by Nhys Glover
I felt it as a wave of malignant energy. It had one thought. Just one. Destroy the pathetic champions. Destroy them all! And that force was moving with great speed in our direction. It felt like the deafening rumble of pounding hoof-beats approaching. Or distant thunder. But this was louder and more terrifying than that. Far worse!
I jerked out of that energy as fast as I could, dragging Shardra with me. She couldn’t be there. She would be pulled into it and lost. As if she sensed the same thing, she didn’t fight me, and in moments we awoke beside the fire, our eyes wide with terror.
“It’s coming!” I announced.
“When?” Our captain demanded tersely. He’d aged in the time I had known him. At the beginning of our journey he’d been a youthful, middle-aged man, now he was every bit his age and more.
I looked at Shardra for confirmation. “By midnight. It will be here in the next few turns. It travels so fast!”
That was my conclusion too. Before sunrise it would all be over, one way or the other.
“Gather your men, Captain, and get your ship as far away from this island as you can. Travel east because it is coming in from the west. Or that was what it felt like to me. Shardra?” I turned to the seer for her confirmation.
The vision had been so brief, mere moments, so it was easy to make a mistake. I needed to be sure. If we lost our ship as the wave approached we’d be stranded on this island for who knew how long. We didn’t want to lose the seamen either, who had become such good friends to us over our journey. And staying on the island would likely be a death sentence, even if we were to win. The size of that wave would flood all the lowlands, even as it was sucked into the ring.
We’d spent time thinking about how we would survive. We would stay inside the magic net we were creating. Our hope was that it would protect us from the flood of raging water. It was only a theory, we had no surety it would be so. We had no surety of anything.
“Yes... I... I think that is where it will come from. It felt like it has been focused on our world but has now turned its attention on us. So as we travelled east to get here...” She was rambling nervously and suddenly realised it. Her odd-coloured eyes met mine with a plea for understanding.
She was terrified about losing Sky. Now it was upon us, she was terrified. I had never seen her as a strong woman. To me she had always been a fragile, half-mad lass in need of my protection. What if her weakness and fear somehow caused Sky to lose his focus and fail us?
“Shardra, get a hold of yourself. This will all be over soon. And knowing he has you waiting for him will give Sky the strength he needs to survive. Lend him your strength!”
The frightened woman lifted her chin and took a deep breath. “I know. I will. I will not let my fear undermine him.”
And with that the meal was over and everyone jumped into action.
Gods, it was upon us! Part of me hadn’t believed it would ever come to this. I had faced death before, but it had never felt this real. We hadn’t even had a chance to see if we could form our dome over the mountain top. It was all just an idea, a very unrealistic idea, that we could defeat this monster by using love against it. Gods, why had Airsha even suggested such a thing? Wars weren’t won with love. Battles weren’t won with love. It took swords and warriors and blood.
But swords and warriors couldn’t win out over a maelstrom of madness like The Jayger. We had to do it a different way. We had to follow the Goddess’ lead.
Love. It had to be about love.
I looked at my four beloved husbands as they hastily gathered up our things. If any one of them were lost... No, I couldn’t think like that. I’d told Shardra to be strong, and so I needed to be as well.
I raced up the beach to gather up our bedding. I called Spot and the other airlings to us. Over the last days, since our idea had been formulated, we’d worked out our best locations and our airlings had taken us there. So, even though it was more difficult and dangerous at night, our airlings knew where to go and would be able to get us to our stations.
Once we were in place they would fly to join the ship as far out of danger as they could get. Though they might be able to stay in the air while the storm raged, it was better they didn’t have to. And we wouldn’t need them. Hopefully, we wouldn’t need them.
My men raced up the beach to join me and loaded up our airlings. With tears in my eyes and clogging my throat, I took each beloved man in my arms and kissed him, while they hugged each other in that one-armed way men had.
It would have been amusing, had it not been so serious. How could they be so... demonstrative... during love-making and yet fall back into the role of unfeeling men at other times. I sighed and let it be what it was. At least they could be wholly demonstrative with me. And I loved them for it. Gods, I loved them so much it hurt. It physically hurt.
The last one to kiss me was Zem, and I smiled up at him, his face a blur from my unshed tears. “I love you. Don’t do anything stupid.’
He gave a little laugh. “That’s what I’m supposed to say. I’m the cautious one; you’re the one who dives off airlings in the middle of a battle.”
“Only to save you,” I replied, noticing there was no heat in his reference to that risky action. It was as if Zem had finally let it go.
“Well, let’s save the world this time, all right?” he said as his warm lips closed over mine.
“Aye, let’s do that.”
And we took to the air, riding through the darkness to the base of the volcano where our five little encampments were set up in readiness for us.
They had assigned me the far side of the island, I guessed because it was the safest if The Jayger came in from the west as we’d suspected he would. I doubted it would matter where I was situated. We were all in danger. But I did resent having to travel the farthest.
By the time we’d taken up our positions, I’d seen Sky flying with Shardra in his arms up higher onto the mountain. We had decided her place was at his side. Not that I think it would have mattered what we decided. Shardra wouldn’t be separated from her lover.
Once I settled in—said my weepy goodbye to Spot, and watched him fly away—I turned my mind inward to my husbands.
‘You there?’ I asked into the silence.
For what felt like a full sun-cycle there was nothing. Just as my panicky mind started creating horrible possibilities for why they hadn’t answered, their replies came through, loud and clear.
‘I’m here,’ said Zem.
‘Me too,’ Landor added.
‘And me.’ Laric’s voice sounded almost amused. ‘Not last for once.’
‘That makes me last,’ Prior said with obvious amusement. ‘The best is always left for last.’
Zem joined in the nonsense. ‘Yet you know Flame was first, and as she’s the best, your argument holds no water,’
‘Right now I don’t want to hold any water. Or have it washing over me,’ Prior joked back.
I shuddered, the humour a little too dark for my liking.
I left them to their joking and turned my attention to the approaching wave. Could I reach out to it alone? Now I knew it from Shardra’s vision, could I connect with it and see where it was?
‘Don’t waste your strength. You gave us a timeline. Be patient,’ Zem jumped in, obviously having picked up my inner thoughts.
When was I going to learn to keep my shields up? But then, it took more than me to travel, so I could hardly have done it without them knowing.
‘But when will we know just when to create the dome?’ I fired back.
‘I think we’ll hear it coming. That sound is unmistakable,’ Landor said.
I remembered the thunder and vibration of it as it surged our way. Gods, that sound would be part of my nightmares for suns to come.
If I lived that long.
‘We will all live that long,’ Laric said determinedly.
‘Aye. With the Goddess’ help,’ Zem affirmed.
For a long time after that we were silent, o
nly breaking it with the occasional chatty comment to remind ourselves we weren’t alone.
‘Storm was scared. I’ve never been able to read the airlings before, but tonight I could feel Storm’s fear.’ Zem sounded both pleased and saddened.
‘She will be happy again when she sees you. So will Spot.’
‘I would like Patches to keep me after this,’ Laric said, phrasing himself correctly.
It made me smile.
‘Who wouldn’t want to keep a handsome lad like you,’ I threw back with amusement.
‘You? Will you want to keep me after this?’
That shocked me. I’d half convinced myself that he would be one of those who would want to go his own way after this was all over. My bond with him felt the most tenuous.
I tried to stay amused and joking. ‘Ask me that when you’re surrounded by pretty women who all think you’re the saviour of the world.’
‘It won’t matter how many surround me. I will only ever have eyes for you.’
I heard the conviction in his voice.
‘It will be what it will be when all this is over. Let’s just focus...’
That’s when I heard it, or felt it. Rumbling.
I quickly called up Sky. I saw him standing on a rocky outcrop with Shardra in his arms. ‘It’s coming!’
I felt him nod. Felt his resolve as he put Shardra aside.
It was happening. It was really happening! Terror clogged my throat and my mind.
‘Let’s get this dome built,’ Zem’s voice wiped away the panic as fast as it had risen.
‘Let’s!’
I felt the others agreeing as I centred myself a little more and began to build my energy. We were trying to blend lightning with healing and then add Laric’s dream magic to the mix. Having all been there when he’d used that magic on the priest, we understood how it worked now. The others had also practised in small ways with lightning and healing magic, in preparation for this moment.
As the rumbling became louder, and my heartbeat tried to drown it out, I blended the earth magic of healing with my fire element of lightning and then added the air magic of dreams. I bound it all together with love drawn from the Goddess and my marriage; drawn from Spot and Airsha and Calun; drawn from everyone and everything I loved.
With a cry of power, I made to release it skyward, willing it to top the volcano and arch down the other side. I pictured it in my mind as clearly as I could.
A surge of pure energy ripped from my hands and shot upward, as bright as daylight. It shocked me so much I almost lost my focus. But, in the next instant, I was back in control and watching the beautiful glowing arc of three loving elements form itself over the mountain top.
As I was marvelling at the sight, I saw more arcs of light shooting up to meet mine at the apex of the mountain. By the time the last one was formed, I could see the most glorious dome of glowing light around us and the volcano.
‘We did it!’ Laric gasped. ‘Gods, it’s beautiful!’
And it was.
But the thunder was getting closer. I wanted to find Sky and make sure he was activating the ring, but it was taking all I had to maintain my arc. I had to keep thinking of love. If I thought about what was coming for us, the arc’s energy would change. We couldn’t let it.
We couldn’t let it!
I felt him then, invading my mind as I had invaded his. The Devourer had seen our dome and was laughing at it.
‘Is that all you pups have? The Goddess must be desperate to think love would do anything to stop me! Weak and pathetic, all of you. I will smash your pretty globe into a billion pieces before I crush your little bones under the weight of my wave.’
The terror this statement wrought in me was almost too much to bear. My arc shuddered as I tried to withstand the terror.
‘I love you, Flame. And you love me. We are stronger than this mad thing. Love is stronger!’ Zem yelled at me with all he was.
I felt my arc steady. Love. We had built this with our love and it would hold. It would hold long enough for Sky to do his part.
I felt the love of my other husbands reaching out to me and to each other. Gods’ balls, the Goddess had told me I would need to do this, create a bond of love and respect between the five of us, and I had done it. We had done it. And now we were using that incredible power to distract the monster who wanted to destroy us all. It was amazing! It was incredible!
Chapter Twenty-One
SHARDRA
After feeling that malignant force, I had been terrified. I’d wanted to run to Sky and get him to fly me as far away from it as we could get. I hadn’t cared about the rest of the world. I hadn’t even cared about Flame and her men or Redin and the ship’s crew, all I’d wanted was to keep Sky and myself safe.
Flame had seen it and known I was the weak link. Everyone else was brave and strong, and willing to do their part. But she doubted me. Rightly so. I could undo everything we had done. I could destroy it all and let the Devourer win.
I remembered all those suns when the hag had me in her power. How helpless I had felt. How could I go from being a helpless victim to a brave warrior in one impossible step when I had never been one before?
Yet it was that very helplessness that began to strengthen my resolve. I never wanted to be that helpless again. I never wanted to let anyone I loved down. Sky needed me to be strong, and so I would be strong. For him!
Once Flame understood, she nodded in acknowledgement and we all began our preparations.
After hugging Redin goodbye and wishing him well, I raced headlong into the forest in search of Sky. I tried not to let the love and fear I saw in Redin’s eyes affect me. He knew how I felt about Sky. I had never given him any indication I would return his love. Yet it hurt me that he felt so abandoned.
When I reached our encampment, Sky was waiting for me. He swept me into his arms and took to the skies. I felt safe and warm in his arms. Resting my shorn head on his hard, silvery shoulder, I gave thanks for the being who held me so protectively.
The Goddess had somehow chosen me to be the one for Sky. No matter what happened next, I would never regret She chose me. I would never let Her regret it either.
We came to land on a crag not far from the top of the volcano. We were so close that I could smell the smoke rising from its peak.
For the first time, I noticed the night sky. Up until we felt the rumbling, the sky had been clear of clouds and filled with stars, though the moon had yet to rise. Now the heavens were covered in lumbering clouds, which made it even darker.
How could Sky even see to do his job?
That’s when I noticed the glowing stones, arranged like a giant’s necklace around the neck of the volcano. Was this what Sky had been doing when he wasn’t with me? Was he placing glowing stones from his cavern around the mountain-top? I had never thought twice about those stones after I marvelled at their unique and eerie beauty.
“That’s what you will use?” I checked with him as I stood in his arms, my head on his chest. I listened to the thunder of his heartbeat, which hid the sound of the thunder of the approaching storm.
“Yes. My tools were entombed with me. They are the ring. They form the ring.”
‘It’s coming!’ Flame yelled into our minds.
Sky put me reluctantly aside so he could turn to his task. He had a jewel-encrusted dagger in his hand I knew he would use to draw his blood. His blood would then be mixed with the soil. In this way, his bloody sacrifice would ignite the ring of stones.
In the very next moment, a light beam soared high into the sky and arced overhead. It took my breath away. Very quickly after that, more arcs of light joined the first, until the whole mountain top seemed to be surrounded by the light. I no longer had to worry about being able to see. It was so bright under the dome that it hurt my eyes.
“They did it. I wasn’t sure they’d be able to,” I confessed.
“I have never seen anything like those five. If anyone could have done this,” h
e extended his arm out to encompass the whole light-filled sky. “It is them. Now to do my part. Be strong for me, my beloved. I need your strength.”
I wanted to hug him tightly to me, but there was no more time. Instead, I simply said, “I will be. I promise. I will be!”
And with that I sat on a nearby rock. Sky kneeled in front of one of his eerie glowing stones and began chanting in a language I didn’t recognise as he let his blood mix with the earth. It was beautiful and yet as eerie as the glowing rocks themselves.
Bit by bit, a light trail began to form, linking one stone with the next and the next. Instead of a necklace of jewels it now looked like a ring of fire, a blazing fire that was frightening to behold. I expected it to break free of the stones and burn the foliage around us, but it didn’t. It just blazed brightly in its circle as a swirling energy began to pulse from deep inside the ring.
I looked at Sky, whose wings were folded tightly against his back. His shoulders were hunched and the muscles on his back were markedly defined by the intense pressure he was putting on them. My lover wasn’t just chanting, he was using his own energy to build this burning ring and the vortex of energy inside it.
And it was taking all he had to do it. I could feel how hard it was for him. How much he was giving to this task. I wanted to race over and drag him away before it took everything he had. Everything he was. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t!
Instead, I turned inward and called up all my own strength. I remembered what it felt like when the hag siphoned off my essence and used it for her own ends. Could I voluntarily give my essence to Sky to aid him in the same way? I had so little of it left. The hag had almost sucked me dry. Yet I’d felt it rebuilding during the days I had been with Sky and felt happiness I had never known before. I was stronger than I had been.
But would it be enough to aid him?
I funnelled my essence into my lover. I saw his shoulders stiffen and lift a little, and I knew he felt it. He renewed his task with more intense focus than before.