The Raiden

by Shelley Cass

  The wind eased, the whispering faded and the dancing leaves settled the moment I skidded to a halt in the quiet glade.

  The treetops parted in a perfect circle above and star light poured exquisitely down from the heavens to fill the clearing, like a basin being flooded with silver liquid.

  Beneath the light a round pool glistened, reflecting the glimmering sky while the lush grass grew right up to the rim of the clear water.

  I could feel the magic that had been calling to me dancing through the air in this hidden place, caressing my skin like falling snowflakes. But it in particular seemed to be coming from a risen mound of grassy earth on the opposite side of the glade.

  Drawn, I stepped slowly around the brilliant pool to stand before the hill, gazing upon a white stone that had been set at the top of the slight rise. The marker of a grave.

  Kneeling closer, I wondered who the one entombed deep within the grassy mound had been, and who had knelt many years ago, where I now did, to grieve for them. I wondered if the being who rested before me had achieved what they’d wanted to, before they were blanketed with earth and grass.

  The runes written upon the stone were faded and in a foreign tongue, but I leaned closer and looked harder, and felt chills of realisation.

  I could read it. It was Aolen.

  Unra olen de merdon rendaers,

  Silrinae un dera Kinrunda.

  Unredon maros, perdu amoeren.

  “Here lie the cherished saviours, Silranaeryn and her Kinrilowyn. Together always, forever loved,” I whispered the words to myself in wonder, realising that this glade was where the Larnaeradee and Unicorn who sacrificed their lives to end the threat of Deimos had been brought to rest.

  I held my Unicorn tightly, feeling as if I had been invited by my ancestors to come to this site when I most needed to be close to them. When I was to confront the truth and accept what I was.

  I bowed my head before returning to sit by the pool, gazing at my shifting reflection and noting how certain I appeared. Then I slowly, unwaveringly opened my tingling fingers to gaze at the Unicorn figurine that my parents had given me on my sixteenth birthday.

  “I’m ready,” I whispered.

  And it was the truth.

  Suddenly, a new tingling burst of energy pelted up along my fingers and I nearly jumped with surprise. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the white stone Unicorn. It seemed to be growing whiter. Or, more incredible still, a faint white light seemed to be emanating from within it.

  I watched with wide eyes as a bright globe of light began to form at the very tip of the figurine’s horn as if a tiny star from the heavens had suddenly appeared there.

  As I held my breath in complete awe, the tiny spot of light began to move, down along the Unicorn’s horn, running between the ears, then the eyes, then tracing the long nose, the slender neck, the muscular shoulders, across the belly, along the tail and the back, circling the entire figurine’s body.

  I was transfixed when at last the light began to approach its beginning point again. This time it climbed the other side of the horn, tiptoeing all the way back to the pinnacle while I stared with anticipation.

  Abruptly the figurine began to vibrate in my hands, radiating heat, before – in a single moment – the Unicorn had divided into two perfect halves that laid separately on my palm.

  I gasped as the white light that had traced the outside of the Unicorn swelled to envelop something round and no bigger than my thumb that had fit perfectly inside the stomach of the figurine.

  The white light began to rise, carrying the small object upward with it until it had reached eye level. Then it simply floated, suspended in mid-air before me.

  I lifted my chin to extend my neck and the white light floated closer. My eyes were dazzled by the brightness, but as the incredible light started to fade I felt a slight weight settle against my throat.

  A weight that felt natural. As if it had always been meant to be there, as if I’d been missing it all my life.

  I blinked back down to my reflection in the pool to stare at the rubellite stone that was now hanging from a faint chain about my neck, resting comfortingly against my skin.

  With steady fingers I lifted a hand to stroke it, and I felt a shiver of power dance from its surface to kiss my fingertips.

  The Unicorn figurine had fused itself back together as if it had never contained such an incredible secret and I slipped the ornament into my pocket.

  I couldn’t keep my lips from smiling as I stood. Because I felt strangely whole, strangely greater in all aspects than before, strangely happier, strangely free. And I drew a deep breath as I realised that I’d been waiting for this moment for all of my life without knowing it.

  I focused my mind, visualising the one thing that I now wanted above all else. And there was not a noise in the Forest – as if the entire world was holding its breath in anticipation.

  A rush of energy and a yearning to be unlimited even by gravity burst from my core and spread to every part of my body before it surged strongly to my spine and shoulders.

  And as simple as breathing, I felt my wings flicker and rise behind me. So light I would barely have noticed them, so right they felt as if they’d been there all along.

  The silence of the Forest vanished with a great clamour bursting from every treetop, every burrow, every nest. Birds called ecstatically, small scavengers squeaked, the trees rustled and their leaves danced.

  Then with complete exultation, and not one doubt, I sent my newfound wings whirring into action as easily as I would move my hand.

  I shot into the air, whirling ecstatically up until I passed the circular opening in the treetops to soar across the stars.

  Chapter Forty Two

  Eyes like granite flashed open.

  The Sorcerer refocused, straight backed, breaking from his meditation.

  A strange, painful pulse of power had swept throughout his body and had exploded across his senses.

  It was the kind of power that Darziates had felt during his murdering of the Larnaeradee, and that he had felt lying dormant in the soul of a young woman he had never truly met – Kiana.

  This power had suddenly awakened, pulsing exultantly to life, and sweeping outward across the lands. And Darziates was certain it had been Kiana, embracing her gifts.

  “Master,” he heard Agrona sobbing fearfully – pawing at his door. She had felt the tremors of pure magic as he had.

  Impatiently, without moving, the Sorcerer magically pushed her backwards, away from his chamber, so that she fell through walls and floors as if they were nothing, to be dumped back into her own room.

  His own darkness ran in her blood, she had grown into the beauty her mother had passed down, and she had become accomplished in her abilities to terrify and control. But, there was no denying now that Agrona was not enough to help him rule an entire world and Other Realm.

  To unite the world under his one banner, Darziates would need to truly have the hearts and souls of the people. His influence should be able to seep into their thoughts. But most important of all, his control would need to go beyond physical boundaries, and flow through Nature itself. Yes, he would need someone capable of helping him break even the boundaries of Nature to defeat the threat of the tenth age. He would need the last Larnaeradee to join his cause.

  People would need to breathe Darziates’ power in from the air, drink it in the water, see it storming in the clouds, and feel it in their land.

  His Quest was not to be just a tyrant ruling over bitter, defeated peoples. But to establish a new leadership, a new way of life. A new world, transformed in a storm of ice and fire.

  “Kiana,” he uttered the word reverently out loud.

  With her magic, they could thrust their control into every fibre of every being, and every inch of land, sea and sky.

  Nature was rejoicing for now, and a faint smile played across the Sorcerer’s lips.

  The future beckoned.

  Chapter Forty Threer />
  Noal

  I woke to Dalin shaking me urgently. “Get up!”

  It was still dark and there was a roaring sound rushing in my ears. I frowned groggily as Dalin pulled me up into a sitting position by my shirtfront. He saw I was awake and moved across to do the same to Thorin.

  After speaking to Kiana we’d tried to wait up, but had fallen asleep in the sitting room of the tower Dalin and I shared. I blinked blearily and noticed that the loud noises hadn’t just been a rushing in my ears – swells of voices were pouring into the room from outside.

  “Frarshk,” Thorin groaned. “I’m off duty.”

  “Get up!” Dalin repeated, now trying to pull his own shirt on over his bandaged arm and getting tangled in a rush.

  I yawned and rubbed my face as Thorin stumbled up to help Dalin pull it over his head.

  “What’s that noise outside?” I asked. “It sounds like the mightiest party in the history of the world.”

  “I don’t know!” Dalin cried in exasperation. “I’ve been trying to rouse you two so we can find out!”

  “It sounds like every Elf, Nymph, bird, horse and rabbit in the Forest is making as much noise as they can,” Thorin darted me a wide eyed look.

  “Oh …” I breathed. “Dalin, last night Kiana –”

  “Yes, yes, I’ve already pieced all of this together, let’s just go and see!” Dalin said, herding Thorin ahead of him to the steps as he talked.

  “Gods. Do you think …?” Thorin asked as we squeezed our way out of the tower door.

  But we stopped in our tracks incredulously.

  It looked like it truly was a gathering of every single being in the Forest.

  The whole City was full to bursting. Birds rushed around in trilling swarms, and not a single Elf or Nymph seemed to be indoors despite the hour.

  The vine bridges hanging over the City were swinging and crowded with dancing Elves while Nymphs drank and laughed wildly on every tree branch.

  Every lit up doorstep had someone carousing crazily on it, or magical beings clinging happily together. Some were crying tears of joy. Some shouted jubilantly to the heavens.

  “Quaray!” An Elf close to me said when he turned around and saw us standing there. “Quaray un Tru!” he laughed, shaking my hand vigorously, almost making my teeth rattle until Thorin and Dalin pulled me away through the thronging crowd.

  They’d spotted the Krall warriors, all bunched together as confused and bleary eyed as we were.

  “Hello there!” yelled Tane. “Come to join the impromptu party?” he had to shout to be heard over the noise.

  “I’ve never been in a place where parties are so frequent!” cheered Wolf whole-heartedly.

  “Or so lively,” grinned Vulcan. “Before it’s even first thing in the morning.”

  “Does anyone have a clue what we’re celebrating though?” Purdor asked, accepting a mug of Elf ale as big as his head with enthusiasm.

  “Not the foggiest!” Thale cried, almost drowning himself in his own mug.

  “We can only guess,” Thorin began. “But we think it’s Kiana.”

  “She left with her Unicorn figurine last night,” I added with a raised voice.

  Ferron almost choked on his drink.

  “You mean you think she’s become …?” Cadell asked, thumping a spluttering Nikon on the back too.

  “Well, good for her! Now Darziates has got what’s coming to him!” Phobos grinned, sloshing his drink down Lydon’s shirt as he raised it.

  “There’s hope for the world!” Phrixus cried, tipsy already and sauntering off to hug a lady Elf twice his size.

  They all cheered, thoroughly immersing themselves in the celebrations, and Dalin laughed, accepting three more mugs from a grinning Elf before handing two to Thorin and I.

  “Raaaiiiideeeeeennnnn!” Nova and Naira zoomed across to Dalin.

  “Congratulations to the Threeee!” they cried drunkenly, which suggested they’d had quite a lot.

  Nova kissed Dalin rather passionately and Naira wrapped her arms around my neck, about to do the same.

  “I wouldn’t.” A testy voice stopped Naira in her tracks.

  I glanced up to see Asha, Flash and Rebel floating above us.

  “You’re as … jealous as the Granx!” Nova pouted.

  “Kindly remove yourself from my Princes,” Asha said daintily, her sharp teeth glinting.

  “Ohhhhh, so now you own both of themmm,” Naira rolled her eyes. She pecked me on the lips and spun away giggling with Nova, becoming a blur of pinks and purples.

  Rebel went off in pursuit of the two Nymphs, not complaining as they turned their attention to him while Flash joined the Krall warriors in drinking from a mug over half his size.

  “So you’ve heard the news?” Asha chirruped blissfully, taking Naira’s place in my arms and stroking my hair contentedly.

  “We’ve guessed,” Thorin answered.

  She gasped dramatically, but the evidence of delight to be the news bearer was clear on her impish face. “Kiana has found her earth stone. She’s a Larnaeradee at last!” the Nymph crowed gleefully. “The entire Forest was vibrating with life!” Asha went on. “Every tree, every blade of grass, every insect woke up with joy and shivered with her power the moment that it happened! I nearly fell out of the air with the force of it! I can’t believe you didn’t you feel it!”

  Dalin, Thorin and I looked at each other.

  “I was pretty tired …” Dalin said weakly.

  “I may have felt something,” Thorin shrugged, scratching his cheek.

  “I think I do remember waking up feeling hungry at one point,” I reflected.

  Asha sighed. “Mortals.”

  “So what are we going to do now that it’s happened?” Thorin asked. “Keep partying until she comes back?”

  “Oh I think this party will be ongoing for a few days at least,” Asha mused, languishing comfortably in my arms. “This is one of the greatest moments in history. It has to be celebrated accordingly.”

  “Of course.” I grinned at the scenes of wild abandon all over the City. “And we’ll all do our bit to help.”

  But as the remnants of the night waned and the sky started to lighten, the Elves and Nymphs began to still a little and to look eagerly upward.

  Then the first rays of the sun began to brighten the Forest and the Forest dwellers broke out with roaring cheers.

  Because with those first rays of sunlight, we finally saw the last, One, Tru, Larnaeradee.

  There were cries of hope and overflowing joy as the entire City gazed up at the figure soaring high in the golden sky.

  “Gods …” Dalin breathed in awe.

  The Krall warriors were speechless, the Elves held each other and the Nymphs hung mid-air, holding their arms out lovingly.

  For she was everything good in the world. And her pure magic washed down from where she hovered to touch all of us.

  Chapter Forty Four

  Kiana

  “You look enchanting!” Asha purred with satisfaction.

  She was floating above me, her chin propped dreamily on her hands as she gazed at the teal coloured dress Chloris had just helped me into.

  The material flowed down my chest in a ‘v’ to a belt of material before the light, rumpled cloth again flowed freely out to an uneven, wispy hem.

  My hair spilled in waves down my shoulders, and Chloris pushed a ruby lined flower comb into the hair beside my ear to lightly pin it back.

  My own eyes lingered where, on my bare shoulder, the blood red brand of Agrona had become a silvery colour that nearly matched my skin, like a testimony to my transformation. It was now the brand of my rebirth.

  And even as I stood still I was sublimely aware that magic now pulsed through my veins, like sparks dancing in my blood that sent wild strength exploding in all of my limbs. The power of my lost kin was alive again within me.

  “Lovely,” Chloris smiled as she moved back. “You’re ready.”

  “Kiana
!” I heard Dalin’s voice call up the stairs.

  He, Noal and I had all been whisked away to be dressed ‘properly’ for the occasion, and now the party was building to an even greater extreme outside.

  Thanking Asha and Chloris, I descended the stairs to where Dalin was waiting in the lowest room.

  “You should see how outrageous it has become out there …” His words petered out as he turned from the window. “Gods Kiana,” he coughed. “You look wonderful.”

  I smiled. “You look Princely.”

  He truly exuded the image of royalty in the magnificent deep green garb he’d been given, but the green of his eyes were fixed on nothing but me as he came to where I stood on the last steps and offered his hand.

  I took his hand in mine and we paused for a moment, before Asha zoomed down the stairs to sweep us back outside into a world of music, dancing and laughter.

  “Come on!” she giggled, sending us hurtling forward toward where Thorin, Tane and Noal were waiting outside the tower door, and their eyes widened as they saw us.

  “Gods you all polished up nicely!” Tane whistled, taken aback.

  Noal was as regal as Dalin, and Thorin regarded the three of us almost hesitantly.

  “I’ve suddenly been reminded that you are the heir to a throne,” Thorin commented to Dalin.

  But Dalin didn’t seem to notice the effect he’d had upon our warriors, and he slung an arm good-naturedly around Thorin’s shoulders.

  “Lead the way,” Dalin said with a grin. “It’s time Noal and I showed you Krall lads how to drink like real men.”

  The uncertainty at once dropped from their faces.

  “Like real men?” Tane crowed merrily, and he and Thorin bounded off to where the other soldiers had gathered already, drawing Dalin and Noal with them.

  Though instead of joining them, I wandered away from the noisy pack of males as they happily sloshed their way through tankards of Nymph liquor and Elf ale.

  I sat myself aside with my back against the trunk of a tree, cushioned upon the grass and surrounded by the revelling of those around me.