by Sanders, Dan
“Perhaps, but the outcome would likely be the same, wouldn’t it,” offered Arwin.
“What do you mean?”
“Regardless of the world, we still need to deal with the problem of opposites, of harmony and of the natural order of things. Eostra is right; the connecting of the Twin Worlds through the yearly rite of spring will put an order to the physical world, balancing the cold with the warm, death with birth. The Eostra cerebration will be the most important for rebirth of the Twin Worlds.”
Silence settled while they floated off the ground, deep in their own circles of thought.
Arwin changed the subject. “How do you like your bodies? I tried to represent your respective elements for clear identification.”
Ur ran her fingers across the belly of her shimmering blue dress. She said, “The scales are a nice touch for a water Elemental, Arwin. I hope the Styx like it.”
“I am having trouble using my voice,” Enki said, rubbing his throat. “Why don’t we just use Thoughtspeak?”
“We need the practice,” Arwin said. “Magas wants us to use voice for our communication with the world people.”
Lagan looked around the room and said, “This is the Celestial Room Eostra spoke of? It is boring.”
They all looked around the smooth white walls and the pointy domed ceiling. They nodded in agreement.
“What say we make it more like home,” Lagan said. He blinked, and the room transformed into the inside of a blood red volcano, pulsing with crippling heat and molten lava that ran off the walls and onto a blackened floor.
“Now that’s more like it,” he yelled over the roaring of vaporous gases.
“For a Fire Elemental perhaps,” Enki said as he stamped his Elemental foot, breaking up Lagan’s home in a shudder, returning the Celestial room to its original milky colour.
The Earth Elemental clicked his fingers and the four delicately robed beings were standing on the ledge of snow-capped rocky mountains, washed in a pink sky with icy air lashing their faces.
“Now that’s more like home,” the Earth Elemental said with satisfaction.
Arwin held her hands high and said, “Stop it, the beings are coming.” She waved her hand and the room swirled, returning the chamber to a pale glow. A remaining snowflake melted as it hit the stone floor.
Lagan and Enki looked annoyed at the interference.
“Behave,” she snapped at them. “The others have arrived.”
They looked at the two entrances to the chamber. Magas led the Circle of Six, his staff ringing on the crystal floor. Emily hopped next to the old Melder, Lupi buzzed alongside a limping Daimon, while Kato’s giant form padded silently as she whispered to Bevan.
The group of travellers stood agog before the gargantuan beings towering over them. Bevan kneeled in reverence, the hilt of his Reven blade pointing from the sheath on his back towards the beings.
Magas looked up to the ceiling and spoke. “Great and noble Elementals, I bring you the Chosen One and the Circle of Six.”
The dark form of Lagan bent and spoke, his thundering voice filling the room. “You certainly are smaller than I thought.”
Arwin interjected and said, “I think I miscalculated the size when I created these bodies.”
The Air Elemental waved a hand in a delicate circle. The bodies swirled into mist before reappearing into four forms looking directly into the piercing blue eyes of Magas.
“That is better,” said Arwin. “Now where is this Chosen One?”
Enki pointed at Bevan. The Earth Elemental pushed back the hood to his gold robe, revealing brown hair sitting on his shoulders. The Elemental saluted Bevan and said, “Prince of Ibendari, I am pleased you have grown and become the Chosen One of the group. I held out hope for you since your formation was written in the prolepsis.”
Magas coughed into his hand and said, “It is true that Bevan is a member of the Circle, Enki, but Eama is the Chosen One.”
Magas moved aside to reveal Emily sitting on her haunches, her ears submissively back with her paws folded across her white belly.
“Really, a rabbit? What is Eostra thinking?” Enki said. “I thought an Earth Lore being would be the obvious choice.”
“You would,” said Ur. She stepped forward, searched the group and said, “I see only five of you. Where is the Water Sprite?”
Magas said tentatively, “Great Ur, Water Elemental, the Styx has been formed as predicted by the Seers of Wellwyn, but her journey is not yet complete.”
“Complete?” said Ur irritated. “Don’t you think you are running out of time? The laying of the Egg must take place in the day after tomorrow.”
“We are doing the best we can, Your Eminence.”
“When does she plan to be—“
In a cloud of coloured mist, a new woman formed. Emily recognised her immediately as the woman from the snow, with her sandstone hair and her spidery silk dress; it was the woman who saved her life.
Emily hopped over to her, bowed and said, “Eostra, it is me, Emily.”
Emily felt the woman look deeply into her. Eostra spoke. “Eama, your transformation is complete. I see you have been through much pain.”
Emily nodded, waved her paw across the room to her companions, and said, “We all have, Your Majesty.”
Eostra gazed across the room, her rainbow dress drifting to an unseen breeze. She nodded to Emily and turned to acknowledge the Elementals.
“Welcome, fellow Elementals, to the Celestial Room. We come together at a dark time for the Twin Worlds. Before we begin, I would like to make the room a little more comfortable.”
Emily agreed. She thought the room looked like the inside of a giant egg. Its curved cream walls flowed to a pointy peak. She realised this must be the very top of the building.
Lagan said, “We tried that, but they didn’t like my choice.”
Eostra nodded, opened out the palms of her hands and the room swirled. As the mist cleared the new room reminded Emily of Springton Forest but without the giant red trees. It seemed to have a mix of the four elements. A small pond with bird life and small trees sat to one side, small boulders with glowing fires dotted the landscape, green grasses and yellow flowers covered the floor while wispy clouds hovered near the pointy, sky-blue ceiling. Emily smelled the sweet smells of fruits and sap. Joy trickled through her veins at the memory.
Sitting in the centre of the newly decorated Celestial Room was a circle of large high-backed wooden chairs wrapped in vines. The Elementals nodded their agreement and took a seat at Eostra’s behest.
Eostra’s light voice tinkled in tune with the rippling water nearby. “I have asked you all to attend here to provide final instruction for the upcoming battle. This is the only time we can meet prior to the ceremony. It is forbidden for us to interfere directly in the affairs of the world. All powers wielded must be from the beings and their understanding of the Lore of the Elements.”
Ur rubbed her sparkling blue scales and said, “Eostra, why are we here? We are not permitted to interact with the beings. You know that.”
Eostra said, “Your very creation stands on the brink of being lost to Gorgos, also a powerful Elemental. You must see the hope of your creation is in the hands of the group before you. You also have a role to play in this drama.”
“The Styx is not here,” the Water Elemental said.
Emily wiped her paw nervously across her muzzle before speaking. “Eostra, what do you mean, Styx? Sabina is not Styx, she is from Loric.”
Bevan said, “I’m sorry, Emily. I haven’t had a chance to tell you, but something’s happened to Sabina. She’s not the same any more.”
Lupi jumped onto her seat and said, “What do you mean? Is she…?”
Magas patted the air with his hand and said, “Lupita, she is well, but Sabina has found her past. She has transformed into a Styx–a Water Sprite, keepers of Water Lore and the rivers and seas on Annwyn.”
“Clouds alive, a Water Sprite! Is she happy about that
?”
Bevan interrupted and said sadly, “Sabina seems at peace. I hope she can persuade her father and her people that she needs to be here with us. We cannot force her.”
Eostra said, “Melder Whiteoak, the Circle must be complete for the power of all Elemental Lore to come into effect.”
Magas nodded. “I will see to it myself, Mother Spring.”
Emily said, “Excuse me, but what do you mean, the Circle has to be together?”
“Let me explain,” Eostra said. “On the birth of the spring day, when the sun first touches the land, Eostra’s Egg must be laid to rest in this very room. But before the Egg can be laid, a sample of each of the four elements, in their raw form, must be laid out and harmonised, for the Egg is only binding what has been harmonised. The energy released from the Egg will ignite the Twin Worlds into a cycle of continuous renewal, every year, at the same time, until the very end of time.”
“How do we harmonise the elements?” Daimon asked.
Emily smiled at Daimon’s improved health. The deep cut and bruises on his face and arms were the only physical reminder of what he had been through. Yet she sensed a darker change had touched his mind and heart. His playful innocence had dimmed. Maybe that’s how she looked.
“I am glad you asked that question, young Earthling.” Eostra smiled. “You have a most pivotal role to play in this drama. At the appointed time you will play the Harp of Harmony, designed to soothe the savage that exists in some measure in all the elements.”
“I can’t play the harp.”
“It is a Harp carved by the early Melders. It contains power beyond your understanding, powers rooted deep in the heart of what it means to exist with other elements. Only the rightful one will be able to play. I am sure it will come to you when the time comes.”
“You mean it will happen in this room?” Bevan said.
“Please stand,” Eostra said.
They all stood. She waved the chairs away into nothingness. She held her hands wide, and all the beings floated towards the point of the blue sky.
Emily lifted her footpads out of the way and gazed below. What she saw startled her. Etched deep into the grassy floor was a large ornate circle surrounding a five-point star with ancient runes etched into each of the blades of the star.
“What is that?” Kato said, clearly uncomfortable with heights.
“It is the Circle of Six,’ Eostra said.
“What?” said Kato, “I thought we were.”
“You are right, Kato,” Eostra said. “This is the symbol of the Circle. At the dawn of the spring day, each of you will stand on a point of the star. Four of you will stand at the four points to the side of the star. You will collect your element and place it into your own Gilga’s Kettle. Daimon will stand at the top point of the star where he will raise the harmonising tune from the Harp.
“Most wondrous, Eostra,” Kato said with her deep honeyed growl. “Tell me what I must do.”
“Each of you has a role to play. Four of you represent an element each, the pinnacle of power for that element. Kato, the last of the Giant Tigers; you will represent the Fire Element.”
Emily was shocked. She had forgotten Kato was the last of her people. She felt sad for her.
“Lupita Bothan, Agramond, you will represent Arwin and the Element of Air.”
Lupi stood in awe and bowed to Arwin. Arwin smiled at Lupi.
“Bevan Gwyngad, heir to the throne of the Ibendari, the Earth Lore people; you will represent your birth element.
“Sabinalel, Styx of both land and water, will stand tall for Ur, the Water Element.”
“What do I do?” Emily asked.
“Emily, you have the final task in this affair. You, Eama, are the symbol of my Egg, the Element of Harmony, the elements of rebirth and hope for the land. You will stand in the middle of the circle, in the middle of the star, in the middle of the Twin Worlds. It is here you will take the Egg from the protector, and lay it in the nest.”
Each of the Circle of Six forgot they were in the presence of Elementals. They stood transfixed on each other, occasionally looking at the ancient Circle below.
Eostra lowered them to the floor, looked at the other Elementals and spoke her final words to the Six.
“Your time is short. Even as we speak the dark powers of Gorgos and his Lord Melder, Torek, bear down against this sacred land of Havendel. At the dawn of the next rising sun, you must stop them, lest they undo the protections of this building. Even if you succeed, their greatest power will be reserved for the desecration of this sacred Celestial Room in which you now stand, all in an effort to destroy you.”
Eostra paused, her gaze wandering beyond the walls of the room. When she spoke again, Emily thought she heard a hint of emotion.
“You will need to search your hearts and your minds, and seek strength from each other. Ignore your humble beginnings and your weaknesses; they will crush you before you begin. In that final moment, you are not you, you are the land, you are the elements, you are the beings that live today and will yet live. In the end, you must come together as one body and one mind. Courage, Care and Connection be with you.”
With her final words, Eostra and the four Elementals vanished.
They stood in a circle, their faces close together. Emily’s belly burned; so much riding on her, on them. She looked into Daimon’s face and saw the dark rings under his eyes; she looked into Bevan’s face and saw his worry over Sabina; she looked in Lupi’s face and saw the anxiety of failure; and into Kato’s face, where for the first time she saw the sadness of being the last of her kind, fighting for that world to stay alive. Her eyes burned for that loneliness. She remembered the loneliness of not being with her papa Bijou, her mama, her brother Tikki and her sister Pippin. She remembered the loss of Noogie, twice, and the pain of loss with Aldrick’s rejoining. She shook the sadness from her thoughts.
Lupi broke the spell, flew into the air and said, “Well, let’s not just stand there. Let’s go and rip the air out of some lungs.”
They all smiled.
Chapter 46
The War Room
HAVENDEL–Eostra’s City
ANNWYN
Emily wrung her paws and said to Rupurt for the third time, “Rupurt, help me out here, please.”
He shook his blue ears and white whiskers and said, “This is your home now, your very own palace.”
“Huh, a palace, my home, it’s a prison. I must help.”
“No, you must be kept safe. And I agree with Melder Whiteoak, your time will come, and too soon if you ask me.”
Rupurt sat on one of the soft floor cushions that surrounded a low, egg-shaped table, and patted another cushion for Emily to join him.
For the first time since arriving, Emily looked around her large chambers and absorbed what was now her home. The room with its round corners and glowing walls reminded her of Storven. Filled with native vegetation and a small pond with fish and grass underfoot, it was more like her homeland on Earth than the silky chambers of the royals she had visited on Annwyn. She hopped onto a rose-coloured cushion next to Rupurt.
“Are you pleased to have your friends with you now?” Rupurt asked.
“Sort of, I’m worried about them. Until this is over, they’re in a battle zone.”
Rupurt giggled. “That’s what you said when you were first told of your calling as the Chosen One. Remember, you said, ’I am only a rabbit. I can’t do this.’ Now look at you.”
Emily laughed. “I’m so afraid for people being hurt through this war. It hurts me physically, when people are in pain. Now, I even suffer with the land. To be honest, Rupurt, I just want the pain to go away.”
“Perhaps it will when you introduce the spring ritual. Perhaps when you heal the land, you also will be healed.”
“Why are you so wise?” Emily said, reaching out and stroking his blue ears.
Rupurt smiled. “It’s easy when you don’t have decisions to make. I just watch.”
&nb
sp; Rupurt jumped onto Emily’s cushion, and the two best friends snuggled.
Just then Magas strode into the room. “Do you like your new home?”
Emily was surprised at the intrusion. She could tell Magas was rushed. “It’s nice enough,” she said, still grumpy with being held prisoner.
“That’s good, given the creator of your home is standing behind me. Meet Melder Elleran Brien, of Alendi, in the north-west.”
Magas stood aside to reveal a beautiful woman with flowing auburn hair, and a lilac silk bodice that clung to her curves.
The new Melder rested her staff across her arms, drew back her purple hood and said to Emily in a voice that oozed age and tinkled nature, “Chosen One, it is an honour to meet you. We hope you like what we have created for you.”
Emily couldn’t believe she was looking at a Melder. She instantly liked her. “It is wonderful, but I haven’t had a chance to see anything else yet. They won’t let me out.” Emily cast a dark glance at Magas who smiled at her.
“Perhaps I can help with that,” said Elleran.
Elleran made her way to one of the walls with the same grace that accompanied all her moves, held her arms wide, and spoke quietly to the crystal surface. Swirling in an earthy mix of green and yellow, the wall revealed splendour that caused Emily’s heart to pound.
“This is the rest of Havendel, your home and the symbol of rebirth for the Twin Worlds,” Elleran said with pride.
From her position in the egg-shaped building called Kalen Na, Emily pressed her paws against the invisible wall and saw the town of Havendel open before her. She was able to appreciate how fortified this town was, nestled in the u-shaped covering of the Blue-Sage Cliffs on the one side, and the other side by the orange Arusio Mountains. Sprawling buildings of various sizes, shops, a bustling marketplace and a farm, all hugged the edge of the lake foreshore and stared straight up at Emily’s crystal home floating in the centre of the lake. The town was built around her.
“Who are they?” Emily pointed to the town.