Legends of Windemere: 03 - Family of the Tri-Rune

by Charles E Yallowitz

“I guess you’re an orphan too in a way,” Nyx casually mentions. She shies away from the flicker of anger on Delvin’s face. “I’m sorry. That was rude, but you’re in a similar situation to what I’m in. I spent most of my life believing my parents were dead and now they’re alive. I’m sure you can figure out a way to see your family again. You could pretend to be someone else, so they don’t think you’re a ghost.”

  Delvin smiles at Nyx and gingerly pats her on the head. “Like you, I have my mother’s unique eyes, so it wouldn’t work. Thanks for trying though.”

  Nyx half-heartedly slaps his hand away and steps out of reach. She can tell Delvin is worried he upset her, so she pretends to fix her hair. Using focused force spells, she blindly struggles to get her hair back to what she thinks it should look like. The entire time Nyx can hear Sari’s voice inside her head, scolding her for destroying all her hard work. She stops when she realizes how foolish she is acting, glaring at Delvin as if he purposely makes her act like an awkward teenager.

  “So, you wanted to know how I survived on the ice,” Delvin says, lazily sitting next to the apple pie. He pats the ground next to him, but Nyx sits on the opposite side of the pastry. “I was on a very large chunk of ice, so I was able to use it as a source of water. I got lucky with food because there were many times when a tired bird landed on the ice. A group of seals lived with me for two weeks and I got some scraps of fish from them. I was still emaciated when the traders found me, but I found enough food to keep me alive.”

  “What about warmth?” Nyx asks, creating a coating of fire around her hand to emphasize her question. “It must have been freezing and I doubt you had enough layers to survive for too long. You couldn’t have made a fire without melting a hole in the ice. That’s if you even had tinder to make a fire in the first place. Not that you would have three months’ worth of wood on a barren chunk of ice.”

  “Honestly, I don’t know,” Delvin admits, running a hand through his hair. “I never thought about it before, but I don’t remember being cold. Maybe the sunlight bouncing off the ice created enough heat to keep me alive.”

  “You would have frozen to death at night,” Nyx insists. She licks her lips as she leans closer to Delvin. “Your aura blinded me when I looked at you. An old friend told me he was dazed when he looked at Luke and I’ve been known to blind magic sight users if they aren’t ready for my aura. I think I know what you are, Delvin, but I have a final question to prove my theory. What led you to Visindor?”

  “I heard Selenia needed help and I had dreams from Ram and Ehre leading me back to the academy,” Delvin answers. He is pleasantly surprised when Nyx tackles him, her knees barely missing the pie. “So, you can tackle me for no reason, but I can’t fall on you by accident?”

  “You’re a champion like me,” Nyx says, hugging Delvin before scrambling to her feet. She is practically vibrating in excitement, her eyes locked on the warrior. “Luke, Sari, Timoran, and I are destined to battle an immortal warlord named Baron Kernaghan. One of his minions is the Lich, who is always causing trouble for us. You were obviously sent here to stop him and meet up with us. I don’t know much more about our destiny, but if your aura is that strong and the gods sent you here then I’m sure you’re one of us.”

  “So, I’m supposed to help you fight this Baron Kernaghan,” Delvin responds, his voice full of doubt. “I’m trying not to offend you, Nyx, but that sounds far-fetched. I’m only a former mercenary who is following the path laid out before him.”

  “What if that path is to be a champion of Windemere?” Nyx contends, fixing him with an ecstatic smile. “Besides, you understood me when I said Baron Kernaghan. He was erased from Windemere’s history and the mind of almost every mortal. I noticed in Hero’s Gate that if I mentioned his name, my mother would hear it as the great darkness or something along those lines. Only champions and those destined to help us can hear his name. So, you’re either one of us or a helper with amazing potential. I’d place all my money on you being a champion.”

  Delvin is about to continue arguing when a high-pitched scream cuts through the air. Fizzle slams into the apple pie, sending some of it onto Delvin’s pants. The warrior watches the drite sit in the middle of the pie and greedily devours the pastry. Nyx is giggling softly, her hand over her mouth as she creates a barrier to protect her clothes from the flying pieces of apple pie.

  “I wish I could eat a pie like that,” Delvin says, leaning closer to Fizzle.

  “Okay,” Fizzle mumbles, spraying a puff of rainbow smoke that envelopes the warrior. “You welcome.”

  Delvin rapidly shrinks until he is only a few inches tall. He can see Timoran and Luke coming through the trees as he clambers onto the pie pan and tumbles into the mushy pastry. Delvin tries to eat his way out, but has to climb up Fizzle’s tail before he drowns in the sweet filling. The drite licks him clean and clears a spot for Delvin to safely stand while he eats as much as his stomach can handle.

  “We don’t have time for this,” Luke gasps, waving his arm at Delvin and Fizzle’s messy display. “Fizzle had a dream that a gypsy is in trouble. I think something is going to happen to Kayn, which means Sari is in danger too. We need to get back to the academy and warn everyone.”

  “I’ll put speed spells on you guys and teleport ahead,” Nyx replies, waving her hands to cover her friends in a silver dust. She watches Timoran jump away from the cloud, avoiding the spell. “By the gods, I forgot you don’t like magic, Timoran. I’m really sorry about trying to cast a spell on you.”

  “We go now!” Fizzle yells, grabbing Delvin in his mouth. The drite bursts into the sky above the forest and disappears into the distance.

  “No need to apologize. We are still learning about each other,” Timoran states as he bends down to pick up the pie. He hears Luke growl before the forest tracker races into the distance, leaving a trail of disturbed leaves in his wake. “I will carry this pie and relieve you of anything that will weigh you down. Barbarians are powerful runners, so I will catch up with you before too long.”

  Nyx is vanishing in a pillar of fiery light as she says, “Don’t worry about the rest of us, Timoran. Just hurry up. I’ll see you back at the academy.”

  19

  The yellow autumn moon sits above the academy, bathing it in amber light that is both eerie and beautiful. Standing within the shadow of the infirmary, Luke meditates to gather his strength and rest his nerves. His senses are tuned into the world around him and he can feel the griffin helping him by amplifying his sense of smell. He takes a deep breath, clearing his mind of the stress caused by Selenia and Nyx urging him to return to his room. He reminds himself to thank Timoran and Kevin for dragging Selenia to her office and Nyx to the teacher dormitory. Even though the academy is calm, Luke cannot shake the feeling that something is about to happen.

  “Are you sure I can’t take an outside watch?” Sari asks as she quietly slips out of the infirmary. “Kayn’s bleeding has stopped and he’s sleeping peacefully. We had trouble with the healing potions because of the Lich’s magic, but we got a few of them to take hold an hour ago. So, I’ve got nothing to do.”

  “I want you guarding the inside,” Luke softly answers. His eyes open and a golden shimmer briefly runs over his green pupils. “We don’t know if the target is you or Kayn. Keeping both of you in the same place is the best idea.”

  “I understand, but I don’t think I can stay in there much longer,” she whispers, shivering in the autumn chill. “There’s something cold and eerie about Kayn. We tested him with holy water, so we know he’s still human. Yet, he looks so pale and unnatural laying there.”

  “He lost a lot of blood and was mangled, Sari.”

  “I’m not an idiot.”

  “I didn’t say you were.”

  “Then, don’t sound so condescending.”

  Luke runs a hand through his hair, sighing in frustration. “I’m sorry, Sari. I didn’t mean to upset you, but I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Kayn was bea
ten within a breath of dying, we can only imagine what spells were used on him. It will take time for his body to heal and even longer for his mind to recover. He’s going to seem unnatural for a while, so I wouldn’t focus on protecting him. When he wakes up, we can try to get information from him and you can help him heal.”

  “What do you mean by me helping him heal?” Sari asks, her voice rising in pitch. She glares at Luke, who looks confused and dumbfounded. It takes her a minute to realize what he meant. “I guess it’s my turn to apologize. I thought you wanted me to go back to Kayn and make him happy. I spent so long being tossed back and forth between you two that I’m still a little sensitive.”

  “Well, I can’t stop you if you wanted to do anything,” Luke admits with a shrug that makes his stiff shoulders crack. “I have Kira, so it wouldn’t be fair if I held you to monogamy while I’m playing the field. If you want to pursue someone else then go ahead. All I ask is that you’re careful and I’m asking that entirely as a friend.”

  “We never got around to discussing that part of our situation,” Sari says, a relaxing giggle escaping from her lips. She immediately feels guilty about being happy while her former lover is bedridden a few yards away. “This probably isn’t the best time. It would be disrespectful to talk about us while Kayn is like this. He’s no longer the man I once loved and I love you now, but I still hold a place in my heart for him.”

  “I understand, which is why I think you should be by his side now,” Luke whispers, leaning forward to kiss Sari on the forehead. She wraps her arms around his neck, pulling his head to her shoulder. “You should be the first thing he sees when he wakes up.”

  “I’ll have Nyx take over in the morning, so we can have breakfast together,” Sari promises, rubbing Luke’s neck.

  Sari pulls Luke in for a passionate kiss that pushes him against the building. She begrudgingly breaks the kiss, patting Luke on the cheek and slipping back into the infirmary. As the door closes, Luke notices the glint of moonlight off the metal of Sari’s drawn daggers. He peeks through the window to see her sitting next to Kayn on the other side of the room. Compared to the ethereal appearance of Sari in the amber moonlight, Kayn looks surprisingly withered and decrepit.

  “Can’t keep your eyes off her,” Delvin teases as he approaches Luke from behind. He casually swats away the saber aimed at his chest. “One of these days, we’re going to have an encounter that doesn’t include drawing weapons on each other.”

  “Sorry, Delvin, you spooked me,” Luke apologizes, leaning against the side of the infirmary. “Thanks for helping.”

  “It’s what friends do and, according to Nyx, I’m destined to travel with all of you,” the warrior mentions with a wry smile. He leans on the wall next to Luke, his wooden shield sliding from his shoulder to his forearm for easy use. “I’ve been thinking a lot about that and I can see how she came to her conclusion. I tried to mention Baron Kernaghan to Duggan and he kept thinking I was talking about an ancient darkness. It brought a lot of what Nyx said into focus. I can’t say I’m happy or annoyed about it. It’s just . . . strange.”

  “It’s unexpected,” Luke says, turning to face Delvin. The blue-eyed warrior laughs and nods his head while the half-elf grins. “I think Nyx and I had it easier than the rest of you when we were first told. Nyx has been raised to battle the Baron and I promised to help her soon after we met. Though, you probably had it worse than everyone else because Timoran and Sari learned about their destiny from Isaiah. You got a blunt introduction from Nyx.”

  “It was certainly blunt,” Delvin admits. He loosens his longsword in its sheath, his eyes scanning the area. “She tried her best to soften the blow, but I think she let her excitement get the best of her.”

  “As I said, Nyx has been raised to follow this path,” Luke says, noticing the broad smile on Delvin’s face. “Technically, she recruited me before either of us knew what we were really getting involved in. I’m surprised I took it as well as I did when I heard I was chosen to fight an ancient evil.”

  “You’re also a Callindor, which means you were born for this type of adventure,” Delvin contends, reaching over to gently push Luke on the shoulder. He notices the annoyed look on Luke’s face and gives him a punch to the arm. “I heard about your issue with getting fame from your last name. I thought you grew out of it after leaving the academy. Whether you believe it or not, your adventures have earned you a reputation.”

  Luke crosses his arms and shoves his annoyance out of his mind. “I know, but I’m a little irked that you made it sound like I was superior. I don’t think I’m better than anyone else.”

  “I was only saying you’re an experienced adventurer and you no longer have to worry about unearned fame,” Delvin points out, stretching his back with a few slow twists. “It’ll snow in the southern deserts before I believe you’re superior to any of us. If you were then you wouldn’t have been in a detention cell alongside me and Timoran. Honestly, if I was going to pick any of us as superior it would be Nyx.”

  “You seem pretty taken with her,” Luke mentions, sliding into a crouch to stretch his legs. “As her little brother, I think it’s my job to make sure you don’t take advantage of her.”

  “I’d appreciate it more if you made sure she didn’t burn me alive,” Delvin jokes, causing both warriors to laugh.

  “I don’t think I can promise that,” Luke gasps through his laughter. He takes several calming breaths and listens to Delvin do the same. “Seriously, Delvin, it’s weird that you went after Nyx as soon as you saw her. Do you realize the problems with that? For one thing, she’s the last person you want to spontaneously hit on. She can take it the wrong way or get annoyed you’re even trying, which leads to getting put through a wall. The other problem is that you barely know her.”

  “I have no excuse for my spontaneity, but I can argue your second point,” Delvin says, pausing briefly to scan the area for signs of movement. He focuses on a shadow near the fountain, relaxing when he sees it is Kevin walking to the administrative building. “I want to get to know her, so I have to start with asking her out. Wasn’t it the same with you and Sari? Or is it Kira? I’m rather confused on your situation.”

  “I’ll tell you over several drinks that you’re paying for,” Luke answers, groaning at the prospect of having to explain his love life again. “To answer your question, I didn’t pursue Kira or Sari. I entirely focused on my mission and not getting beaten up by Selenia when I met Kira, so she took the initiative. With Sari things started with a rush of lust, turned into awkward confusion, and we’re now . . . I don’t even know what it is. All I know is that it makes me happy, makes Sari happy, and makes Kira happy.”

  “You’re right.”

  “About what?”

  “I’ll need to drink before you tell me your story.”

  Luke hits Delvin in the arm with enough force to make the grinning warrior lean to the side. Acting as if nothing happened, Delvin shifts back to his original position and stares at the cloudless, star-filled sky.

  “You think I should back off and let her make the next move?” Delvin asks after a minute of silence.

  “I have no idea,” Luke answers, peeking into the infirmary. He briefly watches as Sari stretches over Kayn and changes his bandages. “I don’t think Nyx has ever been successfully courted. Sari told me that guys would try, but she would blow them off because they didn’t catch her interest. You’re already a step ahead of them since you seem to have gained her attention. I’ve never seen Nyx act like she does around you, which is very entertaining.”

  “I throw her off because she expects me to act a certain way,” Delvin says, stroking his stubble-covered chin. “Maybe I’ll leave her alone and see how it plays out as we travel together.”

  “If you think you can control yourself then go for it,” Luke declares with a charming grin.

  Delvin is about to respond when Luke’s grin fades and he draws his sabers. He is already kicking the door in as Delvin draws hi
s sword, trusting Luke’s keener senses. Moonlight through the windows is the only source of light in the shadowy infirmary, but Delvin’s eyes quickly adjust to the darkness. The healer’s prone body is slumped in a corner of the room, a dent in the wall suggesting he was hurled with an alarming amount of force. Delvin is about to move toward the injured man when Luke holds a sword in his way.

  Following the forest tracker’s gaze, Delvin sees a sight that makes him quietly pray for Nyx to appear. The silence is shattered by Kayn’s sudden coughing, blobs of gelatinous blood hitting the floor and Sari’s shoulder. Kayn has a crushing hold on Sari, her struggling body held tightly in front of him even though she is too short to be much of a human shield. It is his right hand, pressed across her neck and threatening to crush her throat that has been keeping Luke at bay. Delvin takes a half-step and freezes when Kayn tightens his grip on Sari, causing her to weakly gurgle for air. The sickly gypsy eases the pressure when Delvin steps back and pulls Luke away with him.

  “I’m taking Sari,” Kayn announces in a raspy voice. He waves his bastard sword in his left hand, making several cuts in the ceiling. “My master wants to examine her and find out your secrets. Then, she will be given back to me, which is where she belongs.”

  “I’ll kill you first!” Luke angrily shouts. His eyes are locked on Sari’s terrified expression and he yanks his arm out of Delvin’s grasp. “You told her to stay with me and be happy.”

  “That was before my new master showed me how I can keep her and get my revenge,” Kayn gleefully contends, leaning down to lick Sari’s hair. The moonlight glints off a pair of daggers sticking out of his back. “The ones responsible will be purged and I will take their place. It wasn’t supposed to be a massacre, but a simple kidnapping. It was all a mistake that can be amended. Then Sari and I can return to the life we deserve.”

  “They’re lying to you, Kayn,” Luke warns him. The half-elf spins his sabers in anticipation of an opening. “They always intended to wipe out your clan. You were lucky because they mistook you for the champion, which means they didn’t know about Sari until recently. I wouldn’t be surprised if they plan on killing you after they get her. Just let her go and we can help you.”