The Mirror Sliver

by Constance Wallace

  Ducking into the darkened doorframe of a locked door, she waited. The shuffle of steps came closer and she found herself nervously twisting her talisman. What spell could she cast to ward off the intruder? She tried to hold her breath, afraid to make any sound. Was it her fate to be shredded and discarded on the dungeon floor?

  A glow reached her eyes first. It was a large magic crystal. Then she saw the group of travelers. She felt relief. Was this the wizard Urcias spoke about? Were these others of the prophecy? Taking a chance, she stepped into the corridor and faced them. The young girl in front raised her sword.

  “Stop. Please don’t hurt me. I’m Queen Adalay from Nuada Findi. My captain? From the outpost in the Great Pine Forest? He brought news of your quest. We came to help. But our ship was destroyed by a wurm.”

  The wizard lowered his weapon. “My lady.” He bowed slightly. “I’m Keltrain. Of course. We dully expected to meet with all of you at Lismort. But we were attacked by the same beast.”

  “It must have been Uthal’s welcome for us all. Who are your companions?”

  “The ambassador from Fairy Dell, Lily. The Chief of Elven Archives, DaGon the dragon. King Balorn’s blacksmith, Lamfada. My new apprentice, Lug. And three of the legendary four: Miranda, Thomas, Ned.”

  “I’m honored to meet all of you.”

  “Is it on purpose that you forgot me?” Sonya exclaimed.

  The wizard scowled. “And of course, the cat is Sonya. My lady, we are also honored to hear that you have joined us. Where are the captain and his men?”

  “They made it, then,” the fairy exclaimed. She excitedly flitted around the head of Adalay. “The captain is here with his men?”

  “It would be some good news to know that they have reached us in time.”

  Adalay could hear the relief in his voice and it pained her heart to tell them she was alone. “I don’t know,” she finally responded. “When the black water dragon attacked us, the ship broke apart. I almost drowned myself, but was saved by an elf from Kille Cael. He has a healer with him. I don’t know if anyone else from our ship made it ashore. At least, I’ve not seen anyone else.”

  Adalay could see her answer affected the group. They all begin to whisper to each other. Finally, the wizard made a motion and they all quieted. “If you made it here with Queen Erulisse’s elf, then perhaps we can assume some of your captain’s men did, too.”

  “Who be the healer with the archer?” the leprechaun asked.

  “A dog named Olifur.”

  “A dog? That’s ridiculous. How did a dog become a healer?” the cat asked. “That gift if not normally assigned to animals.”

  “It was by accident, from what I understand.”

  “Who’s the archer from Kille Cael? Perhaps I know of him. I was at Ellyllon for many years.” The dragon moved around the others.

  Adalay smiled slightly when he came face to face with her. She didn’t know if he would recognize her scent. It had been ages since the dragon had been with the Nuada Findi people. “Nimihel Gysseathan or Nimi. That’s the archer’s name. He was sent by the elf queen to spy on the Black Warlock. There’s also a young man with him who apparently washed up on the shoreline. Maybe from another ship? He couldn’t remember who he was.” She noticed the dragon arch his scaly eyebrows. He didn’t reply.

  “Matt. Gee whiz, it’s got to be him. I know it,” the older boy exclaimed.

  “So, you’re missing someone?” Adalay was glad her assumption about the boy had been correct.

  “Yes. We battled several Slaugh on our way here and one of the four from Earth, Matt, was washed overboard in the storm. We assumed he drowned,” Keltrain replied. “But Miranda, the sword-bearer, has become tuned with the magic of the artifact. She stressed to us all that he was alive.”

  Adalay’s attention was suddenly drawn to the young girl. She had lowered the sword and Adalay glimpsed part of a strange mark on her palm. It was similar to the markings that had burned into Idril. Her mind moved in many directions as she made the connections. Both Earth children had merged with the magic of Green Isle. This was very interesting. Had her world claimed the two young people?

  “You’ve been in the legends of my people for many eons,” Adalay said to the young woman. “When my ancestors came here with the Fomorians, it was only by chance that some of us survived the Second War. Uthal wanted to exterminate all of us. Even though the elf king imprisoned him in the Mirror of Arianhod, there was always the knowledge that Uthal’s prison wouldn’t hold him forever.”

  “I’ve heard the voices. They tell me the history.”

  “Voices?”

  “Those intertwined with the sword.”

  “You know. The ancients,” the cat said. “Those of the Fomorians who perished on Earth.”

  “Ah. Of course. I’ve studied some of the manuscripts in our library. But the texts on the Sword of Balorn are somewhat limited. Sonya? That name is familiar to me. We have copies of the ancient diaries of Keltrain, and your apprentice, Sonya Berthadhiell. Is there any relationship?”

  “No relationship,” the cat quickly responded. “And don’t ever associate me with her.”

  “I do apologize.” Adalay bent down to the cat.

  “You should. It was an insult to even be implied that I was once a pupil to this inept wizard.”

  “I meant nothing by it.”

  “Watch ya tongue, feline. Or I be lettin’ the dragon have ya for a snack.”

  Adalay could feel the tension between the others and the cat. She stood up. “If we could. We must find Nimi and Id…Matt. I believe time is not on our side. I think Uthal tricked me into coming down here. The door I entered in? It disappeared.”

  Miranda nodded. “I agree. I feel he knows we’re here and all.”

  “I smell something down here,” DaGon said. “It’s Bera’s rat men. And the stench of Brollachan.” The dragon raised his snout and took a deep breath.

  “They were here. Up there?” She pointed to the door at the end of the corridor. “The remains are of Princess Ceridwyn’s guards.”

  “Who?” Keltrain moved his staff and the crystal light in front of him. He peered into the dimness of the dungeon.

  “The princess of the Shadow People,” she replied. “Do you remember them?”

  “I remember the people. But not her. Why would the king’s daughter be here?”

  “We thought perhaps they were forming an alliance. But now I don’t know. Especially since her guards were killed. Savagely, I might add.”

  “It be a trap,” the leprechaun exclaimed. “That Shadow Clan would take the life of their own. Just to keep the plans from going awry. Maybe the king had plans of a different sort.”

  “If there’s an alliance, the guards may have been quieted to keep it secret,” Sonya interjected. “Believe me. Revenge will make them do vile things. Even murder their own. I wouldn’t put it past the king to use his own daughter as a pawn, either.”

  “If we’re to stop any of this from happening, we have to get out of this dungeon. Do you know the way out?” Adalay asked. She wanted to stop the second-guessing and find Nimi. “I’ve been wandering down here for a while.”

  “If I remember correctly, there’s a secret doorway to the main hall.” Keltrain ventured a little further up the corridor. “It’s along this passage. I’ve been a fish for three thousand years and my mind is a little foggy with the memories. But it should be right about here.” The wizard held his crystal light up. “It’s hidden behind a symbol that looks like this.” Kneeling in front of Adalay, the wizard drew an image in the dirt at her feet. “If we can find that, we’ll be able to access a tunnel underneath the courtyard. This leads to the Hall of Mirrors.”

  Adalay nodded. “I’ll help search for it.” She took a moment to study the walls. “I remember reading some passages from our library about your transformation. Was it difficult creating the spell? Knowing you didn’t have all the verses?”

  Keltrain stopped for a moment. His e
yes searched her face. “The only difficult part for me was the realization that I had been too late to save any of my friends. I would gladly do it again to find an answer to stop Uthal from finishing what he started.”

  Adalay understood his pain. She had been too late to save her husband. Glancing at the cat, who sat behind Miranda, she remembered the signature of the historian who wrote the passages. Sonya Berthadhiell. Was it a coincidence that the cat carried the same name as Keltrain’s apprentice from ages ago? Did the magic, which made the wizard the fish, make Sonya a cat? Even though the cat denied any resemblance to the passages’ author, it was hard not to wonder if they were one and the same. It must be, she concluded. But what happened to Sonya? She understood how the fate of Keltrain came about, but why did Sonya become a cat? Maybe it was for the very purpose of finishing a battle that started three thousand years ago.

  Keltrain stopped and peered closer to a small indentation at the very end of the corridor. “Ahh, here it is.” He sighed deeply. “Let’s get out of the darkness, shall we?” Pushing his forefinger into the groove, he waited until he heard a click before removing his finger. Turning to the others, he hesitated. Adalay could see the confliction on his face. What was he waiting for?

  “Keltrain? We should go,” the fairy said quietly.

  “Yes. I know. I’m just preparing myself mentally for the task ahead of us.” With those words, he glanced at the cat and then Miranda. “Miranda?”

  “I’m ready,” the girl stated. “It’s okay and all. You don’t have to be worried about me.”

  “I’ll be here behind her,” the boy Lug said.

  “So are we. Gee. We’ve made it this far.”

  Adalay could feel the connection between them all. She felt like an interloper to their group. She noticed Miranda’s hand begin to glow and then saw Lug touch her. The expression in his eyes made her catch her breath. There was strong magic between these two. In that moment, she realized this was the magic of the ancients. More powerful than she had ever seen. There had been another legend she had read about when she was a child. She shook her head slightly. No, it couldn’t be.

  “Lead us through, wizard,” Sonya demanded. “Let’s find Uthal. It’s time to finish this.”

  And with that, they filed one by one through the secret door panel.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  “What do you mean, died for?” Nimi whispered. “Do you know these human children?”

  “I recognize the smaller boy. I think he’s my brother. I had a memory of us in another place. Earth, I believe. I was coming here to get him. But I died. The memories are slowly returning. It’s strange, though. They feel like a dream of someone else.”

  “It would make sense,” Olifur said. “Adalay didn’t recognize him from her ship.”

  The elf nodded as he stared at Idril. “I understand. But what about the magic artifacts you carry? You’re a magic wielder. You’re part of Green Isle, not Earth. You’re Idril.”

  “What should we do, archer?” the dog asked. He stuck his muzzle to the keyhole and sniffed the air gently. “Could we rescue them? Do we have time?”

  “I don’t know,” Nimi replied. “Having children to watch wouldn’t help us do what the queen sent us here to do. How many are with your brother?”

  Idril moved back to the key hole and peered through. “They’re gone.”

  “What?”

  “They’re not there.” It didn’t make sense. How could they have disappeared so quickly? “I don’t see them anymore.”

  The elf had shifted beside Idril and glanced in the keyhole when the door flew open. The force threw them both backwards. Idril’s body hit the stone floor and a flash of pain coursed through his torso.

  A terrifying scream wailed from the door opening. “Who are you?” A dark black banshee hovered above him. “What are you doing here?”

  Nimi quickly rolled to his side and notched his bow with an arrow. Idril felt something brush against his leg and looked over to see Olifur run past. The dog headed down the corridor. But before he could get all the way up to follow, a strange sensation overtook his body. A feeling of coldness traveled through his limbs and he sank back to the ground, too weak to stand. He looked at the elf. Nimi had also fallen to the spell and lay on the floor, his face white.

  “You’ll pay the price for your intrusion,” the banshee cried. “With your lives.”

  Idril realized that her presence was consuming them both. She was taking the life force from their bodies. He could feel the warmth of his Ewa begin to fade as well. Would it end like this? Was Morrigana incorrect about his destiny? Idril regarded the banshee. Her eyes glowed as she let out another high-pitched wail. Emotions swirled through him. Remorse, regret, and loss. Just as the last remnants of energy ebbed from his body, he heard one word.

  “Stop!”

  The banshee’s wailing ceased. Idril and Nimi lay on the ground facing one another, unable to move.

  “That’s my brother.”

  Idril felt the warmth return to his body. He sat up just in time to feel small arms circle his neck. “I knew you would come for me. I knew you would,” the boy cried. He sobbed on Idril’s shoulder. “Can we go home, Matt? Can we? Please take me home.”

  Not knowing what to do, Idril gently pulled Toby from him. He felt conflicted. His memory of the boy was like seeing a picture of people he had never met. His own life here in this world, only days old, seemed the clearest to him. Even though the memories had returned of those he had traveled with, Nimi and Olifur were more his family now.

  “Do you know them?” the banshee asked. Her voice was haunting and melancholy.

  “It’s my brother. He’s come to rescue me,” Toby stated.

  Floating to Idril, the spirit flowed through him. There was a chilling sensation that made him tremble. She emerged behind him.

  “Yes. Toby’s connected to you. But I also feel a bridge between shadow and light in you. You have merged with magic.” The banshee softly floated back behind the children. Her eyes bore right through him. “You have old enchanted objects with you. Be careful what you wish for. Sometimes your heart’s desire gets twisted. Magic isn’t always so wonderful.”

  “What are you going to do with us?” Idril ventured to ask. He stood next to Toby and placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

  “Should we consider you friend or foe?” Nimi inquired. He had dusted off his clothes and put his bow back around his shoulder. “Whose family do you haunt in this world?”

  “I haunt no family. I’m imprisoned here. Banished with those who have made unwise decisions.” She hesitated. “I’m letting you go.”

  “What do you mean? Are you turning on your master?”

  “He’s gone too far and needs to be stopped. I can’t help them anymore.” She pointed to children. “But you can.”

  “It’s dangerous for us to take them. I have orders and I must respect the wishes of my queen.”

  “Erulisse has no clue about what’s transpiring here. She plays her own games. And you’re just a pawn.”

  “Elf Kingdom plays no games with anyone.”

  Idril could tell that Nimi was becoming angry. He quickly nodded to the banshee. “I’ll take them. I’ll help. Nimi has his duty.”

  The elf turned to Idril and scowled. “What are you doing?” he whispered between clenched teeth.

  “I’m doing what’s right.”

  “Gosh. Matt? It’s good to see ya,” the redheaded boy exclaimed. He moved closer to Idril and patted him on the shoulder. “I thought we were done for. Ya know? It’s just kinda of weird being here.”

  One of the girls, who had the same red hair as the boy, ran to him and hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad it’s you. Are Miranda, Thomas, and Ned with you? Who’s this?” She pointed to Nimi. “And where did that dog go?”

  Idril backed away. He was unsure about the rush of emotions that were swiftly overtaking him. How am I to deal with these questions? The names she said meant nothing t
o him. He remembered who they were, but Earth and who he was as Matt seemed like a mirror image that he didn’t recognize. He regarded the three faces looking at him in quiet contemplation. How could he tell them what he was feeling? The small thread of connection he felt was tied only to Toby. Even then, his re-birth into the magic of Green Isle limited that. He knew from the words of the old woman that somehow, his destiny would take him back to Earth. Maybe at that time, he would know a way to talk to them.

  “That dog is Olifur and he’s a healer,” he finally said. He made up his mind that to let the others know of his change would be hurtful and bewildering. Especially to Toby. He could see Nimi scowl again. The elf narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly. “And this is Nimi. He’s an elf.”

  “This place just gets weirder and weirder. Gosh, Matt. Am I havin’ a bad dream?” The red-headed girl pinched the boy. “Ouch! Why did ya do that?”

  “Wake ya up so we could get out of the dream. Ifn you were havin’ one. Guess you weren’t. We’re still here.”

  By this time, Olifur had returned from his retreat. He was panting as he came and stood beside Toby and Idril. “Hello,” the canine said. He licked Toby’s hand. “Ah. Someone you know?” He looked up at Idril. “He has a familiar scent.”

  “He talks?” the young boy questioned. His eyes grew wide.

  “Yes. And sometimes too much,” Nimi replied.

  “Olifur? Please meet Toby, my…my brother. And these are friends, Caitlin and George, and…and…” He motioned to the twins. “I’m sorry but I don’t know your names.”

  One of the girls curtsied. “We’re Lucille and Maggie. From what George and Caitlin have said, you and Toby moved into the house where we used ta live.”

  “Are our parents still lookin’ for us? Do ya know? Or have they forgotten us?” the other asked.

  “My mom said they were,” Toby stated. “Didn’t she, Matt?”