Two Enchanters together cupped hands in the ether and rainbows spilled from opening fingers.
Ego died and soul rejoiced.
FINALLY, BOTH RESTED AGAINST the tree trunk, its girth mightier than the most colossal natural sentinel in the multiverse.
“I remember what it is I was afraid of,” Torrullin murmured, his gaze faraway.
“This is the place to release fear,” Elianas said, his attention on a little sparrow dancing amid wildflowers. He was almost certain it was the original one, the friend that summoned them into renewal.
“I was afraid of you, Elianas.”
Dark hair swung his way. “Why?” he blurted.
“I destroyed you and one day I understood I would have to pay for that sin.”
Elianas leaned his head against the trunk, his gaze reaching for distance as well. “Thus, when you were accusing me of not trusting you, your fear of reprisal hoped for redemption. My trust signified I had buried the need to exact payment.”
Torrullin snorted amusement. “How selfish I was.”
“And how do you feel now?”
“There is no sin, no punishment. There is only now. And love.”
Elianas smiled. “Indeed.”
Sitting forward to clasp his knees, Torrullin said, “Noble purpose is about love. Every breathing entity is capable of this noble purpose.”
An amber finger caressed a golden cheek. “We were born into love, but for a long time we forgot. Love is compassion, empathy, understanding, presence, support, a listener, a warm arm, and every moment creates new life. The blessing.”
Torrullin smiled. “Indeed.”
“Is it time to go home? Have we released Lorinin and Danae?”
“Everything is released, Elianas, and everything remains with us.”
“In other words, our gifts are with us always, but the manipulation is ended.”
Fair hair swung his way. “The Song of the Spaces will never be silent.”
Smiling, Elianas stood. He bowed to the colourful bubble around them. “Thank you.” Then, holding his hand out to Torrullin, he murmured, “Let us go home.”
Grinwallin
DIVESTED, THEY STOOD UPON the crucible dish. Tears tracked over two sets of cheeks.
“We are free,” Elianas whispered.
“We are forever connected,” Torrullin murmured.
Agony was now in the past. While memories of agony would remain for a long time, the reality of beauty and love would ever be greater.
“The fourteenth cycle is ended,” Elianas murmured eventually.
“As has our purpose in Reaume.”
The cage lifted, and Teighlar stood there, watching them. “You are different. I almost wish I had accompanied you.”
Stepping out, Torrullin clasped the Emperor’s shoulder. “My friend, you became what we have now discovered the moment you relinquished Alexander before our gathered hosts. You already live what we now know.”
Teighlar frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Elianas stepped in beside Torrullin and clasped Teighlar’s other shoulder. “You chose love that day, Emperor. You are a noble Ancient.”
A blue gaze swept from one to the other. “Love is paramount.”
Both Elianas and Torrullin erupted into smiles.
Snorting, but grinning, the Emperor said, “And now we say farewell?”
“There is no farewell,” Torrullin said. “The Song of the Spaces connects us eternally.”
Chapter 75
Love is a choice, as choice is part of love
~ Book of Sages ~
Avaelyn
Lifesource Cathedral
ON THE DAY BEFORE their deadline, Torrullin summoned all residents on Avaelyn to a gathering inside the Lifesource Cathedral.
To this conclave, he invited also Tristan and Tianoman, the only two ‘outsiders’. Not only were they family, but the choices made here needed to form part of future race memories.
From outside, the Cathedral was not that large, but as with the Temple on Valaris, this one possessed chambers within magical chambers, an eternity of space. This was part Valleur sorcery and Q’lin’la gift. Thus there was space for all. The transcendent light bathed everyone, creating angelic features for all.
Three hundred farmers attended; Golden men, women and children.
Twelve healers were there, accompanying the purple-robed Shep Lore. Two were from Grinwallin, male and female, two from Sanctuary, also male and female, and the rest were Valleur.
Already Valleur rubbed shoulders with humans and Senlu upon their new world.
Four Horse Masters attended, one of those a Senlu. Six stable hands formed part of the gathering, four of which hailed from Valaris. Both sexes were represented.
The two Elders, Artorin and Anastir, paced around, watching everyone with interest.
Sabian entered to join Shep.
Sixteen trades were represented, couples desiring new markets. A blacksmith, weavers, leather workers, a cobbler, a seamstress, builders, and more. Avaelyn’s fledgling population would not suffer under a lack of expertise.
A troupe of entertainers had asked permission to settle, which Teroux advocated wholeheartedly. They were in attendance and, in fact, stood with Teroux bending their ears. Men and women from all walks of life formed that team, even a Beaconite among them.
Quilla flitted around, proud as a bird newly winged. His Cathedral inspired and he loved the attention.
General caretakers and gardeners were mostly Valleur, although Max Dalrish had insisted on four expert Xenians. He had eyed Torrullin balefully when the words of parting were spoken, and wanted to send Dalrish ‘for the future’, but Torrullin denied him. The last factor he needed unbound on Avaelyn was a Dalrish able to dump him, and Elianas, into renewed strife down the line. That farewell had been hard.
Two Valarians had joined, a couple barely beyond teenage years. Both promised to become powerful sorcerers, and found themselves somewhat ostracised on Valaris. To this day, Valarians were wary of magic, although the mind-set was open to change. Shep had taken the two youngsters under his plump wing.
All in all, three hundred and eighty people had made Avaelyn home.
It was time now to inform them, after tomorrow, there was no going back to a previous life.
QUILLA CALLED FOR QUIET and asked everyone to take a seat. He had provided a pillow to everyone upon arrival, and now multi-coloured soft squares hit the floor as the gathered prepared to sit.
Here there was no dais to place anyone above another, and for the purposes of line of sight, Torrullin, Elianas, Tristan and Tianoman remained standing at the head of the gathering. Quilla, too, but his height didn’t quite achieve the desired effect.
Grinning, Sabian delivered a crate, previously filled with the pillows now in use. Quilla scowled at him, and clambered up. Tianoman hid a smile behind one hand.
He spoke words of welcome and briefly shared his joy about the sacred sites, particularly the Lifesource Cathedral, which elicited many smiles, and then handed proceedings over to Torrullin.
“My friends, welcome to Avaelyn.”
Applause resounded, and smiles widened.
“I promise you this kind of gathering will not form part of your future. We are not about politics and control. The only rule I ask you to observe is the protection of all nature here; otherwise you are welcome to live your life as you see fit.”
Cheers greeted that.
“When we do gather in the future, it will be about fellowship and sharing, but today is about formality. Today you need to choose.”
Silence answered that statement.
Elianas stepped up. “You know us.” He indicated himself and Torrullin. “You are aware of our talents. You also know we are too old now to keep up with the changes coming to our universe.” He grinned, knowing neither of them appeared at all old.
Laughter sounded.
“We have chosen Avaelyn as our forever home,” he continued. Pausing the
re, he studied man after woman, before adding, “I do mean forever. We will no longer visit Akhavar or any other world, and tomorrow that same constriction will apply to each of you.”
Torrullin waded in. “Avaelyn will be removed from Reaume’s domain and the doors to transport through these space will no longer be available.”
Utter silence reigned. Mouths gaped open, and eyes swivelled to neighbours.
Tianoman, clearing his throat, said, “This parting fills me with heartache and I know the entire Valleur nation will mourn. The universe at large will know grief, in fact. And yet I have accepted this, because we need to find new ways, my friends. We can no longer delve ever into the past. We need to discover what lies ahead. Torrullin and Elianas have chosen to act unselfishly, to gift us that kind of future. I will miss them, but I also applaud their choice.”
Tears streaked over his cheeks.
Somewhere a child started crying in sympathy.
Smiling tremulously, Tianoman continued. “Most of you chose to come to Avaelyn because you seek a new life, and you now know you are welcome here. This is a beautiful world with so much potential, and you are not alone. Look around you. You know you are able to live with your neighbour, laugh with him, create fields of nourishment him. That will not change. Have you not already chosen separation from the wider spaces?”
Most agreed with that, via nods and whispered words.
Torrullin spoke. “The choice is yours. No one will stop you if you prefer to return to what was. If you choose to stay, we promise your life will know only contentment.”
Shep Lore shot to his feet, wobbling a bit in his haste. “I choose Avaelyn!”
“As do I,” Sabian murmured, standing as well.
The Senlu, Xenians and the two young Valarians present all rose with quiet dignity. A Horse Master spoke for all of them. “We have already chosen this. We do not seek to undo that choice.”
Teroux crowed out, “And we will entertain you!”
The troupe surrounding him laughed, whistled and punched the air.
Quilla put his hands together. “I too am accompanying Avaelyn wherever she goes.”
Thus it came down to the Valleur present, their acceptance.
One man stood, a farmer. His tawny eyes scrutinised all those standing, particularly Torrullin and Tristan. “My lord Tristan, do you have anything to add?”
Tristan moved towards Quilla, shooed him from his crate, and sat there. Hands on knees he leaned intently forward, his yellow gaze moving from one to the other. He missed no one in his perusal, studying every child as well.
Expectant silence waited him out.
Torrullin and Elianas glanced at each other, and then watched him, wondering what he would say. Tianoman frowned, and moved to stand behind his cousin, chin raised. Tears continued to create shine upon his cheeks. They would stay behind, and now needed to support each other.
Teroux, amid his adopted troupe, lost his smile, but he did not consider changing his mind. His island awaited him and he needed no more than that.
Tristan straightened, and everyone stiffened spines with him.
“I desire to come with you. With all my heart, I wish for the kind of peace and serenity you will soon know as your reality. I am weary of struggle, of fighting and of wondering if I am making the kind of decisions to aid life rather than destroy it.” He offered a twisted smile. “And I am young. Imagine then how my grandfather must feel. He deserves his peace. Elianas deserves his peace.”
Tristan stood, still eyeing the crowd. “It means the choice they make is right for them. And I do not deny it them. They do deserve it. This is about you. Do you deserve their peace? Yes! Have you not struggled as well, sacrificed?” Standing then arms akimbo, he added, “Few transport through the spaces the way we do. Do others lament separation from other worlds? No. They treasure their world, and live and love without that kind of expectation. There is nothing wrong with isolation. There is everything right with peace.” He shook his head. “I do desire to join you, but I have a duty I cannot turn my back on. One day, when my years are long, I aim to join you …somehow.”
Applause erupted. Men and women hurtled to their feet, clapping with abandon.
Tristan swivelled and walked into Torrullin’s waiting embrace.
Tianoman wiped at his face, smiling like an idiot.
ALL CHOSE SEPARATION from Reaume.
Only two stated a need to transport back to Akhavar in order speak private farewells. One man asked permission to go to his daughter on Luvanor, to ask her to return to Avaelyn with him.
“How will we know we are removed from Reaume?” someone asked after many questions and answers flew across the space.
Elianas, with lines of exhaustion upon his face, replied, “The sky will change. It will darken and lighten for a period of days, akin to storms on approach, and then normality will return and the heavens will clear. The stars you see in the night sky will then be different. When you see that, know we are away.”
“Where will we be?” a woman whispered.
Elianas smiled. “Right here, in fact, but also elsewhere.”
Torrullin stretched copiously and yawned wide. “Go now. Get some rest if you can. Tomorrow, at midday, look up. You will know it has begun.”
The space emptied, until only family remained. Teroux closed in, greeting Quilla as the birdman left, glancing repeatedly over his feathered shoulder.
WALKING AWAY FROM TEIGHLAR had hurt to the marrow. Greeting Max Dalrish felt wrong. Offering final homage to Torrke, sentient valley, had nearly broken something inside him.
Earlier, before this gathering, the words of farewell to the Kaval in the Dome had almost undone him, particular when Belun enveloped both him and Elianas in his huge arms. Alusin had not attended that meeting, which was as well, or Tristan would not have been able to speak as he did at this gathering.
This morning, holding Lunik, and with Aislinn resting her head on his shoulder, despite everything gifted in the crucible realm, Torrullin came close to changing every decision made for Avaelyn’s future. His sorrow in seeing Elianas with Lunik, witnessing so much love, closed his throat to all words for a time.
This, though, this parting, this would take years to overcome. Tristan and Tianoman meant as much to him as Elianas did.
“I cannot, not yet,” Torrullin blurted, eyes frantic.
Elianas inhaled and exhaled, and then smiled. It was an arresting gesture, for it exuded hope and peace and absolute empathy. “You do know I guilt-tripped the Senlu Emperor into delivering crates of his glorious red? Many crates, almost emptied Grinwallin of all stock.” Elianas winked. “I suggest dinner with all the trimmings, and we let the wine flow.”
“Oh, I’m in,” Tristan drawled.
“Can we start now?” Tianoman laughed, rubbing palms together.
Teroux sported a massive grin. “Drunken mayhem? I’m there!”
Torrullin’s entire being was suffused with appreciation, his gratitude a physical presence. A final family dinner, with banter and laughter, was a memory greater than the pain of separation to take with him into the future.
“Oh, wise one,” he murmured for Elianas’ ears alone.
Elianas grinned. “Let’s eat and drink.”
MUCH LATER, WELL INTO the night, sipping liqueur together in the sitting room that overlooked the fishpond with its wooden bridge, stomachs over-full, Tianoman asked, “I’m going to ask, or I will worry myself sick about this. More precisely, Aislinn will give me hell for not asking.”
Tristan spluttered into laughter and raised his glass, winking. He and Teroux were well into their cups.
“Ask,” Torrullin grinned.
“Food. Supplies. Will you manage? It will be years before the new farms produce decently.”
Elianas cleared his throat, causing Torrullin to join Tristan in his mirth. This was Elianas’ forte; supplies et al, preparing for the long haul.
Lifting fingers one at a time, Elianas expounded. “D
ry goods, enough to last at least five years; preserved fruit and vegetables; ale and wine, and so forth. Seeds and seedlings; building supplies; yarn and cloth. Equipment; tools; horse feed. Avaelyn herself delivers all manner of nuts and fruit, as well as barley and wheat. Water will never be an issue, and two Enchanters certainly know how to make up any shortfall. Then …”
Tianoman held his hands up. “Enough! You are definitely prepared.”
“And fish,” Teroux mumbled. “Loads of fish.”
Elianas pointed at him. “And fish!”
Laughing, Tristan waved a finger. “I have a question too.”
Elianas lifted an eyebrow, clearly ready for anything.
Abruptly, Tristan was serious. “Oracles. How will you manage that? Valleur young are taught from those volumes.”
Torrullin rose to wander to the edge. “No Ancient Oracles. This is a new future.”
Even Teroux stared at him, if in a swaying manner.
Torrullin swung around. “They will not be forgotten, but they will form, eventually, part of the legend of what was. Our race memories will keep much alive, and yet I say to you it is the future we need to delve into, unchartered territory. Valleur do not need crutches, not here, not removed from a realm they can no longer access.”
Elianas blinked and looked away. He understood.
“We have enough of the past nestling in niches in the maze. That will aid memory where it fails,” Torrullin continued.
“And we brought books!” Teroux chortled. “Even me.”
Again Tristan packed out laughing, and Tianoman soon joined him. shaking his head, Torrullin grinned, meeting Elianas’ thoughtful gaze. The dark man inclined his head. Yes, he understood, and that was what mattered most.
The past, other than for Shep’s mighty book, would soon be behind them.
Thank all gods.
Lore of Sanctum Omnibus Page 253