner clock told her it was several hours before sunrise. “Then the ships have landed?”
Neleh nodded. “They have, and they march on Freemorn while our armies gather at Tolemac. You sensed the barrier rise?”
Again, Areenna was puzzled. “Barrier?”
“What barrier?” Mikaal echoed.
“The Masters set a barrier across Nevaeh, cutting off the upper domains from the lower. Nothing can pass through.”
“What armies are at Tolemac? Have they lost those of the upper domains?”