Past of Shadows

by Colleen Connally

  “As you know, the Houses hold the power in Witheleghe. When the head of the house dies, the heir inherits the magic, as was yours to cloak. After the massacre, he quickly realized his mistake. The magic of King Darius was not within him. He has surmised that the power of Flandigana is not within his reach in this realm, which means that the power lives in the Siochanta Realm with the children of Princess Eufamia.”

  “Cayce spoke to me of this. He said they will return.”

  “The call will bring our hope home,” she said with certainty. “Until then, there is much for us to do. When Asmeodai realized the error of his ways. He had the new heirs of all the Houses still within his control to be brought to him. He placed them all into a suspended-state-of-being. If he could not have their magic, neither could we. They hang from the catacombs beneath the city in a place called the Highborn Chamber.”

  “I saw it,” Alric exclaimed. “Thardalf…Asmeodai checked upon it in my vision. I was confused to what it could have been…” He stopped. Pointing at Bae, his eyes lit. “You said Asmeodai brought the new heirs to Troms…Did he bring Ewan…my brother?”

  She shook her head. “Your brother? I thought they must have died. I’m sorry…”

  “No, I have a younger brother. Ewan. If Asmeodai thought I had died during the assault…”

  “Then he may have been thought Ewan heir…and the reason Asmeodai hasn’t worried about you. He thought you dead.” She grasped his hand. “Did you see Ewan in your vision?”

  “I don’t know. I have not seen him since he was a child.”

  Nodding in a slow manner, she asked, “Does Ewan have anything to identify him?”

  “I suppose he must look much as I do. He had the same blue eyes. I remember my mother remarking on the resemblance to our father.”

  “Then I imagine him to be quite handsome,” she said with a smile upon her lips. “But it will do little good to identify him.”

  A sudden spark ignited within Alric. “Do you believe we can save him?”

  “We won’t know until we try.”

  * * * *

  For the first time since the Darkness arrived, Alric felt hope. No matter the odds, he would do anything to save his brother. His hardened heart softened looking at Bae, who returned his longing look. Warmth filled him.

  Bae sat on a pile of cushions with her legs tucked to her right side. Her thick white hair had been braided, falling over her shoulder. She still wore her green flowing gown, but instead of her a tiara of living flowers, her crown was of yellow roses. The significance of which wasn’t lost on him. The yellow rose was the sigil of his house.

  After the question arose about his brother’s well-being, there had been no further discussion. Bae wasted no time, but had taken Alric down a winding path to a circular arbor. Grape vines wound around the stone pillars, giving shade to those who sat underneath its cover. Stone benches encircled the nook. Birds sang in the trees with the sound of the running water from the stream lending to a façade of a wholesome peace.

  She walked to the middle of the bower. She uttered, I ambar na- changed; im tur- feel ha in i nen, im tur- feel ha in i coe, im tur- smell ha in i gwilith. Tul- nin hîn

  Turning back to Alric, she said, “I have called an Elfin Council. I go to my sisters. We will return shortly.”

  Bae had kept her promise. Within minutes, she came back with an entourage of elves. The females, he assumed to be her sisters. There were eight each as lovely as the next, though none shone as bright as Bae.

  Each wore a different color of gown. Some wore their hair under a scarf as had Sae, the others let their hair flow down their backs. Yet, their hair, though blonde was not nearly as white as Bae’s. They took their seats gracefully, beside Bae on the pillows.

  Behind them followed the Elders, solemn in their looks. All the male elves were dressed in gray, their faces somber. None dared looked at him standing behind Bae as they took their seats on the stone benches.

  “It is time,” Bae stated. “Call the others.”

  “They are here.” An Elder announced.

  Alric stared as a fairy appeared. At first no more than a sparkle of light fluttering about, pausing to enlarge to a male the full stature as those around him. He had glittering wings and wore a woodland coronet with a ruby jewel adorned the center. In his hand, he held a stave with a matching ruby at the end.

  His hair was a flaming red. Golden deer antlers served as an ornamented belt with his red pants. He wore no shirt, but golden armor over his shoulders. Behind the fairy, a dwarf appeared.

  The short-legged man had a long thick beard with a full head of brown curls that hung freely around his face. He was dressed in well-worn metal armor, holding his helmet under his arm. His dark eyes glanced at Alric. He smiled.

  Alric returned his smile. The dwarf was ready to battle, unlike most.

  “Welcome, Prince Yarro, and our friend, Brokk of Ironwell,” Bae said, gesturing toward the stone benches. “We face a great evil. For years we have hidden. It is time to come together to protect our own or we will be no more. There is nowhere else to run. We all are in peril…even you, Sangrey.”

  Immediately, Alric heard a pop. He stared in surprise to see a Tollin appear. Why would Bae send for an untrustworthy imp? He had heard tales of the nasty creatures. His father had said that if Alric ever met one, not to trust him. Lustful, capricious creature, who will promise you your heart’s desire one day, the next want to carve it out. Unpredictable. Ruthless.

  As if the Tollin read his mind, Sangrey eyed Alric from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. “So, Bae, you have found your champion.”

  Angered at the obvious insult, Alric wanted nothing more than to stomp the Tollin into the ground. It wouldn’t be hard. The imp was no larger than his hand. The rascal smirked.

  “Sangrey, do not be aggravating. I will not be vexed,” Bae addressed her latest guest. “You have a great need for Ser Alric as much as any other.”

  “Aye, my lady. It is no secret of Asmeodai’s desire to have Sangrey,” Brokk said in a low deep voice. “His Night Raiders posted messages at Venmara’s entrance. Asmeodai offered to the dwarf that captured the nefarious Tollin, Sangrey, to be guardian over the Maunga Mountains.”

  Sangrey hissed, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. “It would be your death if you did as Asmeodai suggest. He has never kept his word.”

  “Neither have you, Imp,” charged Prince Yarro, turning to Bae. “I have to question why Sangrey is here. He cannot be trusted.”

  “Sangrey is the most powerful seer in Witheleghe,” Bae answered. “If he wants sanctuary, he will have to be truthful. Asmeodai wants Sangrey’s magic, which, unlike most Withelegheans, Tollins do not have Houses. His magic can be drained. He knows I speak the truth or he would not be here.”

  Sangrey grimaced. “I have seen the world Asmeodai wants to create. You need not say more.”

  “If you have seen, what hope do we have?” Brokk demanded. “We need to come up with some escape to the Siochanta Realm.”

  “We need not to do something so foolish,” Bae said. “If we could create a portal, Asmeodai could use it to follow us, giving to him what he most desires. Moreover, our doom has not been written in stone, Brokk. The future Sangrey saw was created by our decision to run from Asmeodai. Separately, our people will die. Another future exists. It is ours if we resist. If we unite.”

  “I have been told as much from Cayce,” Prince Yarro admitted. “Though, it is hard to go against the principles ingrained within me.”

  “Was it those principles that sent you running while your king perished?” Alric spoke for the first time. He stepped around Bae into the center of the arbor. He spread his hands wide and outright. “Tell me why I should trust any of you. I give my magic without reluctance to protect my people. I will not beg for you to come together for I do not want to worry whether in battle you would not run again.”

  Alric felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was Bae. She did not l
ook at him, but the council.

  “Our wrong had consequences, ones that we cannot undo.” Bae walked closely to those seated. “Ser Alric has righteous anger. He has risked his life for over eight years. With only the help of my sister, Sae, he saved two thousand souls at Tuhinga o Mua, uncaring of their race. We need to convince him of our sincerity.”

  “How so?” Prince Yarro asked, staring straight at Alric.

  Sangrey huffed up his chest, stating boisterously, “You fool. Ser Alric has the ability to cloak and protect your people as he has done to Tuhinga o Mua. We need to show him that we can work together. Show him our courage. He has a brother held by Asmeodai, who is in desperate need of rescuing.”

  “Ewan does live?” Alric asked the Tollin, forgetting all the caution warnings in dealing with a Tollin.

  “He does,” Sangrey said. “I can see him hanging within the Highborn Chamber. He has been branded with your sigil on his forehead. But if you desire to save him, you do not have long. As Bae has feared, Asmeodai has discovered your existence.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Sangrey means that when you cloaked Briar Fuana, Asmeodai was watching us. He could not see you because you are cloaked to his eye, but he knows that your House is the only one to hold such a power. He knows that Cinead was killed because he did so himself as with Diarmid for he was a priest.

  “It leaves you. Now, he has another need for your brother. He will use him to have you bow to his feet,” Bae said plainly. “He will use your love to have you expose yourself. If you don’t, he will kill your brother…but we all know that Ewan is dead either way.”

  The hope that sprung to reunite with Ewan was pierced. He uttered under his breath, “No…no. I can’t let that happen.”

  “Neither will we,” Bae promised. “With no delay, we will help you rescue your brother.”

  * * * *

  It took an hour to work out the details. There weren’t many. The plan was simple. Go in, grab Ewan, and leave.

  Execution of the plan—that was the hard part.

  The Highborn Chamber posed several obstacles. Transporting in and out of catacombs presented issues on the best of days. Transporting in and out of enchanted catacombs was near impossible.

  The catacombs were situated under the Tuatahi Temple. They had been used in ancient times to bury the dead in the soft volcanic rock where the temple had been built. Once the volcanic rock is exposed to air, it hardens thus stabilizing the tunnels.

  However, the catacombs were a maze. To get in and out, they would have need of someone that knew them well. Alric assumed that would be Brokk. Dwarfs had a sensing ability to navigate underground.

  Alric had been the only one to have seen the chamber in the vision Cayce’s shared. Zae, the youngest of the Dae sisters, helped him relive the image. With Zae’s hand on his arm, she spoke in elfish. Cen- en- mana tye maure.

  That instant, he saw again what had been shown to him. This time, his intent was upon finding his brother.

  He drank in the sight, more foreboding than he had first seen. The walls he thought had been rock were, in truth, lined with bones and skulls. There was no natural light, only two torches at the entrance of the chamber.

  Vanta ana hir your otorno. Zae urged.

  Alric slowly moved through his vision, walking around the dark, dank chamber in-between the hanging feet and arms. He looked at each head, recognizing many of the Houses if not the person. He found what he sought at far corner.

  The yellow rose burned into a boy’s forehead. Emaciated, the face was gaunt. His eyes closed. The only telling sign was this long, thick bronze curls. Those he recognized as his brother Ewan.

  Awakened, Alric found the quickly formed fellowship in wait. Brokk with sword in hand stood beside Prince Yarro, who held his staff. Alric reached down to his side, satisfied. His sword still sat ready in his sheath.

  “We are set?” Bae asked.

  Glancing around, Alric asked, “Where is Sangrey?”

  “With Sangrey, it is hard to say.” Bae shrugged. “But I would not expect him to come with us. Asmeodai might sense his magic even through your cloak. Sangrey told us that Ewan is alive, but we do not have much time.”

  “You trust the imp?”

  Again, Bae shrugged. “Never fully, that would be foolish. But on this venture, I believe it serves his purpose.”

  Embedded within Alric was deep distrust of Tollins. Time, though, was of the essence.

  Bae squeezed his hand. “We will succeed.”

  Hope within him again ignited.

  Light Seen

  Alric had gone on many journeys into Trom since its occupation, but never on a more dangerous mission.

  The fellowship emerged underneath a flowing weeping willow outside of Temple of Etar, twenty yards from the steps. The temple itself had been damaged. Pillars had tumbled. Stones had fallen across the entrance. The structure of the building had been badly compromised.

  The cloak Alric had supplied hid magic from being sensed. Unfortunately, it did little to hide them from the eyes of others. The small group stood vulnerable.

  Frozen, Alric quickly glanced around the plaza in front of the temple. There was no sign of much activity, no sign that anyone was paying any attention to their appearance. More importantly, there had been no one waiting for them.

  Their secret mission was safe—at least so far.

  Before the Darkening, the plaza had been crowded, noisy, loud, and busy. The market now was in essence no more. Rations were given out by the Arachnidan Army in the early morning. The sun now shone directly above the temple. Only hungry stragglers could be seen in the shadows in hopes of grabbing some scraps.

  Bae knelt down on one knee. Grasping hold of some loose dirt, she spoke in a low undistinguishable voice.

  In the sky, a few black birds flew by, perching on the edge of the old awnings attached to the buildings along the market street. More and more black birds lit upon awnings, tops of buildings, and rubble until the whole of the street was a sea of black birds.

  An Arachnidan patrol rounded the corner. The birds attacked.

  There was no hesitation. The fellowship made toward the back of the crumbled stairs. Prince Yarro, who had fluttered about looking more like a butterfly than a threat, transformed back to human form. He waved his staff…the stone moved, allowing the entourage easy entrance into the tunnels.

  The stone closed behind them, leaving them in pitch darkness. Momentarily. Yarro’s staff lit up, lighting their path.

  Brokk nodded twice. “Follow me.”

  “Wait.” Bae pulled an emerald amulet from around her neck and laid it on the ground. “Go, my friend.”

  A thin wisp of hazy mist appeared in the shape of a unicorn. Glancing back at Bae, the animal seemed to give a nod, and then raced down the catacombs.

  “We can say no more. My nin mellon will neutralize any charm guards Asmeodai has set,” Bae whispered. “But we haven’t long.”

  Alric unsheathed his sword. Holding it in readiness, he followed Brokk deeper and deeper into the maze.

  Despite Yarro’s light, the tunnel was dark and treacherous, he never knew what lay around the bend. Nor did Alric know if his new friends could be trusted. A perilous venture. The one lone comfort was his belief that Ewan lived.

  For that, he would risk all.

  Brokk stopped at an opening to a dark chamber. Alric rounded the dwarf, comprehending they had arrived at their destination.

  Alric glanced over his shoulder, ensuring his companions presence. Only then did he recognized the walls lined with human bones and skulls. In silence, he raised his hand to halt his allies. He moved inside the dark chamber.

  Inside, he saw what he had seen in his vision. Bodies upon bodies of souls were suspended from the top of the cavern. Their legs and arms dangling to their sides. In the far corner, the image of the unicorn rose up on two legs.

  Ewan had been found!

  Alric rushed to the body floating in air.
Recognition of his sigil on the boy’s forehead was easy. He searched for a semblance of familiarity. He could find nothing, except the head full of hair. If not for the boy’s chest compressing and giving off shallow breathing, he would have thought the boy dead. Alric carefully laid the boy down onto the ground.

  The boy writhed in pain and grasped for breath. Alric gathered his brother in his arms. The lad looked like a breathing skeleton.

  Alric rushed toward the chamber’s entrance.

  Outside the chamber, a thunderous stampede of boots clambering erupted.

  “We have no more time,” Bae warned. “Bring him.”

  “There are others we need to save,” Yarro protested. “Others with magic that will be needed.”

  Guilt weighed upon Alric. He had not thought of anything or anyone but his brother. They would not get another chance to save any after this attempt.

  He looked at Bae. “Take him out. I will gather as many as we can.” He thrust Ewan into Brokk’s arms. “Go now!”

  “Which ones?” Alric turned to Yarro. “Don’t dawdle. Which ones?”

  Yarro touched the sleeve of an old woman. “This one,” he said, pointing to her companions. “Those two men.”

  Alric reached up and grabbed the woman. “Take her. I’ll get the other two.”

  The fairy prince hesitated. “They are almost upon us. I can’t leave you.”

  “Leave you must,” Alric demanded. “We have no time to argue.”

  From the corner of his eye, Alric watched Yarro run out with the woman in his arms. He turned back to the men, taking each down. The sound of boots grew closer. Too close. He couldn’t let them follow the others.

  Alric stepped over the writhing bodies. Sword held high, he stood in the entryway, ensuring the full view of the sentries.