Cill Darae

by Donald D. Allan

  Several hours later they were no closer to finding a way out. James discussed chancing their way out. He argued they had short swords and daggers and could fight their way out. Katherine asked James to swing a sword for a bit, but after only a few swings of a sword he could no longer hold it up. He sat down exhausted and frustrated.

  Heather was examining the map of the dungeon on the wall. It showed all the corridors and cells and identified key locations for defence. The map had many things written on it and people had even doodled on it. The parchment was old and cracked in places and Heather doubted it would last much longer. She stood with her hands on her hips studying it. She pointed at an area. “This is whaur we ur, na?”

  James looked over and squinted where she was pointing. “Yes.”

  “Whit's this wee marc in th' middle o' th' room?”

  “I dunno, a mark maybe?”

  “Na, tis written in th' identical ink as th' walls. Tis nae bin added oan.”

  Katherine came over and looked at what Heather was looking at. “Oh, yes. I see it. A strange little mark.” Katherine turned to look at the room. “It’s under the table.”

  James looked up at that and then looked at Katherine. He jumped up and moved to the table and peered under it. “Quick, help me move the table.”

  Heather and Katherine helped James drag the heavy table across the floor to expose the middle of the room. James got on his hands and knees and looked closely at the floor.

  “A-ha!” he exclaimed and pried back a tile. It swung on a hinge and exposed an iron ring embedded into the floor. “I think we found the way out. Well done, Heather!”

  Katherine caught the pleasure on Heather’s face and then watched as James pulled on the ring. He strained and pulled but nothing happened.

  “Mibbie ye shouldn't staun oan th' door yer trying tae hurl.”

  James swore and moved to the side and pulled again. This time a section of the floor swung open. Katherine cheered.

  In a moment they stared down into the darkness. A metal ladder was set into the stone and descended straight down. James relit the torch and held it in the opening and they spotted the bottom several feet down.

  James smiled broadly at the ladies. “I think we have a way out.”

  Thirteen

  Munsten, The Chamber, August 902 A.C.

  THEY FOUND THEIR way down the tunnel to the Chamber. They lit a couple of lanterns and entered the crystal-filled room. Over the months the Chamber had been thoroughly searched and anything of value removed. Little remained except for the altar and the small shack which contained the Device. They lay Dog down beside the shack. He was still unresponsive, and Katherine worried about him.

  James checked the storage room and reported it empty. Katherine nodded. The draoi had taken the Life Salt and used it to seed the Realm and the storage room had been emptied of the wealth the Sect had taken over the years. The Church now had all the stolen jewellery, silverware, and coin and were supposed to be returning that wealth back into the Realm. Katherine doubted it was making it anywhere except into the pockets of the deans and bishops.

  James barred the door and they entered the shack. It held a table and a few chairs. On the table was the Device, along with other unknown instruments. A small wooden box lay on the table. Strange smooth ropes led from the Device out of the shack and up to the outside to black glass panels. No one understood the purpose of the panels and ropes, but it was discovered if ropes were removed from the Device, or if the panels were covered, the Device would not function. They were left alone. Smaller ropes led from the Device to the other instruments. The Device and instruments all connected to a small bar with little holes. The ropes had a connection that inserted into these holes. It was a relic from a long time ago.

  James was the first to move the small box over to the edge of the table. He lifted the lid and made a small noise,. He pulled out a collar identical to the ones Katherine, Heather and Dog wore, except the collar was open and swung on a small hidden hinge. James pulled out more collars until twenty of them lay on the table.

  “So this is where they were made. Who did this, I wonder?” he asked.

  Heather picked one up and studied it a moment before setting it back down. “Th' Church. They're th' ainlie ones allowed in 'ere. Brent ordered that his foremaist week as Regent.”

  James started placing the collars back in the box. “Well, we are taking these with us. We need to study them. Perhaps the Device can tell us how to remove them?”

  They stared at the Device in silence. They all knew that the Sect had used this for blood magic and crafted items that opposed the draoi power. Now the Church was using it for more nefarious things.

  Katherine was the first to speak. “Does anyone know how this works?”

  James and Heather shook their heads.

  Katherine looked at her friends. They looked so thin and weak. Fatigue clouded their features and she knew, like herself, they probably wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. “Who wants to try?”

  Heather stepped forward and lifted the top lid on the Device. It swung upwards on a hinge at the back and immediately the inside of the lid lit up with a magical light and the image of an apple appeared with a bite out of it. It disappeared and strange words and symbols started to draw faster than they could follow. After a moment the image on the lid changed to an image of a landscape. It looked so real as if the lid was a small window to somewhere else. Little symbols were lined up on the bottom of the window on a bar that looked drawn. The bottom of the Device was covered with little squares with more of the strange writing on them that closely resembled the letters of today. They recognised the row of squares with numbers on them. That much was familiar, but little else.

  Heather looked at Katherine and shrugged. “All ah ken is that if ye touch th' square area 'ere a wee arrow moves aroond oan th' windae. Ye press th' square whin th' arrow is ower yin th' symbols 'n' a freish windae appears. Ah don’t ken whit thay dae.” Heather touched the square and moved her finger around. The little arrow moved with her movements.

  Katherine grimaced. “Well, what are we hoping to do here? If none of us understand this, then it is hopeless.”

  Heather replied. “We need tae ken thae collars. Wi' thaim th' Church kin remove oor powers. We cannae abide that. We hae tae git thaem aff as soon as we kin. Ah don’t need tae remind ye Dog needs healing. As dae we all.”

  Heather selected a symbol and pressed the square. In a moment another window appeared. They all gasped when they realised they could read the words.

  Katherine read it aloud. “This is written by a Wordsmith who calls himself Andrew Noble. Anyone know him?” She glanced at the others and they shook their heads. “He says: ‘Once we were able to translate the language we found it not so different from our own. What is clear is that the Device allows people to manufacture items of such exquisite detail that it boggles the mind. This is a relic from a long time ago, made by people who are no longer remembered. Working with Lana, we have been able to find a way to create collars capable of blocking the powers of the druids. The collars are safeguarded from removal by allowing an individual unique authority over the collars. It is not unlike a lock and key, but in this case the key is the person. Vicar Kissane has decreed that she will be that authority.

  “‘Once the collar is placed around the neck, Vicar Kissane will only need to touch the collar to lock it in place. Removal of the collar will require her touch once again. I marvel at the simplicity of the design. Inside the collar is the power of the Word such as I have never seen or imagined before. The programme identified with a gear symbol allows anyone to create the parameters of what is wanted, and with significant effort, words are entered in a sequence that defines what it is that is required. Once written, the programme will validate itself and a press of a button enables the item to be manufactured out of thin air in an instrument on the table. It is a wonder to behold. Months of research and trial and error have produced twenty-four of
the collars. The first one was tested on Lana and proven to work. Vicar Kissane is very pleased.’”

  Katherine looked at Heather with a grim face. “This is not good.”

  Heather shook her head and looked worried.

  “Seems we need this Vicar Kissane person to remove the collars. I can’t believe Lana is behind this and helping the Church.”

  James withdrew a collar and examined it. “The good news is that we have almost all of them here. One is missing, by my count.”

  “It doesn’t say how they work. Only how to attach and remove them. How do we stop this? I need to communicate with Dog and heal him. I can’t with this thing around my neck!” Tears burned Katherine’s eyes.

  “Ah will keep keekin at this thing. See whit else ah kin discover. Patience, Katherine. We'll figure this oot somehow.”

  Katherine nodded. “We should destroy these collars.”

  James picked up the box. “I’ll put it in the boat. We can dump them in the Bay.” He hefted the box and left the shack with it.

  Katherine felt a tear trickle down her face and wiped it away angrily. Heather saw and tutted. “We'll git thro' this, Katherine. Go search aboot 'n' see whit ye kin find.”

  Katherine left Heather in the shack and watched James place the box in the boat. She knelt by Dog and made sure he was okay. She ruffled his fur and stood. An area to the side of the Chamber was where the Sect had slept. Their cots were still there, and she made her way over. There were workbenches along the wall, and she could see they still had tools of all kinds arranged on them. She looked them over and shuddered when she recognised that many were tools for torture. She glanced at the altar and scowled. There is so much evil in this world, and the draoi have changed so very little of it. She ached for access to her powers. She could do so much with it. Together, her and Dog were unstoppable. With the collar she felt as if her arms had been removed. She looked inside herself and felt only a trickle of her power remaining. The collars were stopping the motes from working. Anger rose within her and she looked around for a way to vent it.

  She noticed the small bookcase and wandered over. She looked at a couple of books and marvelled at the detail inside them. They were made with a paper she had never seen before. Each page was identical in size and cut so cleanly. Little windows on the pages showed strange worlds and places. Her head reeled with the impossibility of them.

  It was then she noticed a weapon crate on the floor. It was pushed up against the wall and surrounded by four smaller foot long crates. She knelt by the weapon box and opened the lid. Lying on top she saw her staff gleaming darkly. She squealed in delight and pulled it out. The feel of the staff in her hands immediately gave her comfort. Thank Gaea!

  James had come over upon hearing her squeal. “Weapons! By the Word! And you found your staff! What else is there?” James squatted by the crate and pulled out his own sword. “I don’t believe it!” He smiled at Katherine. “Fantastic!”

  Katherine couldn’t help but smile back. She understood his joy.

  “The rest of the weapons have value but they’re too heavy to take with us. What’s in the other crates?” asked James as he strapped his sword to his waist. He had to tighten it past the well-worn spot he usually tied it to.

  “I don’t know. You open that one, I have this one.” Katherine opened her crate and squealed again. “Life Salt! It’s still here!”

  James opened his crate. “Same here. Quick, open the remaining two.”

  They opened the next two and were surprised to find ingots of metal stacked inside. They pulled one out and marvelled at the lightness of it. “What is this?” asked James. “I’ve never seen the like. It weighs next to nothing!”

  Katherine touched her collar. “The same metal as was used with the collars, I think. So light.”

  “We take these with us.” James stacked the two crates of ingots and lifted them with little difficulty and marched them down to the boat. He returned for the Life Salt but waited until Katherine removed a small pouch of it first. He carried the Life Salt down to the boat and returned, sweating. “I’m knackered. I need to sit for a spell.”

  Katherine looked at James with sympathy. “Have a lie down. I’ll keep watch.”

  James nodded and without another word lay down on one of the cots. In seconds, he was asleep and snoring. Katherine smiled. He’s such a good man, we’re lucky to have him with us.

  Katherine sat on a nearby cot. She looked over to Dog’s still form and tried again to find him across their bond, but it was still not there. It felt strange to her to be separated from him. There had been a time she would have welcomed the ability to separate herself, but now that it was forced from her she wanted nothing more than to get it back.

  She could see Heather through the opening of the shack, still working on the Device. Her shoulders were drooped, and Katherine could see the fatigue in her form. They were all exhausted and pushed past what they could tolerate. I’ve been spoiled wielding draoi power so easily. I miss it so much.

  Katherine held her staff and closed her eyes. The need to lie back and sleep pulled at her and she struggled to fight it off. She growled to fight it off and concentrated. She reached out to the staff but failed. She tried again and felt nothing. She could feel the staff in her hands but nothing more. Curse this collar!

  She kept trying for several more minutes, but on every attempt the staff lay dormant in her hands, no more than an object. Exhausted she lowered her head and let the staff lie on her shoulder. Tired, she relaxed her grip on the staff and it slid down her shoulder to rest in the crook of her neck. The staff made a gentle clink sound when it touched the collar.

  Katherine could feel her fatigue washing across her in waves. Each wave stronger than the last one. It threatened to pull her down and her body craved it. She felt a need to lie down on the cot and almost did so. She adjusted her seat and tried to move her staff. The staff pulled at the collar and it hit her neck.

  Katherine’s eyes snapped open and she pulled at the staff, but it was stuck to the collar. She tried to look down to see what was happening, but she couldn’t quite see where the staff and collar touched. She pulled harder and felt the collar pull against her neck. She felt panic and tugged again. The staff was stuck fast.

  In a moment she felt the collar start to get warm, and then hot. She pulled desperately at the staff, but it wouldn’t move. The collar grew painfully hot. She cried out and heard James awake next to her. She cried out again when she felt the flesh of her neck burning where it touched the collar. She looked over at James as he sat up and saw his eyes widen looking at her neck. He called out for Heather and Katherine heard her rushing out of the shack asking what the matter was.

  “James, help me. The staff… it’s stuck to the collar and its getting really hot! It’s burning me!”

  James was now beside her and he grabbed the staff and twisted at it. Katherine could feel it twisting the collar at the same time and it touched a new part of her neck. The burning was unbearable, and she screamed at the pain. James twisted harder.

  “The staff,” he grunted. “It’s merged with the collar. Melted together or something.” Heather moved beside him, and he looked at her briefly. “Look at this, Heather! What is happening? I can’t tell where the staff ends and the collar starts. Feel the collar! It’s burning her.”

  “Mibbie juist position it sae th' collar isnae touching her neck. Git if aff. By Gaea, ah kin reek her skin cooking.”

  “I’m trying. She won’t sit still!”

  Katherine was in agony. She was desperate to get the collar and staff apart. Why is this happening? What did the Church do with the collars to make this happen?

  Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore there was a tug at her neck and James fell back with the staff still in his hands. Their eyes were drawn to the collar still attached to the staff. The black surface of the staff had poured out over the collar like a melted wax. Whatever it had done it had opened the collar and it had
come free of Katherine’s neck.

  Katherine raised her fingers to touch gingerly at her neck. She could feel the blisters and her fingers came away wet and with blood. She stared at her fingers in horror. “How bad is it?” she asked with panic in her voice.

  Heather stared at the collar and then at Katherine. “How’d…? Ne'er mynd. Katherine, kin ye reach yer powers?”

  Katherine gaped at her words and then blinked. Of course. She closed her eyes and reached out and cried out in joy as power came washing back to her. She looked up at the ceiling and laughed out loud. She pulled power in with a thirst. She looked within her body and saw the damage from the lack of nutrition. She saw the burns on her neck. She felt her draoi bonds to the draoi snap back into place and felt the immediate elation on the other end.

  She healed her injuries and sighed in relief as her pains faded away. She felt Nadine’s insistent cry for attention, but pushed her away, surprised by the ease at which she did so. She opened her eyes to see Heather smiling at her. “I’m better.”

  “Ah kin see that! Whit happened? How’d…?”

  “The staff. I touched it to the collar. It did it on its own.”

  Heather stared at the staff and then gasped as the black receded from the collar. In a moment it left it and the collar fell to the floor, ringing loudly in the silence. James stared from the staff to the collar in disbelief.

  Katherine stood up and took the staff from James. She immediately felt the presence of Gaea and felt her anger. She queried Gaea, but she refused to answer her. Nadine pounded at her thoughts for attention. Behind Nadine Katherine could sense the other draoi’s curiosity and joy.

  Just a moment, Nadine! Relax! I’m a little bit busy at the moment!

  She didn’t wait for an answer and felt the shock from Nadine at her words. At least she’s backed off.