by Shelley Cass
Agrudek’s eyes had grown wide, and I supposed he was just as shocked as I was.
“I know,” I agreed to the enormity of such an outcome.
He sucked in a breath of air. “You are the three? The two Awyalknian boys and their saviour …” he gasped.
“It sure sounds like it,” I grimaced. “But I find it hard to believe that I was specifically born to go on a Quest that the world could depend on. I can’t accept it.”
“Wh-what did the beasts look like?” Agrudek asked, and I realised that the ragged little man had finally become lively.
“They were gigantic, pointy, and insect-like. Darker than night, but not beautiful like the Elves. And colder than ice to touch,” I said. “But worse, they were near impossible to wound.”
Agrudek sat back in his chair, as if rocked to his core. “You are the three that Darziates wanted …” he whispered.
I shrugged in bewilderment while Agrudek fell silent.
“It’s not good for you to stay cooped up here so much,” I said after a time, noticing through the window that the outside light globes were glowing to life as dusk became night. “You should come out with the Nymphs and I every now and then.”
Asha chose then to spring back to life, nearly causing Agrudek to fall off his chair in fright. She bounced awake, having hardly opened her eyes before shooting up into the air and around the room.
“Hello, hello Agrudek!” she chirped.
“H … hello …” he managed finally, clutching his chest.
“I am STARVED,” she moaned, coming to tug on my hand like an impatient child. “Noal and I are visiting my friends for dinner. You should come Agrudek, you look in need of a good meal. A whole heap of us will be there, and Vidar’s coming too, the darling. It’s in the vine rooms on the cliff face!”
“Perhaps not … tonight … But I’ll make more of an effort,” Agrudek told her. “Perhaps I will visit Kiana in her tower sometime soon.”
I stood and gratefully turned away from the detestable teacup. “That’s a great idea,” I told him amiably, nearly toppling with Asha’s surprising strength. “Thanks for having us, friend,” I blurted as fast as I could, tripping toward the steps.
And I barely managed to wave before we had whizzed right out of his tower and into the night.
Chapter Seven
Kiana
I sat dourly on my bed, waiting for Dalin to arrive while Chloris readied to leave my room.
“Do not be too dispirited One,” the spectacular, willowy Elf told me kindly. “There is an abundance of time for healing while you are with us.”
“The war will be over before we start off on our Quest again,” I grimaced.
“There is no fear of that,” Chloris replied calmly. “The moment a being steps into the Forest heart, where Sylthanryn City is hidden, time flows differently for them.” Sheets of silken white hair glimmered in the sunlight as she came to sit beside me on the bed.
“What do you mean, exactly?” I asked.
A wisp of a smile touched her midnight lips. “The power of the Lady makes time pass slower here than outside, almost as if the Forest heart is separate to the rest of the world.”
The waves of prickling, dancing energy that emanated from her were enough to mollify me as Chloris’ elegant hand reached out to rest upon mine. My hand looked like a child’s in comparison, but I exalted in the thrill of her touch.
When her soothing voice took up her explanation again, I had to remember to refocus on the words instead of the magic.
“The pulses of sheer life stemming from the Lady hold this Forest and its dwellers in a state of exuberance. It seeps into our own beings, into the very air and earth here. Life is not extinguished so quickly with such an influence. Living is not a rushed experience. It follows its own pace. That is one reason the Elves and Nymphs of the Forest are so long lived, because of all of the magic of both races and the Lady existing in the one spot. It is as if the amount of magic makes both the magical races and the flow of time last longer. And before Darziates came to be, when the magical races were spread throughout all of the lands, this phenomenon of vitality and health was experienced by mortals too.”
“I still feel like I have to hurry,” I admitted, despite being thoroughly intrigued.
“Consider, though,” she appealed to me. “What would be the purpose of hurrying to battle when, while you are here, the battle is as good as years away from starting?” she asked, her deep, brown eyes softening.
“Take your time for as long as time is not a concern,” she cautioned me while she rose, both of us becoming aware of my tower door opening. She gave me one more smile before she descended the stairs, and I felt the thrills of energy that surrounded her receding from the room.
“Kiana! I’m here!” Dalin called up from the bottom floor when she’d left the tower, and I felt a new type of energy within my own self. I resolved to maintain my efforts regardless of Chloris’ warnings, for the sake of my own sanity.
I smiled despite my willingness not to, and despite how slow my steps were as I carefully began my descent to the bottom floor to meet Dalin.
“Good morning,” he greeted me patiently when I finally reached the bottom of the steps.
I grunted at him and determinedly turned around on the bottom step to start upward again. I was getting better at making it all the way up on my own.
“What – no break?” he asked, when I didn’t stop to collect myself like usual.
“No break,” I grumbled. “Today we increase the pace.”
He gambled along behind me, making no comment at the severe lack of increased pace as my energy drained and I got slower.
Eventually we made it to the room beneath the bedroom floor, where Dalin had cleared us a space by pushing all of the sofas to the round walls so that we could complete basic exercises together.
“Today we’ll be doing something different,” I told him, my face and voice controlled to allow no invitation for disagreement. “We’ll push the limits a little more.”
I saw his face fall. “‘Different’ and ‘push’ how exactly?”
“You remember when I trained you in weaponry exercises back in,” I paused, “back in Bwintam?” I managed to get the name out.
“Oh Gods. Do you really think you’re ready to get back into wielding weapons yet?”
I began to stretch, very gently. “Of course not. I wouldn’t be able to handle the weight of the blades yet. Instead we’ll be doing a weapons dance with no weapons.”
“Right,” he agreed despondently.
“Come on!” I urged. “I’ll be taking it slow and easy so all you’ll have to do is copy me.”
He groaned as I took my first position, but he copied.
“Breathe deep,” I said. “And hold your hands as though there are blades in your fists.”
He held himself appropriately so that I was satisfied. “Now move fluidly.”
I moved my arms slowly around my body, stepping carefully into an unhurried lunge as though attacking an invisible enemy – my ‘blades’ slicing across an invisible belly.
I let my breathing and my heart set the beat, and straightened and stepped back on one foot, raising my ‘weapons’ as if to defend from an attack aimed at my head. I moved smoothly, but never left the exaggeratedly slow pace.
I was aware of Dalin getting the hang of it beside me, but heard his left foot lightly brush the plush carpet as he moved it.
“Quietly now, step lightly. Concentrate on every part of your body. Control every muscle,” I whispered, and I felt he was concentrating hard, imitating as I bent backward and pushed my ribs to oblige while I sliced at the air over my chest.
My blood was beginning to pump now, with my heart drumming a little faster, so I picked it up a little and spun slightly more rapidly to parry with the air. I crouched and ducked cautiously, trying to forget the dull ache that never left my shoulder, where the arrow had penetrated.
Dalin was were near silent
now – a natural fighter.
With time, my heart beat grew faster and my feet began to move more quickly, the slashes and strokes I made in the air getting to be as swift as my feet. I added kicks and ducks and began to get lower, as if dodging enemies from the sides.
Eventually my side burned and my shoulder seared, but I smiled. Glad to be doing something active again.
“Adjust your footing,” I panted at Dalin when I felt him wobble beside me as we lunged.
“How do you know I need to?” he gasped. “You’re not even looking!”
“You’ll be steadier if you have your toes pointing straight.”
But it was only a small criticism. I was surprised at his ability to keep up so quickly. He was beginning to be able to judge my next move so that instead of copying my positions he was mirroring me and we looked like twins in a dance.
A light sweat covered my body and my breath came quickly. Spurred by excitement, I moved faster again to the rhythm that my heart beat out. I could almost picture the imaginary daggers I held flying through the air, slicing and tearing in a wild, controlled battle, feeling that, finally, I was alive and moving again.
I was burning with life, dancing like a flame, and I was myself again.
Then I thrust my right arm straight out in front of my body as if stabbing an enemy, but drove my imaginary blade into the air with more power than I had intended.
And suddenly I couldn’t see.
My breath sucked itself in, my face contorted, and I only knew agony as my shoulder, my chest, my back, everywhere, was on fire. Molten lava seemed to be erupting beneath my skin, running hot in my veins.
I felt my left hand clutch at my shoulder as my legs buckled and I collapsed to the floor, but I only distantly heard Dalin exclaim and rush to my side.
It seemed as if everything I’d ever known had vanished from my mind in an instant. As if all I had ever been made of was pain that bit and clawed and tore.
At last I was able to feel his firm grip on my arms, and then I was back.
Dalin’s hands were holding me up in a sitting position on the floor, and the hole in my upper chest beside my shoulder felt as if it had been newly opened. But this time by a white-hot stake instead of an arrow.
Dalin was peering into my face and I dragged my wide eyes up to focus on his anxious green ones.
“Kiana?” he asked, panicked. “What in the Gods’ names just happened?”
“It’s nothing,” I said, struggling to focus on just those green eyes. “I had the usual pain in my shoulder. Only worse than it used to be.”
“Nothing?” he exclaimed incredulously, but then stopped when he noticed how hard it was getting to keep my head up. “Kiana?” he asked uncertainly.
All of my energy was gone again.
“This isn’t normal. I don’t feel very well,” I told him truthfully, and sank backward. Only his hands kept me upright. “Can you take me to the bed?”
Chapter Eight
Kiana
Distrustful of training with me again straight away, Dalin had instead suggested I venture into the City for our next activity, and he was now warily waiting for me to be ready to set out.
I stubbornly bent over to slip on my boots, but felt a twinge in my shoulder and I unconsciously drew a sharp, nervous breath.
I suddenly saw Dalin’s hands come into my line of vision, resting on my hunting boots. And I shot him a heated look until I caught the expression of total care in those green eyes. He saw me soften, and then he slid my boots into place for me, lacing them up before helping me down the stairs.
I’d forgotten all worry as we moved together to the opening door, and it was with a sense of long overdue satisfaction that I finally took my first enchanted, unaided steps out into the secret City of Sylthanryn.
The sizzling power in the atmosphere enveloped me, I saw joy on the faces of the Nymphs and Elves who spotted me, and I stepped out into the sublime sunshine with a sense of incredible elation that made me reject all misery.
I turned back to Dalin, who was watching my enraptured face with undisguised gladness, and I held out my hand to him.
I had no need of the support of his hold just yet. But I enjoyed it all the same.
Chapter Nine
Dalin
I left Kiana as the sun went down, whistling cheerfully as I strolled back to the tower I shared with Noal.
However, an odd prickling sensation at the back of my neck gave me pause, and when I heard a shuffling sound in the shadows behind me I whipped around, my hand instinctively braced over the hilt of my sword for the first time since entering the City.
I peered into the shadows and felt my heart quicken as my eyes made out something lurking a short distance from me, just watching.
It was a small robed figure, too small for an Elf, too big for a Nymph, and not Kiana or Noal. That only left …
“Oh, Agrudek!” I exclaimed in relief. “You startled me, why didn’t you hail me down?”
I heard the sharp intake of his breath and I worried that I’d startled him.
“Didn’t want to d-disturb you,” his uneasy voice replied, and he shuffled into the light.
“Nonsense!” I told him. “How have you been?”
“F-fine,” he mumbled, hanging his head so that I at once felt a pang of pity for him.
“Well it’s good to see you outside your tower,” I told him encouragingly. “Where are you off to?”
He twitched apprehensively. “J-just going for a stroll …”
“You were headed toward Kiana’s, weren’t you? You’re a good friend, Agrudek.”
He pulled at his scraggly orange hair fretfully and coughed. “I was going to … to check in.”
“I’ve just left there and she’s retired for the night. But you should come and have a drink with Noal and I in our tower!” I threw an arm over his shoulders and steered him around. “I won’t take no for an answer. Asha, Rebel and Vidar are coming as well.”
“… Really shouldn’t …” he protested feebly, glancing over his shoulder at Kiana’s tower.
“It’ll be fun!” I reassured him, and herded him all the way to our tower instead.
“Fun …” he repeated weakly when we arrived to find that Asha and Vidar were already there with Rebel, and a thronging cluster of Nymphs who had tagged along.
Their laughter and the clinking of Nymph liquor bottles hit us as soon as we stepped inside.
Chapter Ten
Dalin
“Heeeeeellooooooo??” a voice fluttering next to my ear called and I peeled one eyelid open with a massive effort.
A purple haired female Nymph was grinning down at me. Her purple eyes were so close I could see my rumpled features in them.
“Nova?” I grumbled blearily, throwing an arm over my eyes. She was a particularly cheerful and cheeky Nymph. I couldn’t handle such energy so early in the morning.
“Are we feeling delicate?” she asked evilly, and I heard the tinkling sound of her poking at the empty bottles of Nymph liquor littering the floor.
“Gods yes.”
“Well snap out of it,” she declared without sympathy. “After the One’s successful day in the City yesterday, the Lady has called the Council to meet. I’ve been sent to fetch you.” I felt her little fingers pluck at my arm as she pulled it away from my face and tossed it back down to the mattress.
I moaned as the early morning light flooded my blurred vision.
“Come on Raiden, it’s time to rise!” she yanked the covers back. Then she changed her tone. “Why, I could just shower you with kisses!” she sighed appreciatively.
“Mph,” I groaned as she tickled my bare chest. “Gerroff!” I mumbled sleepily, sitting up.
“Dalin!” Noal moaned mournfully, coming down the stairs and rubbing his eyes.
Naira, practically Nova’s twin but with pink hair and eyes, was catching a piggyback ride as he came down, floating behind his neck like a scarf.
“Joy to the worl
d, there’s two of them shirtless,” cackled Naira, releasing Noal and hovering behind him. “With such nice behinds!” she exclaimed as Noal walked ahead of her.
“Hey!” Noal jumped when a Nymph hand pinched him where it shouldn’t.
“It’s heartbreaking, but you’ve got to dress,” Nova informed us, already pushing me to the stairs and towards the washroom.
“Quickly! Quickly!” Naira demanded, whipping us with a towel so that we were scrubbed, dressed and wide awake in moments, and were soon being pulled out of our tower and dragged mercilessly into the heart of the City.
“Is this Council going to be filled with prophecy discussion?” Noal asked Naira as she tugged him along.
“You’re meant to be the one out of the Three to put everything together, so you work it out,” Naira giggled at Noal unhelpfully.
“If you could just go a bit faster you’d get there quicker and see.” Nova batted her purple eyes at me and yanked on my hand, nearly pulling me off the ground.
“How far is it to the Council rooms then?” Noal puffed in annoyance.
“You’ll know the place when you see it,” Naira threw a glittering smile at him while he gave her a disgruntled grimace as we hurried further into the depths of the City, rounding some tree towers. But then our jaws dropped as we understood.
“See what I mean?” Naira asked, observing our faces gleefully.
“That,” Noal gaped, “is the most incredibly gigantic, most tremendous, most colossal tree I’ve ever seen.”
It was taller than all of the tree towers in the massive basin of the City, taller than the cliffs surrounding the basin, taller than the trees growing at normal Forest ground level above the basin, and was so high that it in fact seemed to grow above the entire Forest itself.
Its leaves and billions of branches rose so high above the canopy of the rest of the trees that I could only make out a green ceiling-like blur which sparkled with filtered sun.