by J D Bowens
“Thank goodness you woke up,” Kyran said. He embraced Consus in a tight hug. Consus returned it in kind and wept as he apologized for almost dying. Ewan also embraced the two of them, and Milo joined the group hug as well. Karinne remained at the other end of the cave, guarding Leiwyn.
“I’m sorry,” Consus repeated over.
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” Kyran said. “You fought well. Just don’t go dying on me like that.”
“I promise I won’t,” Consus replied.
“Welcome back to the world of the living’,” Ewan said. After several long moments of consolation and embrace, Consus reclined against the wall. Kyran had closed his eyes for a moment, and Ewan fiddled with an arrow.
The cave wall, through which they had entered, remained closed. Consus half-expected the wall to come down again and expose them to the armed men outside. He had caught Ewan and Kyran glancing at it several times as well, perhaps with the same suspicion.
“I wouldn’t touch that if I were you,” Ewan said to him. Consus realized that he had been tracing his fingers along the scar on his abdomen.
“Yes,” Kyran said opening his eyes. “As a matter of fact, please avoid doing anything until we’re sure your stomach won’t explode.” Consus wanted to laugh, but he wasn’t sure Kyran was joking.
"I feel fine," Consus said to reassure his brothers. It was a surreal thing to say. The pain was still so vivid in his mind, and the sense of death lingered iike a ghost. Yet here he was alive. And I have Arden to thank for this, I suppose. “When will Leiwyn wake up?” he asked Karinne.
Karinne shrugged her shoulders. “It is hard to say. Healing spells seem to require a great deal more magic. It drains her strength. For her to heal one so near -,” she stopped herself, but Consus cringed at the unfinished sentence. “She’s never healed anyone so near the brink of death.”
Her spellcasting must be like Altin’s, he realized. The magic required a price from the caster. “How long was I asleep?” he asked Kyran.
“Only an hour or so,” he replied, “but it felt like days.”
A few moments later, Leiwyn awoke and sat up next to Karinne who rummaged through her sack to retrieve a biscuit. Leiwyn took it from her and consumed every crumb before eating a second.
“How long were you going to keep this secret from us,” Kyran spoke, “that you were a priestess of Arden?” Consus flinched in the anger in his brother’s voice.
“As long as it felt necessary,” Leiwyn said. Her tone was calm and even. “We are travelers in a foreign land; it is not easy to tell who we can trust. You know well that bearing the blessing of the old gods is considered a ‘curse’ in your kingdoms. If I had thought my secret a danger to you, you would have been informed.”
“Those men outside were ‘a danger’ to us. They shouted praises to Nemoth,” Kyran said. “Did you know they were following you?”
“Of course not,” she said aghast. “I would never place anyone in such peril, certainly not myself and not without warning.” She paused in thought a moment. “I should have known that they would have resurfaced.”
“What do you mean?” Kyran asked.
“I received my gift at a young age. Though it was slow at first, it should have still been a warning. For if Arden’s blessing can reach me through the Veil, so then should Nemoth’s own power reach his disciples. The barrier weakens for both of the gods.”
“So, these men are after you,” Kyran said, “and the Pilgrim Stone?”
“I believe so. I must find the Stone before they do and destroy it. I will not allow them to recover it.”
“Well, good luck to you then,” Ewan said. “I won’t throw my life for this.”
Consus blinked, caught off guard by Ewan’s remark. Karinne sneered, but Leiwyn remained serene and unruffled by the outburst.
“Don’t say that, Ewan,” Consus said.
“We’ve delivered them to the sanctuary,” he said. “We’ve no reason to risk our lives for this. We’ll die fighting Nemoth and the Servants of the Quintetta. Bah, I know a lost cause when I see it.”
“I can understand your hesitation,” Leiwyn said. “But your help is needed. A dark force will use the Pilgrim Stone for evil. If we do not destroy the Stone ourselves-”
“We’ve given enough for your cause,” Kyran interrupted. “I nearly lost a brother today and all for a few diamonds. I won’t sell my family for some old gods.”
“I will help,” Consus said to Leiwyn. All eyes turned to him as he sat up straight. “The old gods saved my life. And I can’t help but feel there’s some fate tied to this. I will help you find the Stone.”
“How are you going to help without your sword?” Kyran asked.
Consus reached for his sword belt and felt the empty sheath. Damn, I must have dropped it outside.
Kyran shook his head and gave him a dismissive wave. “Arden may have saved you, but he’s also the reason you almost died.”
“Kyran, it’s more than that,” Consus said. “If we escape this now and let the Children of Nemoth take the Pilgrim Stone, we place ourselves in greater danger for another day. We’ve no choice. We cannot abandon the danger we face now for another day. It will only be worse then.”
“Let the armies of the Northern Kingdom deal with this,” Kyran said. “It is not a struggle for three men and an elf to get involved with.” Milo coughed at the lack of recognition. “This is not our problem or our god. Remember what father said: ‘family first.’”
“He also said ‘strength and courage,’” Consus retorted.
“Enough,” Kyran said. He turned his dark gaze to the elves. “We’ll lead you to the stone if it is in this place, but after that, you are on your own.” Leiwyn nodded in agreement, and for several long moments, silence hung in the air.
Consus pretended to ignore his brother’s anger and stubborn will. “I suppose the question is how do we find the Pilgrim Stone?” Consus said.
“I believe that it will be further along,” Leiwyn said pointing to the far end of the cave, a dark entrance to a tunnel.
"Fantastic,” Ewan proclaimed. “All we have to do is walk down the very dark, slippery tunnel to find the ancient sanctuary where the last remaining Children of Arden were hiding."
"Blazing pits," Milo said, "I just realized we left the horses unattended."
Chapter 28
Consus walked down the rough-hewn tunnel of dirt and stone, Leiwyn beside him. Kyran and Karinne led the way with Milo, their swords drawn. Ewan walked behind Consus and Leiwyn. Tangled roots appeared along the walls and above them, sometimes covering the glowing moss that lit their way. Kyran would stop them each time the tunnel turned and peered around the corner. After seeing the way was clear he would nod and lead them forward again.
By Consus’s estimate, they had been walking for nearly an hour. With all the turns it was hard for him to know if they were still near the sea or had journeyed further inland. They had walked in relative silence, conversing in hushed whispers.
“I’m so bored,” Milo said. He kicked a stray rock down the tunnel, and it echoed as it bounced along the floor.
“I know,” Karinne said. “You’ve told us that several times since we started walking.” Consus and his brothers chuckled at Karinne’s annoyance. The halfling’s ‘charm’ was wearing on her.
Consus did not admit it, but he was also a bit disappointed. He had imagined a grand temple filled with divine relics and ancient works of art. That may still be ahead of us, he reasoned to himself.
He wondered what had made him so bold to want to help Leiwyn and defy his brothers. He thought it had something to do with how he had handled his near-death experience. He regretted his pathetic mewling and fearful crying. He had embarrassed himself in front of his brothers and Leiwyn.
Kyran would not have cried like that. He’d have been more courageous. I won’t let myself be afraid like that anymore. I am not a coward.
He looked at Leiwyn and wondered if she too tho
ught he had been a coward. She looked tired, perhaps still drained from the spell.
“I had the dream again,” Consus whispered to her, desperate to break the silence. She looked at him with curiosity. “I did as you suggested. I remained calm and was able to defeat the dragon.”
She smiled and touched his shoulder. “Well done, I knew you would. Now you can hope for peaceful sleep.”
“I would certainly hope so,” he replied. “Though I wouldn’t mind riding the gryphon again. That was quite an experience.”
She faltered a step. “You flew on the gryphon?”
“Yes, I flew over Amarant with an entire flock of gryphon,” Consus said.
“That has never happened before.” She looked at him, her eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean-”
“Oh, lookie here,” Milo shouted. “The walls have changed.”
Consus looked around him and saw that the appearance of the walls had changed as they walked further along the tunnel. The rough and jagged surface of the cave had become much smoother as they progressed and the roots had altogether disappeared. The way became narrower and constricted so that he and Leiwyn could no longer walk side by side.
“You wouldn’t even know we were still in a cave,” Consus said. A sharp turn appeared ahead, and Kyran approached the corner.
“I’ll bet we’re close to the end!” Milo said. “Oh, I wonder what’s around the bend.” He ran ahead before Karinne could stop him, brushed by Kyran, and disappeared around the corner. "It's a door," the halfling declared. Kyran cursed and followed the halfling.
Consus saw a simple wood door with an iron handle standing at the end of the corridor. The wooden frame from which it hung was nestled in the corridor. Small holes appeared in the old decaying boards where there once were knots. At each end on the wall were two brilliant glowing orbs. Their light illuminated the doorway.
"We should be careful now," Kyran said. "There's no telling what to expect on the other end."
"There's no one in there," Milo said he peered through one of the knot holes. He pulled a tiny mirror from a pocket and used it to reflect the light from the torch and orbs into the room. "It looks empty!" He opened the door, and a loud creak reverberated through the hall.
The stale odor of time poured from the room and into the corridor. Orbs within the room began to glow and extinguished all shadows. One by one they filed into the small square room.
Consus spotted a squat bookcase in the far corner of the room. When he got closer, he could see that much of the books had turned to rot. Only a single book had not rotted, a leather journal that sat atop a desk next to the bookcase. He picked it up with careful appreciation. It may not be a trove of treasures or a relic, but at least there are books.
Kyran picked up a simple staff that leaned against the desk and handed it to Consus. “Here, take this. It’ll make do for a weapon until we can get you a sword.”
Consus took the staff and examined it. It felt as hard as granite but lighter than wood. There were ornate carvings of gryphons in flight at both ends. At its center was a leather grip and tied to it a splendid golden feather. He tapped the butt of the staff against the floor. It sounded as steel clashing with stone. “I’ve never used a staff before,” he said to Kyran.
“It is better than being unarmed,” Kyran remarked.
Aside from the desk and the rotten books, there was a rather plain wooden chest in the corner. Kyran and Ewan wandered over to it. "Milo, come here and unlock this," Kyran said pointing to the iron lock.
"It's awfully presumptuous of you to assume that I possess any skill in thievery," the halfling replied. Despite his objections, Milo walked over, pulled his tools from his pocket, and began to work on the lock.
Consus turned his attention to the book. How curious that this book has not decayed like the rest.
“Damn!” Milo said.
Startled, Consus dropped the book to the ground. The book landed on its spine and opened to a page halfway through the book. Consus looked up at Milo and saw him wiggle a broken tool out of the still locked chest.
Consus stooped over to pick up the book. He noticed the pages were crisp to his touch, not the least bit damp or worn. Symbols for what appeared to be hand motions were drawn along the page. At the top of the page were words in a foreign language he did not understand.
I wonder how this book survived time? He mimicked the hand signals in the book without thought. They were simple twists and contortions of the fingers, easily accomplished by one hand. He felt a coolness wash over him like the mist on a foggy morning.
"Leiwyn, look at this," he said. She walked over to the desk and stood beside him. She cradled the book in her hands with care.
"This is written in an old elvish dialect. I believe this is a spell book," she said. "What a find, Consus." She squeezed his hand in appreciation. “Many of these are spells I have not yet learned.”
He smiled at his discovery. His eyes were drawn to a gold light that radiated beneath his feet. He saw that he and Leiwyn stood on a large glowing symbol. "What is this?" he asked. He tried to step away, but Leiwyn grabbed his arm.
“Consus, did you repeat the motions on this page?” she asked him. The tone of alarm in her voice disturbed him. His brothers, Milo, and Karinne turned their focus from the chest to the two of them.
“I did,” Consus answered.
“Bah, blazes,” Ewan cursed. “What is this?” Kyran and Ewan began to walk over, but Leiwyn raised a hand to halt them.
"Everyone, stay where you are," she said, her voice frayed with trepidation. Three concentric circles containing a six-pointed star stretched itself to the corners of the room. "If you move you could die."
“Blazing pits,” Ewan muttered. “More damned magic.” He pointed his bow at the symbol as though he intended to fight it.
"What is that?" Kyran asked.
"I believe it is a teleportation spell," Leiwyn said.
“Teleportation? Where does it go?” Consus asked. The room hummed and then flashed a violent bright golden light. Consus felt himself shake as the light swallowed all the room. He saw only Leiwyn beside him and the symbol burned into the floor. Then there was nothing.
Chapter 29
For a moment Consus felt weightless, not falling but light and numb as though he were detached from himself. He did not feel the ground beneath his feet, and there was no sense of time. The light dimmed and vanished. He stumbled forward and struggled to regain his balance. He leaned on the staff to stand upright.
How did I get here? And where is here?
He was in a large cave lit by torches along the wall. Their light burned bright enough that he could see the details of his surroundings. Yet, the ceiling was so high that their light could not reach it. The smooth gray stones reached up to an endless starless night above. The cave was several times larger than the room he had come from. He felt so small.
How will I get out of here? Before him were two massive oak and steel doors that towered over. The image of a great roaring lion head was carved into each. They were ornate and detailed, but tiny cracks in the woodwork revealed their age.
"Blazing pits," he cursed, shocked by their image.
"Consus, is that you?" Leiwyn said. She knelt on the ground just a few paces behind him. She brushed the dirt from her knees as she rose up and looked around the cave. "Are we the only one's here?"
"I think so, but I've only just 'arrived,'" he said. "Leiwyn, what happened?"
"It was a teleportation spell," she explained. "I think it was meant to carry Children of Arden here. It would explain why we are the only ones here."
"So, everyone else, my brothers and Karinne, they are still in the room?"
"Yes, I suspect so," Leiwyn said. "The spell must have recognized the divina magic within us. The spell must have been there waiting centuries for us." She looked at the lionhead doors; the excitement in her eyes portrayed a sense of wonder. “I had hoped there would be more to this than what
we have already seen.”
"That does not make sense," he said to her earlier comment. "If the spell was meant to carry only Children of Arden, then how is it that I am here?" Leiwyn blanched at the question and turned her gaze from him. Consus felt a nervous chill run down his spine. "Leiwyn, what is wrong?"
"Consus, there is more to your dreams than I have told you," she said. He altered his stance as if to prepare for an unexpected answer. “Your recurring dream is the same that those who are gifted in divina magic receive. The dragon and the gryphon, they are symbols of your choice between Nemoth and Arden.”
“That is not possible,” he objected. “No one in my family is gifted with this type of magic.” Even as he spoke the words, he knew she was right. There was an intangible difference in his being.
“The gift would only recently come to light with the gods returning,” she said. “It wouldn’t have manifested itself in your family until now.”
Consus took a deep breath. “What does this mean for me?” He had not meant to speak aloud. “Am I a slave to Arden? Does he own my soul?”
“Consus, nothing will happen to you,” Leiwyn said. She put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. “Possessing this gift means that you have the ability to serve Arden. It does not require you to; the choice is yours. You could go your whole life without ever casting a spell. Children of Nemoth are not so fortunate. If they choose him as their master, they must serve him or live in torment.”
He calmed himself, assured by Leiwyn's explanation. A thought occurred to him. “I have just discovered this gift, and I cast my first spell.”
“Yes, you did,” she said with a smile. “A simple trigger spell but still impressive for a first time. Maybe we should wait a while before you cast anything further. You need to learn how to control it.”
“How do I control the magic, then? How does it work?”
“I can show you once we have more time and have recovered the stone,” she said. “There are a number of simple spells in this book.”