by D G Palmer
‘You went to Murias?’ Eric was impressed. Not many surface-dwellers got the chance to go there, even before the ban. ‘It’s an amazing place isn’t it?’
‘It is! I met the king and kissed the princess,’ Daniel said excitedly.
‘You did what?’ Tina and Finn both exclaimed at the same time, but for different reasons.
‘So anyway,’ Daniel attempted a swift change of subject, ‘They are the elite military unit of Imperial City. Their number is always 1212; two generals, that’s dad and Grimgaard Thunderbeard. Below them are ten commanders and each commander are in charge of 120 soldiers.’
‘They’re more than just soldiers!’ Finn added. ‘They’re the best of the best, heavily armed horsemen in golden armour, all with silver faceplates. The 1200 have one face, the ten another. If one was killed, seriously wounded, or sick they are immediately replaced with a new one, maintaining the 1212 strength of The Athanatoi, so they seem to be without death because no one knows who’s under the helmet.’
‘How is that gruff old dog, Grimgaard, hmm? He must be relishing his position,’ Eric laughed.
‘Well actually Imperial City has been kind of quiet lately,’ Finn replied. ‘There are strange rumours going around, that there is some sort of madness there.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’ve heard that the people there aren’t interested in doing anything, which is fine, until it gets to the point where you’re not interested in eating or drinking. But these are merchant stories, mind you.’
‘And what has Gydion had to say about it?’ he asked Daniel.
‘I haven’t actually seen him yet,’ Daniel answered, ‘but I will; I’ve decided to study at the Mage Academy. I just wanted to let you guys know and say a proper goodbye,’
Tina was overjoyed for her son. She might have had reservations before, but she now knew that it was the right thing to do. As she hugged Daniel, could see the concern on Eric’s face. Gydion had told them his plans when he had returned to tell them what had happened to Daniel. Eric was troubled by the idea then, and now it seemed that he was right to have those sentiments. ‘You know what, Daniel, why don’t you take Finn around Central London, let her experience what the city has to offer, while I sort out a spare room for her?’
‘That’s ok, I’ll bunk in with Daniel,’ Finn waved Tina off, but when she saw the disapproving look on Daniel’s mother’s face, ‘on second thought, maybe I’ll take that spare room, after all.’
‘I don’t think London is ready for Finn,’ Daniel said with more than a hint of trepidation.
Chapter Eight
Everything he could see was now facetted and with an orange tint as his perspective switched to that of the gold set gemstone. It was a peculiar and unique experience for Gydion to be a part of. Since it was an inanimate object, his view was limited to whatever happened directly in front of the necklace. He compared it to what it must be like to peek through a keyhole; people, a man, a woman and what Gydion assumed to be their children walked back and forth pass the gemstone at irregular intervals, since it was located in the bedroom it didn’t see much of the family. He wished he could have used the plates in the kitchen but the smell of the rotten food would have turned his stomach.
Eventually the necklace paid dividends, as it was finally picked up and inspected by its owner. And what Gydion saw left him in a confused state. The female had pallid skin, yellow eyes and no nose, as such, just six slits for nostrils. She had a ridged forehead, her elongated cranium tapered back and up into a point. The skin on her skull was opaque and it was almost possible to see her brain within. It wasn’t her appearance that caused the Archmage’s perplexity; it was the fact that he knew that she was from Naavina realm, no wonder the style of homes looked familiar to him. But why would they be on Salamida?
At last Gydion saw the Naavinian swing her head round, something had obviously startled her. Was this what he had been waiting for? There was no sound to this vision, but luckily the female still kept hold of the necklace as she held open her shades and peered through the window.
His view swayed from side to side, no doubt replicating the motion of the gem in her hand, Gydion presumed. The movement didn’t impair his vision of events, however, and he could clearly see what he could only describe as a huge black hole in the sky above. It grew slowly in size, as it seemed to swallow up its surroundings.
Suddenly, portals seemed to open up everywhere. Frilled necked lizard like creatures with spikes protruding from their heads down their back to their tails came through them. Some came out dragging their serpentine bodies with only a pair of front legs, others bounded out on all fours, some walked through upright, their long tongues flicking about, tasting the air. Some even flew through the portals on leathery wings.
Wyvern, Gydion whispered to himself. He had encountered this offshoot of dragon before, but never in such huge numbers.
Hooded shadowy beings followed the Wyvern out of the portals; their faces were hidden but horns on their head made little peaks in their cowls. They numbered less in total than the Wyvern but that made them no less dangerous; in fact, it made them more so in Gydion’s eyes. He knew that in any pyramidal hierarchy, the higher up you go as the number of persons lessened, the control that number commanded increased, as such, the hooded beings were the ones pulling the strings.
They issued commands, pointing out directions with their black scaly arms for the Wyvern to follow. Any curious Naavinian that ventured to close was mercilessly cut down. One of the hooded numbers then removed its hood. Even Gydion was taken aback by what was revealed. It had no head, just a huge round eyeball floating above the body.
It swivelled around as if looking for something, the huge iris occasionally dilating and undulating as it did so. Gydion wondered what it could be searching for, then it froze as it seemed to find it.
The creature moved closer to the home the Naavinian female was in. She understandably backed away from the window but in doing so Gydion’s view from the necklace became obscured and the next thing he could see was a chain of crackling energy shoot up into the black hole.
It seemed to come from the ground near where the creature stood. The venerable mage wished the Naavinian would move nearer so that he could get a closer look at what was happening outside.
Just then, Naavin seemed to be in the throes of an earthquake but, just as the tremors grew in intensity, Gydion was dragged back to the present.
He had placed enchantments around his body to protect it while his spirit was away, so for him to be forced back without warning could only mean one thing: someone or something was near his entranced body.
‘After all these years, this is how we are reunited; with you going through another woman’s things? How is that supposed to make me feel?’
It was a familiar voice. It was a voice Gydion hadn’t heard in a long time, a voice that still stirred emotions within him. It was the voice of Sayyidah, the wife he had banished to the far reaches of the known realms.
Gydion was face to face with the rival that became his lover, the lover that became his wife, and the wife that ultimately became the betrayer of Ariest. Yet he still could not bring himself to hate her.
Sayyidah stood before him in a white diaphanous lace halter neck dress, which plunged down to the gold rope belt she wore around her waist. It was simple yet elegant and harkened back to her roots growing up in Ptolemaic Alexandria. He knew that she wouldn’t have been able to wear such things then, in those days it was reserved for the new Hellenistic upper classes of Egypt, the Greeks.
She didn’t wear it now out of longing for the old days or because she thought herself equal to that long dead ruling class. No, she was beyond their equal, she was a goddess to them; Gydion had seen it with his own eyes when they had travelled back to that time. She wore it simply because she could. And it was that trait which had driven her throughout her life, the strong belief in herself and what she could do, and made her into the woman she was t
oday, for good or bad.
She had grown up with nothing, from a poor village to living on the streets of the great coastal city. Nothing had been given to her as a child; she had had to fight for everything. More affluent children would deride her not knowing that they were only fuelling her determination.
From nothing, she briefly had everything, until the man she once loved and trusted, above all others, took it all away from her.
‘It has been a long time, husband, although that is a concept that has little meaning for us.’ She spoke in the ancient Hellenic language. ‘I hope you do not mind speaking in this tongue, I do not get much chance to exercise my linguistics these days,’ she said with a hint of sarcasm. ‘You look well, still barely touched by the passing of the sands.’
‘As do you,’ Gydion replied truthfully.
Her eyes seemed to shine at his compliment, although she tried to hide her delight. He remembered that she was partial to the odd flattering remark and could imagine her being bereft of them on this realm, but before he could continue Sayyidah suggested that they leave the deserted abode for her own home.
‘I once lived in a place such as this, when I was first forced to reside here,’ Sayyidah explained as she led the way out, ‘but that was before I discovered what this place really was.’
‘And what is that? I saw a strange vision a moment ago.’
‘All in good time, husband. Have a little patience. We should at least be comfortable for such a momentous reunion; do you not think?’
When they finally left the Naavinian home there was an ornately decorated carriage waiting outside which Sayyidah climbed into. Gydion would have liked to find out where Sayyidah could have obtained a carriage of such craftsmanship from, but he was more intrigued by the animal that pulled it. A giant shire horse, at least twenty hands high stood there with a harness over its muscular shoulders. It had a shiny black coat and instead of the usually white ‘feathering’ around its feet that a horse of this breed usually had; this one had flames fluttering in the windless air.
Sayyidah bid Gydion to enter the carriage. He did as he was asked and, upon closing the door, the horse set off at a tremendous pace. The bleak, barren landscape flashed past them as the mage looked out of the carriage window. Behind them he could see the trail of fire the amazing steed was leaving in its wake. Then he saw their destination come over the horizon. A crease of disbelief developed on his eyebrows and he swung round to question his estranged wife.
‘Is that...?’
‘Shhh,’ she quietened him with a finger to her lips.
With the speed the horse was travelling at it didn’t take long before they were close enough for Gydion to answer his own question. They were headed toward his own Sanctum, his tower, or at least a building that looked exactly like it.
They soon disembarked and walked the rest of the way up to the tower. It had no entrance and no visible windows, just as Gydion’s own stronghold was without them. Sayyidah made the gestures and chants, familiar to Gydion, which opened the portal at the tower’s base to permit entry into its hidden secrets.
Salamida was turning out to be a most bemusing place and Sayyidah was the only one here that had the answers, but Gydion was adamant that he too would discover them in due course.
She led the way into the study and immediately poured Gydion a drink.
‘I hope you still like Scottish liquor.’
‘Of course,’ he replied as he took the drink. Her hand lingered slightly longer than was necessary, their fingers just barely touched, before she went back to make her own drink. ‘How did you survive here?’ Gydion hoped he might have some luck if he cut straight to the chase.
‘Survive? I have not survived, I have only existed here, but I am glad that I have been blessed,’ Sayyidah said as she held up her arm and admired her flawless olive toned skin. ‘In a realm with no Sun, I was half expecting to lose my tone, become pale and gaunt. What do you think?’
‘Yes, your skin still looks as perfect as I remember.’
‘I was talking about my existing in a place with no Sun!’ she snapped. ‘Did you send me here to die a slow death?’
‘Of course not!’ Gydion was incredulous at the very idea. ‘I sent you here because... because I could not bring myself to execute you. That is what the Assembly voted for, but I could not do it.’ He shook his head as he made his regretful confession.
‘So, you stripped me of my magic and banished me here. How humane of you.’ Again her comment was filled with sarcasm but it did not last long as she spat the next venom laced comment out, ‘If roles were reversed I would have killed you in a second!’ She jabbed her finger at him for added emphasis.
Neither of them spoke as the weight of Sayyidah’s words hung heavy in the air. Gydion did feel guilty but to hear her say that she would gladly end his life and to deliver it so vehemently shocked him.
‘What happened to you?’
‘You did! You betrayed me! Betrayed yourself!’
‘What?’
‘You once craved knowledge as much as I. Your thirst and hunger excited me, and we had tremendous adventures travelling the realms in our search. But once you became Archmage you betrayed our love.’
‘You betrayed our realm! When you betrayed us, people died!’
‘When you betrayed me, I died.’
Again, they took solace in the silence that descended. They both used the opportunity to calm themselves and to take more sips of the warming liquid.
‘You know the responsibilities that came with the role.’
‘What of your responsibilities to me. It seems to me that you are selective in regards to which responsibilities you do and do not adhere to, or else I would not be here.’
‘I loved you. Even after knowing all you had done, I still loved you.’
‘Did you hope you could somehow redeem me?’
‘One day, perhaps.’
‘I hoped the same of you; that you would one day remember the past and join me. I am who I am, it is you that has changed.’ She took the final sip of her drink. ‘Nothing was ended between us we are still bound by the laws of marriage. It could be as it once was, just you and I.’
She stared down into her empty glass like it was a reflection of the meaningless life she now led. Gydion had never seen her look so vulnerable, so innocent. He suddenly felt sorry for her and wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight to him, and that is exactly what he did.
She nuzzled her head into his neck and he could smell the aroma of fruits and flowers rise from her long jet-black hair. He kissed her on the head. Decades had passed since they were last in such an embrace and sensations came flooding back in an instant. She raised her chin, and they looked deeply into each other’s eyes. All their emotions were bared and visible in that moment. She could feel his hot breath on her lips and she quickly moistened them with her tongue just before Gydion leant forward and pressed his lips against hers.
They kissed like they were determined to make up for lost time.
If Gydion had chanced to open his eyes at that moment he would have seen the look that briefly crossed Sayyidah’s face.
Eventually she broke for air and stood up. Taking Gydion by the hand Sayyidah led him to the bed they had not shared in a long time.
Chapter Nine
Finn was reluctant to leave her guns behind. She didn’t like the idea of going out without them, she told Daniel that it made her feel naked. They finally got her to relent when Eric told her she wouldn’t need them and Daniel explained that she could get arrested for carrying them.
‘You don’t understand,’ she tried to explain later to Daniel as they arrived at London Bridge, ‘those guns are a part of me, a part of who I am, they’re my babies. You might as well have asked me to rip off my leg and leave that behind.’
‘That might actually have been easier,’ Daniel teased.
‘This place looks amazing,’ gasped Finn as she looked up at The Shard building. ‘It make
s the Council of Three palace look tiny. Is it a glass palace?’
Daniel scoffed. ‘Nah, it’s mostly offices where people work but it also has restaurants and a hotel.’
‘Vekt! This is nothing like The Dirty Dog. I’m going to tell Mavis that she needs to up her game.’
‘Come on,’ said Daniel as he took Finn by the hand.
‘Where’re we going?’
Daniel pointed to the top of The Shard. ‘Up there,’ he replied.
‘What? I’m not walking up there, Daniel!’
‘You don’t need to,’ he replied with a smile.
After a few seconds in the elevator, the pair stepped out onto the 72nd floor. The platform was open to the elements; the designers had made a point of not having their viewing floor encapsulated like other high rises to go the feeling of flying.
Finn was certainly experiencing that, never having been so high in her life before. It was like she could see forever. All the buildings, different shapes and sizes, with patches of greenery here and there. She couldn’t believe how vast the city was, and Daniel had told her that there were bigger, something she could hardly get her head around.
Something else that was beyond belief for Finn was that even up this high the clouds were still beyond her reach. She turned to Daniel excited about being so high up, but seeing Daniel with his hood up and with his dark glasses on tempered her enthusiasm.
‘We don’t have to stay if it’s causing you trouble, being exposed to the sun up here, and all.’
‘No, I’m fine. I’ve been here before so it’s ok. Besides I wanted you to see it.’
‘You’ve been here before? With Trinity?’
‘Contrary to what you think, Trinity and I haven’t done much things together.’
‘But you want to?’
Daniels silence spoke volumes to Finn.
‘I get it. She’s a perfect little princess, what’s not to like?’
‘But I like being with you too,’ he admitted. ‘You bring something different out in me; it’s hard to put a finger on it. I’ve been so reclusive and closed off, especially around girls, and then to suddenly have two, that like me. Even now I find it a little odd since no girl has ever looked twice at me before, well not in a good way anyhow, and I just wanted to hold onto those feelings. I think of both of you as friends, I don’t want to hurt either of you.’