“Show them what the Bortas name stands for,” was all he had said.
From that moment on, Gatlor spent every waking moment working on his battle skills, sharpening his mind, and honing his body to do just that. Within a year, he had gone from Warder to a member of the elite Circle Guard. When he became the youngest Captain in the history of Lore’s Haven, Toren had come to the ceremony. Honoring Gatlor’s request, the High One allowed Toren to bestow the Captain’s Sword on him. It had been one of the proudest moments in Gatlor’s life, accepting the weapon now hanging at his side from his brother’s hands.
He rested his hand on the pommel. Now Toren was gone, leaving behind a husbandless wife, and a fatherless daughter. His wife, Brenna, had come to Gatlor after the battle, torn by grief and fury.
“You were supposed to keep him safe!” she had screamed at him. “He came here for you! And you let him die!” Then she had run out of the room, sobbing as if her heart was about to explode from her chest.
Although she returned later and apologized, her words had echoed in Gatlor’s thoughts every day since then. She was right. He was the commander of the Lore’s Haven army. It was his responsibility to keep his warriors safe. Oh, he could argue that a warrior accepts the consequences of his decisions, and that it was an honor to die in defense of the things you hold dear. Seerka and Calador had said much the same thing to him afterwards. But such words ring hollow when the man lying lifeless at your feet is your own flesh and blood.
And now, after they had thought the victory won, now they might have to face yet another battle, lose more men and women. As daunting as Bodann’s army had been, it was insignificant compared to six Altered standing on the front wall of Lore’s Haven. His nails dug into his palms as he clenched his fists. How do you devise a battle plan against gods? A voice in the back of his mind told him to give up. There was no winning against such odds.
Then Toren’s words came back to him. “Show them what the Bortas name stands for.” His jaw muscles twitched and bulged as he gritted his teeth, banishing the craven voice in his head. Even if it killed him, they would know they had fought a Bortas. He looked up at the sky.
“I will still make you proud of me, Brother,” he whispered.
A voice behind him broke into his thoughts. “Captain! We have found a Shanthi on the Plains.”
He turned to see two of his soldiers walking toward him supporting a young Shanthi woman. Sweat plastered her hair against her face, and she was streaked with dirt and blood, but the wrath blazing in her eyes repudiated the damage done to her body. Whatever has been done to her, she remains a Shanthi, he thought.
As they stopped, she pulled her arms from the soldiers’ grasp and forced herself to stand straight, in spite of the obvious pain her movements caused. She gave him the ritual Shanthi bow and then said, “I am Vashni. You are the human called Gatlor?”
“I am Gatlor.”
“Lenai has spoken of you. She says you have the heart of a warrior and the honor of a Shanthi. Such words are not lightly given. I bring you word of her.”
“What word?” His warrior senses sprang to life. If someone in this condition was bringing him news of Lenai, it could not be good.
“She has been taken prisoner, betrayed by her own blood.” Her restrained fury gave her voice a harsh edge.
“Prisoner? Where? Betrayed by who?”
She nodded toward the Plains. “Her brother, Kelsu, betrayed her to the Shadow Lord. Unless he has taken her elsewhere, she is captive to the Grithor.”
Almost against his will, his eyes swept their surroundings. They had thought to come here to escape the Altered, at least temporarily. Now, to find that Regor had enlisted the Grithor to his service made their position all the more perilous.
"Is it true?” a voice asked. He turned to see Carys running toward them.
"Is what true?” the High One's voice broke in. Gatlor looked to the other side and saw the members of the Circle walking toward him.
"High One,” he bowed quickly, “when did you arrive?”
"Just now,” the High One answered. “Now, tell me what Carys is talking about. Is what true?”
Before he could answer, out of the corner of his eye Gatlor saw Vashni sink to the ground, apparently overcome by her wounds. Loremaster Seryn rushed forward, waving the two warriors back.
They watched as Seryn's power worked on Vashni's battered body. After a few moments, Seryn stood. Vashni's eyes were closed, but even to Gatlor's untrained eye, her improvement was plain.
"She was severely injured, several broken ribs, internal damage and bleeding, and more. I am amazed she was able to stand at all. She would have died without treatment, but I was able to heal the worst of her injuries. She should awaken momentarily.”
“Loremaster Seryn.” They turned to see one of Diamond saiken approaching.
“Yes, Deryn? What is it?”
Deryn bowed to the Loremasters. “Please forgive my intrusion, High One.” He turned to Seryn. “Could you come examine one of the warriors? He is very ill, but I cannot see what is wrong.”
“Of course. With your permission, High One?”
“Certainly, Loremaster Seryn. We will inform you of Gatlor’s news when you return.”
Seryn nodded and left with Deryn.
The High One turned to Gatlor. “Now, is what true?”
“Lenai has apparently been taken captive by Regor and the Grithor.”
“What? How did this happen?”
Carys stepped forward, her eyes focused on the ground. “High One, Loremaster Reyga asked me to stay with Lenai. I do not know what happened. I was waiting for them to return when the warriors began arriving.”
“Waiting for them to return? From where?”
“Lenai and four other Shanthi went into the Grithor tunnels to rescue Lenai's brother, who had been taken prisoner after the battle.”
“And you did not accompany them as Loremaster Reyga requested?”
Vashni's voice broke in. “In the apprentice's defense, we did not allow it.” Vashni slowly climbed to her feet. “She insisted upon accompanying us. We insisted she stay behind. Baruun had ordered this to be a Shanthi matter. No outsiders. Before it came to blows, we agreed that the saiken could wait for us at the edge of the woods, where we would be able to call upon her powers if needed.”
“She said four others accompanied Lenai,” the High One said. “If you are here, where are the others?”
“Two are dead. The third was her brother, Kelsu, in disguise. He betrayed her to the Altered.”
“How is it that you live?”
“Regor thought to slay us by using his power. I survived his attack. I saw the betrayer revealed before I lost consciousness. I awoke as the Grithor carried our bodies outside, but remained still, allowing them to think I was dead. When they left, as the sun was rising, I made my way to the woods, where I met your warriors.”
“So,” the High One stared out across the Plains, “the Grithor are aiding Regor. Why would he want Lenai?”
“He must know of the bond between Lenai and Jason,” Jarril said. “He seeks to use her against Jason.”
“How would he know of the bond?” Borin asked.
“Surely Lenai’s brother would be aware of such a bond,” Delani said. “He must have told the Shadow Lord about it.”
“Well then,” the High One said, looking at Gatlor, “it would seem our best course of action for the moment is to rescue Lenai.”
“Rescuing her from the Grithor is one thing,” Jarril said, “but from an Altered? That could prove challenging. Do you have any ideas?”
The High One shook his head. “Not at the moment. I believe we should all take some time to consider options. Ah, Loremaster Seryn,” he said, as the Diamond Loremaster rejoined them, “is your patient well?”
“Not to worry. He will recover. Apparently, he had—”
Then Seryn vanished.
*****
Jason spun around at the familiar v
oice, his heart jumping in his chest.
A wave of relief spread over him as he turned and saw a glimmering form. “Nyala! I thought the Altered had captured you. How did you get free?” He thought he might float up off the ground as he felt the burden of her rescue fall from his shoulders. He couldn’t stop grinning.
“How I got free isn’t important,” she said. “I have a plan.”
Without warning, they were surrounded by an endless white, similar to the one he had shared with her after the battle. This time, though, it was a little different. Subtle shades of color tinted the white, shifting through the spectrum.
“What’s going on? This is different from the other places you’ve taken me. It has colors, shifting colors.”
“Hmm?” She looked around. “Oh. I know. Don't worry,” she said. “Each of us has a unique quality to our power. I’m having to change mine a bit so that the others won’t realize I’m free.”
“Oh, okay. So what’s your plan?”
“If we combine our power, I believe we can take away the power of the other Altered.”
“Take away their power? What do you mean?”
“I mean we can remove their dimsai.”
“But you told me dimsai was what held the Altered together. You said that's why they stay away from the Riftlands, because it doesn't always work there. If we take it away, won't that kill them?”
“It's possible. But we have to do something. We can’t just let them take over.”
“I don't know. Isn't there some other way? Something we can do without killing them?”
“They would kill you, Jason, without a second thought. The only reason Regor didn't, was because I protected you.”
“I know, but still. I don't know if I could do that.”
“Then you sentence Teleria to a future of misery and servitude. I expected better of you.”
He frowned at her words. Ouch. That hurt. She'd never been harsh before. He wondered what they'd done to her while she was being held. She seemed distant, almost cold. She'd never been like that before.
“Are you sure this is the only way?”
“Unless you have another suggestion.”
He wracked his brain. The thought that they might be able to take away the Altered's power allowed for possibilities that he hadn't been able to consider before. But he didn't want to kill them if he could avoid it. I'd be no better than them if we did that. He searched his memories for anything he could recall from his time dozing in high school biology. She'd told him the Altered's natural cellular bonds had been replaced by dimsai during the war. If they took away the dimsai, would they just fall apart? Even a doctor wouldn't be able to help them. Then a thought occurred to him.
“I might have an idea.” He explained his plan to her. When he was done, she shook her head.
“It might work, although I’m not sure they deserve it. If we do this, you'll go along with it?”
“Yeah. If it doesn't work, well, at least we tried.”
“Wait here.” Then she was gone.
He didn't know how long he waited. From his meeting with the Altered at the battle, he'd figured out that time worked differently in this place than in the real world. The Altered had conducted an entire short meeting in an instant of real time. He hoped it wouldn't take Nyala too long. For all he knew, every second he spent here could be a day for Teleria. Then again, every day here could be a second in Teleria. Then Nyala was standing in front of him again.
“It took some time to find her. Everyone has left Lore's Haven, which will, no doubt, infuriate Regor, but here she is.”
“Jason Bennett?” Seryn said, looking around. “Where are we? What is happening?”
Jason stepped up to her. “We have an idea on how to deal with the Altered, but we need your help.”
*****
Brin could barely hear the frantic discussions over the sound of his pulse pounding in his ears. Seryn had vanished and they had absolutely no idea where or how. His heart still ached at what he had tried to do to her in the training yard. She had beaten him, but in the end, she had been willing to sacrifice her own kin as well as herself to allow him to live. It shamed him to know that he could not say with any certainty whether he would have made the same decision had their roles been reversed.
He had been willing to die himself to save her and his two remaining sons. Then Regor’s pronouncement that the loser would forfeit not only his own life, but also that of the hostages had changed that. Brin’s oldest son, Cale, had already died thanks to the interference of the Shadow Lord when he had augmented Bodann’s power with his own. He could not allow his other sons to die as well.
But Seryn, at the point of victory, had refused to kill him, sentencing herself and her family to death. If Brin lived another five hundred years, he would never be able to forget that, or to forgive himself for what he had done. He tried to apologize to her afterwards, but she brushed off his efforts, telling him they were unnecessary. The only way he would ever have even the slightest hope of making it up to her was for them to bring her back from wherever she had gone. He took a deep breath and tried to focus on the conversation between the Loremasters.
“So what do you propose we do, High One?” Jarril was asking.
“It would appear that there is very little we can do at the moment,” the High One answered. “We have no way of knowing where Seryn is, or why she has disappeared.”
“To vanish like that, with no portal,” Delani said, “would almost have to be the work of an Altered.”
“I would agree. But we do not know which Altered, or why they would have taken her and only her. In my mind, our best hope is that Nyala needed her for something.”
“But why would Nyala take her in such a way, without even telling us why?” Borin asked. “I thought she was not like the other Altered.”
“Indeed,” the High One replied. “Why would she take Seryn in such a manner?” He looked around as if hoping Seryn would reappear. “Nevertheless, we still remain helpless to do anything to get her back, at least until we have more information.”
Just then, a portal opened. Brin sighed softly to himself as Reyga emerged instead of Seryn. At least he had returned safely. Seryn’s disappearance had almost made him forget about Reyga’s mission.
“Reyga, I am glad to see that you have returned unharmed,” the High One said. “Were you able to retrieve the papers?”
“What?” Reyga said. “Oh…High One…” He patted his robes absently. “Yes, I believe they are…they are right here.” He pulled some folded sheets of parchment from inside his robes, but instead of handing them to the High One, he stared at them with an expression of puzzlement.
“Reyga, are you well?” Brin asked.
“Hmm?” Reyga’s gaze wandered to Brin’s face. “Of course, yes, I am well. Just, um, just a little dizzy. Perhaps the events of the last few days have caught up with me.” He looked back at his hand, as if suddenly realizing he was still holding the papers. He turned and handed them to the High One.
Brin frowned. Regardless what Reyga said, there was something amiss. I knew I should have gone with him. Yet another thing for which to berate himself.
“What happened at Lore’s Haven?” he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You were well when you went back to the Haven. Now, it is plain that there is something wrong. It may well be due to the events of the last few days, but I would like to hear of your time in the keep.”
“There is little to tell,” Reyga said. “I opened a portal to my chambers. The papers were lying on the table, just where I had placed them.” His eyes took on a faraway look as he recounted the events. “I placed them securely inside my robes, and then turned away from the table to create a portal back. Then….” His head tilted to the side as he remembered. “Then I realized it was beginning to get light, so I created a portal here.” He shrugged. “That is all.”
“Loremaster Reyga,” the High One said, “did you not find
it odd that you traveled to Lore’s Haven in the middle of the night, but it was after sunrise when you were ready to return?”
Reyga blinked a few times. “Why, I had not considered it,” he said. “But yes, since you mention it, that is strange. I wonder why that did not occur to me.”
“Is that all you remember?” Jarril asked.
Reyga’s brow furrowed as he concentrated. “Yes…no. There is more.” He stared at the ground as he struggled to remember. “It is unclear. I believe I may have gotten dizzy in my quarters. Yes, that is what happened. I did not turn from the table to create the return portal. I got up from my bed. I must have lain down to let the dizziness pass. Perhaps I dozed off. Yes, that must be what happened.”
“Do you truly believe that is all that happened?” Brin asked.
“I would remember if something else took place, would I not?” Reyga replied. “Do you believe I am keeping something from you?”
“No,” the High One said, “we are not saying you are withholding anything, at least not deliberately. I believe you when you say you do not remember, but at the very least, we need to understand what may have caused your dizziness. Perhaps whatever caused that is also impairing your memories.”
“Try to concentrate,” Delani told him. “What is the last thing you remember clearly before awakening in your bed? Do you remember lying down?”
“Well, of course I… That is, I should remember lying down, but…” He paused, thinking. “No, the last thing I remember is turning from the table. Then I awoke on my bed.” He looked at them, a look of concern on his face. “Why do I not remember anything else? What has happened?”
“What has happened, indeed,” the High One said.
All That Glitters
Seryn looked back and forth between Jason and Nyala as they finished their explanation.
“Is this truly your intent? If so, I must confess that I am not sure I possess the skills you require.”
“If you don’t have them, no one does,” Jason said.
Seryn stared absently at him as she considered their plan. She was a skilled healer, but what they proposed went so far beyond anything she had ever done that they may as well have been asking her to travel to one of Teleria’s moons.
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