“Bauer, you are welcome to Warm Springs. You are a friend of Alec’s, and he is a great friend of our village. We all admire him,” Bernadina began the conversation.
“Have you told him where we’re going?” she turned to Alec to ask.
“How could I? I don’t even know where we’re going?” Alec replied.
“Alec and I are going further into the mountains to visit a village of people who are a little bit like him. They are people who can heal their bodies, and heal other people a little bit too, though not as well as Alec. You know Alec can do that, don’t you?” Bernadina turned back to the boy who sat with them, pecking at his food.
“He healed me, after he rescued me,” Bauer affirmed. “And he completely healed himself after he fought the demon. I’ve seen him go into the city to heal people who need help.”
“Very good. You know his powers well,” she applauded him.
“Why do you wish to bring Bauer with us?” Alec asked.
“Because it will allow me to spend time with him, to evaluate him. I’d like to know him better, just as I had the chance to get to know you. You see, I’ve come to the conclusion that your young friend here, and presumably all the sorcerers, are descendants of the Lokasennii, just as you are a descendant of our race, Alec,” Bernadine patiently replied, enjoying the chance to drop a dramatic note into the conversation.
Chapter 23 – The Sleagh Maith
“What do you mean?” Alec and Bauer simultaneously asked.
“Bauer, Alec is distantly related to the race of people who live here in this village, the Lokasennii. That is why he has some of his abilities, such as his ability to speak mind-to-mind and to sense the honesty of others,” Bernadina began to explain.
“Our race in this village has certain abilities. And it is my belief that the sorcerers also are descendants of our race. Your ability to commune with the powers of the underworld is a different use of these abilities, I believe,” she continued.
Alec sat back, dumbfounded by her theory.
“So if you and I can spend time together on this trip, I would like to understand you better, to find out if I am correct,” she added.
“Would it be good to be related to you?” Bauer asked her.
“I think it would be,” she told him with a smile. “Truly, it is such a tenuous relationship that it only matters in understanding how our minds are alike.”
“You think sorcerers, lokasennii, and Spiritual ingenairii are all alike, all using some of the same abilities?” Alec asked to clarify.
“Exactly,” Bernadina replied. “Now, let’s take our young friend to the Red Pool for a short visit, and then we can be on our way. I think you’ll like soaking in the pool’s water,” she spoke to Bauer directly.
Minutes later they all were soaking in the waters of the pool, Alec still reeling from the notion that ingenairii and sorcerers had something in common with each other. “Think back to when you shared your blood with him. There was pain as you cleansed the evil, but there was the thing you had in common as well, wasn’t there?” Bernadina asked.
Alec thought back to when he had sat in the horse’s saddle, and had felt Bauer’s blood flowing within his own veins. There had been something familiar, something he couldn’t identify at the time, and he had dismissed and forgotten about it afterwards as the pain had nearly overwhelmed him. “There was something,” he grudgingly admitted.
“That was the trace of the relationship. If you and I were ever to share blood, you would feel it much more strongly,” she said.
“Bauer, how do you like the pool?” she turned her attention back to the former sorcerer apprentice.
“It feels welcoming,” he said blissfully. “The water is comfortable and friendly.”
“You may enjoy it a little bit longer, but then we must be on our way,” she announced.
Two hours later they were atop the horses, Bernadina riding behind Bauer, as they left the village to find the Sleagh Maith. Three days later they reached Black Crag in the early afternoon, and Alec requested a meeting with Captain Reese, who granted them shelter for the night. Alec went to the armory for hours of sword work with the Black Crag Guard members, while Bernadina and Bauer stayed in the room.
The following morning, carrying supplies provided by Reese, they left the fortress and headed west, beyond the reaches of the Avonellene Empire, following the traders road through the mountains, traveling on foot through the frozen winter environment. They had left their horses behind at Bernadina’s insistence, because of the rough terrain they would have to cross once they left the road to reach the Sleagh Maith village. The road climbed higher into the mountains, and Alec used his Healer powers to address the affect of the thinner air on Bauer, curing his headaches and bloody nose, as well as elevating the body temperatures of all three of them.
They passed caravans, whose multiple guards looked upon the trio of travelers as little threat in the wilderness. On the fifth day of their trip they reached a heavily fortified village, which was almost entirely composed of a supply depot, taverns and brothels. Alec thought of Walnut Creek, long ago and far away in the Pale Mountains, and wondered why that small, isolated mountain village had been so much more wholesome than this nameless place. They passed it without entering, and continued on.
“Are there settlers or trappers out here?” Alec asked Bernadina.
“The growing season isn’t long enough to grow much besides cabbages and a few other plants at this elevation,” she replied. “I’m sure there are a few isolated cabins belonging to those who can’t stand company, but not much else.
“There is where we leave the road,” she pointed to a high pass they were climbing towards. “We’ll descend off the ridge and down into the valley that leads to the Sleagh Maith village.
“How much further will we need to travel?” Bauer asked. Alec looked at the boy and noted how lean and sinewy he had become over the course of their trip from Vincennes; his traces of youthful softness were being burned away by his growth and the rigors of the winter journey.
“About four days down into their valley,” Bernadina explained. “It’s a precipitous trip on the way down, and back up as well, of course.”
“Do the Sleagh Maith prefer that it be a difficult path, or would they want an easier way to go and come? Alec asked.
“I can’t tell you,” Bernadina answered. “You’ll have to ask them.”
Shortly before sunset they reached the discreet pathway among the rocks alongside the windswept roadway, as it crested a ridge. “If we can travel during the remaining sunlight, we should be able to get far enough below the ridge to be shielded from the wind,” Bernadina promised. And they did come to a spot just before sunset where a shallow cavity in the cliffside gave them shelter from the wind that evening; Alec used his still-developing stone ingenairii abilities to deepen its reach into the stone and enhance the protection it provided.
By the middle of the next day Alec was judiciously applying his Stone ingenaire skills to widen, smooth and reconfigure difficult portions of the trail so that they could more easily travel the icy surface. “This was why you questioned their interest in an easier path?” Bernadina asked.
“I learned this skill so that I could destroy the path to Valer, to isolate the Ajacii. It can work to either make a passage harder or easier,” Alec agreed. “The Stone ingenairii were some of the most practical, useful people we had back in the Dominion. They could fix roads, build bridges, strengthen buildings, dig tunnels; it was all valuable.”
They continued on, Alec continuing to treat himself and Bauer for the effects of the altitude, until by the end of the day they had descended so far into a wide valley that they no longer needed the healing energy assistance to help them breath or to warm their bodies. The morning of the following day, Bernadina pointed to a thin column of smoke arising from the bottom of the valley. Cultivated fields, laid out in square and rectangular strips, surrounded a collection of buildings.
; “Alec, could you do something to signal our approach?” Bernadina asked.
Alec stood, lost in thought for a moment, then raised one fist in the air and sent a brilliant blue beam of light into the sky for three seconds.
“I’m sure they’ll take note of that,” Bernadina commented drily, causing Bauer to laugh.
Two hours later they arrived in the mild, spring-like climate at the bottom of the trail, where a man stood alone, clearly waiting for their arrival. His look defied an easily determined age, with a skull shaved clean of hair and skin that showed few wrinkles, though his clear gray eyes gazed at them with an appearance of profound age and wisdom. “Welcome to Vjecit. I am Perpet. May I ask who we have the honor of receiving?”
“I am Bernadina, a lokasenna, and these are my companions, Alec, the consort of the Princess of Vincennes, and his friend, Bauer,” Bernadina made the introductions.
“This must be more than an extraordinary coincidence,” Perpet exclaimed. “A member of the Lokasennii has honored us! We have another visitor here as well, who I know will be anxious to meet you and your friends. Please follow me,” he motioned, and led them along a well-tended path among the fields.
The village was set in a valley that was far below the elevation of the mountain peaks, which seemed to surround it on all sides and the valley floor was cultivated with fields and orchards. They strolled for half an hour until they entered a large village, where numerous homes lined both sides of the road. In the center of the town was an open square, surrounded by several large buildings, and it was into a white brick, multi-story building, the largest in the town, that Perpet led them. They walked down a wide hallway, and Perpet led them into a spacious room. Water and fruit were already set on a table for their refreshment.
“I will return soon with another member of our Tribunal,” he announced. “We are anxious to hear what brings such revered guests to our quiet community. Please make yourselves comfortable,” he gestured to the food and drink before he left the room.
It was a room that was simple, yet in the finest fashion. The walls were white plaster, but smooth and without blemish, and the dark wood furniture was finely crafted, with joints that were almost invisible to see. The walls were decorated with framed drawings of fruits and plants, nothing more. Alec stood at a window, looked at the sparse foot traffic that passed by, while the great mountains loomed overhead. Bernadina and Bauer were sitting quietly, eating bread and fruit at a low table, when the door opened behind Alec, and he heard footsteps enter the room. There were three sets, and he extended his senses before he turned around, then quickly drew his sword and spun to face the new entrants – Perpet, another man who looked much like him, and the third person to join the room: a man Alec recognized as Availlen, the Ajax warrior he had fought before he entered Cearche during the last campaign of the war against the Avonellene rebels.
Chapter 24 – Learning of the Great Challenge
Availlen likewise drew his sword with lightening fast reactions, and the two men stood facing each other, ready to resume their battle.
“Halt!” Perpet called in a surprisingly commanding tone. “Put your weapons away, both of you. You are here as our guests, in a peaceful parlay. There can be no reason for two men to bring some old enmity into Vjecit, in a room where I suspect we are going to find that we need to fight alongside one another, not against one another.”
“I find that hard to believe; I’ve been forced to fight against the Ajacii and their allies for months now,” Alec brusquely replied.
Bernadina walked calmly over to him and placed her hand on his arm. His purpose here may not be what you think or expect. Show good faith and resheath your sword, she silently commented to Alec.
Reluctantly, without taking his eyes off Availlen, Alec placed his sword back on his hip. After a moment, Availlen did likewise.
“It’s good to see that you have the Demonslayer on such a tight leash,” the Ajax sneered.
“Let everyone clear their hearts of anger, and come to the table to talk,” Perpet’s companion spoke. He gestured towards the table besides which Bauer stood. “I am Samsad, the leader of the Tribunal. It is a greater sounding title than the job really deserves, but I accept it,” he said with a smile to break the tension in the room.
Everyone drifted towards the table, Samsad, Perpet and Availlen on one side, Bernadina, Bauer and Alec on the other.
“We are greatly honored to have a Lokasenna as a guest. I presume you bring a message from the grendasteur?” Samsad asked.
“I do indeed,” Bernadina replied. “I am the grendasteur of the last known village of the Lokasennii, and I bring you tidings of hope and peace. I have traveled to your village with my companions because we have heard the Sleagh Maith mentioned by the Ajacii as potential partners in some endeavor, and we wish to know what momentous event could bring together two of the ancient races.”
“I am here as an ambassador of the Ajacii,” Availlen spoke before either of the Sleagh Maith. “Our race has perceived that all the races must soon unite, or we all will be destroyed and enslaved. We would have approached you directly and sooner, had we known how to find you,” he said to Bernadina, “for your powers will be greatly needed.”
“We are a race that prefers our peaceful isolation,” Bernadina responded. “It is only because of our cousin here that we have come to speak to you,” she placed a hand on Alec.
“Cousin of yours? He’s some mutant member of our race if any,” Availlen countered. “I’ve crossed blades with him before, and he has allegedly bested some of our finest fighters.”
“Actually,” Bernadina resumed her comments, “he is a hybrid of all of our races, and others as well.
“He can heal himself and others,” she nodded towards the Sleagh Maith. “He can speak with his mind over distances as great as I can, and he can detect the quality of a soul. He provided the light beacon that perhaps caught your attention this morning, and you’ll find he has remolded the stones to improve your trail along the cliff.
“Is that everything, Alec?” she asked casually.
He nodded silently.
“You jest with us, perhaps?” Perpet asked with an uncertain tone.
No, it’s all true,” Alec spoke. “If you want me to remove the improvements to your trail, I will. The Ajax knows that if he’s tried to return to Valer recently.”
“What have you done to my people? Is that why no messages have come out lately? Have you done some harm to our village?” Availlen growled with a stormy expression.
“I removed portions of the pathway through the mountains, so that the Ajacii would no longer leave Valer on missions that seek to harm my wife. Perhaps you haven’t been made aware of how many times your people have tried to overthrow or imprison her?” Alec spoke with just as much hostility.
“Stop! Both of you,” Both Samsad and Bernadina spoke at the same time.
“There may be reasons for you two to argue, but this is not the time to do it. If the grendasteur tells us these things are true, we must believe,” Samsad spoke. “There are important matters to discuss. The news that Availlen has brought to us must be heard, and then I think we can all focus on what is most important.”
“A few of the Ajacii have noticed in the past few years that their powers are fluctuating wildly, as though they were being drained away by some enormous demand; this is something that most of us dismissed as preposterous, the product of over-active imaginations,” Availlen began, speaking with an earnestness that Alec hadn’t expected the man to be able to command. “But it continued and grew more common, to the point that there have been two days when no Ajacii has been able to call upon our powers. It’s as if a mighty river has been completely dammed.
“And there have been many tremors in the past three years, up in the mountains. The Sleagh Maith confirm that they too are aware of the tremors, as if there is an on-going shifting occurring somewhere deep within the earth,” he continued, just as seriously.
“Finally, during the past year, some of our people have had dreams. Dreams that are nightmares, or more properly, frightening prophecies of horrible things that are to come. We have contemplated all of this, and have reached the wildest, most frightening conclusion that is possible. It has frozen our hearts, and driven us to try to unite every race – sorcerers, humans, Sleagh Maith, Lokasennii and Ajacii – because it will take all of us working together to preserve our lives.”
Alec began to object to the claim that the attempted conquest of Vincennes had been an effort to unite, but Bernadina anticipated him. Stop and listen. You must hear this message, she communicated to him.
“We believe that Hellmann is preparing to break free from his captivity within the earth. He is fighting his way up through the mountains, drawing upon the fighting energy that we use. His first and greatest ability was as an Ajacii,” Availlen said, seeming to shrink in upon himself as he said it. “If he emerges soon, there is no hope at all of defeating him unless we are united together, prepared to aid each other and share our abilities. Even if we do unite, the chances that we can defeat the ancient power are slim. But for the Ajacii, this will not be a situation where we are defeated without giving our opponent the best battle we can.”
Ajacii and Demons: The Ingenairii Series Page 28