by BJ Hanlon
A hand, Edin thought before he fell.
When he woke, he was still in the chamber and next to him Berka was sleeping soundlessly.
The beasts were dead and the place smelled horribly of their rotting corpses. He tried to remember what’d happened, to replay what had happened in his head. He was healing the body, then he passed out.
That had to be it.
Edin stood on unsteady legs and looked around the room. It was still daytime. Around noon probably, though the light wasn’t as strong. But he could feel a connection to the talents and that was stronger than it had been.
Taking a breath, Edin’s eyes moved to the small dot on the wall. The light wasn’t as intense as before. It was a bit more misshapen as well, closer to an oval than a circle. In that light, he saw small black lines. Shadows almost like a spiderweb.
Where was that coming from? Edin wondered and looked up and around. The openings above were open and the sun was almost directly overhead now and shining big spots on the ground.
Edin blinked and looked around trying to find whatever it was that reflected onto the wall. It was probably just some metal sword or something, though he felt the need to find it.
But he couldn’t. When he looked at the windows, it was too bright to see through. Then he thought of his geometry lessons with Horston. Something he’d said emphatically, ‘I’ll never use this!’
He guessed where the sun was, not directly overhead but close. It gave the room and the shape a blurred look. Then he remembered when it looked circular with clean lines in the stone. Where was the sun then? About sunrise, right? He asked himself.
Edin began to guess, to figure it out by finding the reflective spot where the sunlight came in and, his eyes went up. Not directly to the windows but to the buttresses below them. The sun was rising higher in the sky as winter ended.
He’d remembered that from more of Horston’s useless classes. Edin backed up, still limping from the pain in his leg.
He looked up at the buttresses and tried to spot whatever it was that made the reflection. The light now looked almost like a small egg against the wall.
As he was hobbling backward, he felt something hit his butt and turned.
The altar. Edin touched it. The thing was solid stone and Edin guessed it was heavy. But as he touched it, the place where his hand touched grew warm. He felt a rush of air from somewhere to the right and looked that way only to see nothing but darkness, but then not.
A small glowing light moved forward. It came at him as if from a mousehole that was navel height.
Then it was there. A ghostly outline of a shape. One that was human; much like the flames of his mother and Kes back in the great cliffs.
But Edin didn’t know this person. It was a man. The man appeared before the altar and bowed as if Edin were the king. A voice spoke in his ear.
“My lord Vestor. All has been done. We have hidden the Blossom Stones. All but the Ballast that was taken by our enemies.”
“I know Master Lorno,” Vestor said. He didn’t exactly look like the old man Edin had met before. Though he wasn’t young either. The god was of an indistinct age that Edin could neither guess nor think of.
“And you have shielded the Isle?”
“All is as you have requested, but I do not know why—”
“It was what we must do to prevent the destruction that is to come.”
“But the kingdom. My king, the man I swore to protect. He will die, will he not?”
Vestor said nothing. He stared at Lorno with what Edin could only describe as iron set eyes. Somehow, that worked.
“If the kingdom falls and as you say evil will rise, wouldn’t we as a people be fractured and less able to fight it?”
“It is how it must be. There will be one who can unite the kingdom and fight the monster that will rise from the depths. He could save the world or destroy it. That is up to him.”
A sunken feeling came over him.
“And what of me? I know of where the stones are. I could go and tell someone.”
“It would be too soon, my loyal servant.”
“But master, my lord, my god; I do not want the king to die. If someone in the future has all of the talents as you say he will, and he is meant to reunite the kingdom then why not reunite it before—”
Then the two men suddenly disappeared and Edin was blanketed by darkness for a moment. Then he blinked and had realized that he was seeing that scene in his mind. His eyes dropped and he saw a pile of dust with bits of cloth near the wall. Near the spot Lorno had stood. Maybe the exact spot.
A second thing he realized was that there was something beneath his hand. The hand that was pressed to the altar. Edin closed his fingers around it and felt the contours and the hard lines and knew what it was.
A gemstone.
Then he could sense the stone and the rocks and the earth around them. There were great mounds, giant mountains and stone as far as Edin could tell. He could sense the world around them in a way he’d never felt before. The land, sea, air; he looked toward the broken column and held out a hand. He felt the stone of the column as if it were a part of him and he lifted.
It wasn’t as heavy as he’d imagined it’d be. It was rather light actually and it rolled toward the base that was still attached to the ground. Then it cartwheeled onto one end and stood on the base. Edin felt another and another as the bits and chunks of the stone column began to come together and reform.
Then there was a glow around it, a green glow that reminded him of the emerald eyes of the lizards of the deep.
The glow disappeared and the column was whole. It looked newly carved.
Behind it, moving slowly was Berka. His mouth was open and he looked as if he was heading to his own funeral. One leg was dragging and he was breathing poorly but he was alive and on his feet. “You do that?” Berka asked.
Edin looked at the gemstone in his palm. An emerald, the exact same shape and weight as the others. He nodded.
“So, you’re the Ecta Mastrino now?” Berka said. “You have all of the talents?”
Edin wanted to say yes… he was about to as well, but something held him back. It felt as if there was a part that was missing from that statement. Like an arch without the capstone.
“How are you?” Edin said instead.
“Feel like I’ve been run over by a herd of buffalo.”
“Let’s get out of here.”
They hobbled together out of the room and down the stairs. Edin hoped there’d be no more of those so-called Heavenly Guardians.
They didn’t encounter any others and at the bottom, the ethereal lights were on. He looked down at the canal and knew it was part of that giant, peaceful lake. And he felt that it wasn’t too far.
“We could move quicker and the cold will help with the pain,” Edin said.
Berka nodded. Slowly, they dipped into the water. Edin held onto the wall as they moved. He used the talent only slightly to keep them more buoyant then they’d normally be. Especially Berka who was as dense as some of the rocks around them.
The channel continued for some time. The water was cold but it felt fresh. Soon the lights of the tunnel began to grow dimmer until they disappeared and Edin summoned an ethereal ball.
But he didn’t need to for long. Up ahead, he saw the light of day beginning to shine and then the tunnel suddenly disappeared.
He was blinded for a moment and then looked around. He saw animals drinking from the lake, a crillio was next to what looked like a deer, but that couldn’t be.
There were dire wolves near elk. One of them glared deep yellow eyes at Edin with a curious look. Then howled.
“Over here,” someone shouted. Edin turned to look over his shoulder and he saw a few of the monks running into the lake not worrying about their robes and sandals.
Edin started swimming toward them. There was a slight current that helped them which Edin increased with a bit of talent nudging. Soon, Edin’s feet were in the soft muck
and the two monks, ones he hadn’t seen at the previous dinner, were helping them stumble from the cold lake.
Edin collapsed in sand. A monk was putting his hands over Edin and starting to chant. A warmth was coming through his injured knee. Glancing up, he saw more monks were coming down the long stair. Edin laid his head back, covered his eyes with his wrist, and waited. The swollen knee began to feel better and the slashed foot didn’t hurt much. The burn from the acid however still stung.
Soon the monks reached them and laid down stretchers. Then they helped Berka and Edin onto them as Berka murmured, “How’d you know?”
They’re guide who’d appeared with the others said, “The abbot.”
As they were about to be lifted, Edin heard one of the monks say. “I don’t know. Go away you mongrel.” Then he yipped and hollered at something. Edin saw a dire wolf coming toward them. It wasn’t growling and it wasn’t making any sort of aggressive movements. A moment later, Edin recognized it and stood.
“What are you doing?” Berka asked.
“Bliz?” Edin said and hobbled toward it feeling not quite healed, but better. The wolf came toward him and lowered its head. Edin reached out and petted him. “How are you?” Edin asked knowing the dog couldn’t answer. Then he laid down and rolled to his back.
He felt someone tugging at his shoulder. “Come now, the abbot requested you two be brought to him immediately.” The man’s voice was hesitant.
Edin nodded and turned from Bliz who started to whine. “I’ll be back,” Edin said and he hoped he would. He didn’t want to abandon the guy again and wouldn’t.
Despite feeling better, the monks insisted on carrying him up the stairs. It was nice not climbing them, but he felt like a lazy king being carried around by his servants. Edin only needed someone feeding him grapes and pouring copious amounts of wine in a large goblet to feel perfectly idle and glutenous.
It took the better part of an hour to climb at least five hundred stairs. The monks didn’t even have to stop and rest which amazed Edin.
Then they entered the green courtyard and up into the grand entrance. Berka, who’d fallen asleep was taken to the right while Edin was brought forward. Edin closed his eyes as the smell of food began to waft through the room. He wished those grapes were real now.
Finally, he heard a door open and he looked up to see them cross the threshold and into another chamber, a huge chamber.
Above them, the ceiling was vaulted and there were arches and windows that must’ve faced the courtyard. They moved toward the center of the room and as Edin looked around, he saw it was almost a replica of the altar room where they’d nearly died.
The monks set the stretcher down and retreated from the room.
“Do not get up,” the abbot said when Edin was pushing himself up. Edin ignored him and stood. His thigh still burned but at least he could walk.
“Where is he?” Edin asked, “where’s Vestor?”
“I do not know,” the abbot said. “You can never know. He comes and goes at a whim.”
“He set Lorno on the mission to hide the Blossom Stones.”
“Yes, and you have found them.”
“And lost them,” Edin said and although he carried all of the talents, he didn’t feel like he was whole. It was like there was something missing in his mind. Something missing in his body.
He gripped the emerald in his hand. The ridges dug into his palm as the others had.
“Now do you know your path?”
He waited for a few moments and thought, then he said “the elves. I know my friends are headed that—”
The abbot was shaking his head. “You have a different way. You must confront the dematian king. You must stop it from releasing him.”
Edin felt a shiver roll over him. A deeper colder shiver than in the river. He thought of Arianne being held by the demon and nodded. Did they know where she was? Where it was?
“How do I find it?”
“I believe he will try to find you now that you possess the last piece to release—”
“If he comes here,” Edin said thinking aloud. “We can set defenses and protect the stone from the dematians. And Vestor is here…”
The man offered an uneasy smile. One that was pained and precluded bad news. Edin knew he couldn’t stay even before the abbot said so. “He cannot come here and you cannot stay. This vale is protected as are the animals who live in it. You were let in because it was necessary for you to complete your journey. But now—”
“I must go.”
The abbot nodded.
“What of Berka? He is injured and cannot come with me.”
“He will stay with us until he is well enough to move. Then we will send him on his way, whichever way that is.”
“Is that all? Is there no other help you can offer? I’m trying to save the world.”
“We can offer food and supplies.”
Edin sighed. “Thanks. So which way do I go?” He paused and then said, “where do I go?”
“That is up to you. My suggestion is you go south toward an old town. One of the oldest crossings in the land. It is now called Turridor.”
“I’ve been there,” Edin said remembering the tiny town, if it could even be called that, with the husband and wife. “Otherwise?”
“You can try the waterways. Below, the river does connect to the Susot Valley as well as many other ancient places. It will be easy to get lost and the underground is their domain.”
Below wasn’t where Arianne was. She was somewhere above ground, somewhere with possible moonlight. If he could defeat the dematian king, then he could find Arianne.
Suuli had told him to continue on the path. That path must’ve been finding the last stone.
Edin thought of the old seer, was he still on the boat to Delrot or did he pass? He wondered if those on the isles would be safe. If Yio Volor really was coming, if he really was trying to take over the world, Edin guessed no one would be safe.
“I suppose it’s time,” Edin said. “I could use the supplies, and some new boots.” The torn one was somewhere in the water.
“Of course.” Then he paused and stared blankly at Edin, his eyes were unfocused like he was listening to some far-off melody which he just couldn’t place. Then after a moment, his eyes focused again. The abbot cleared his throat. “Remember, no matter what happens, the dematian king must not let that demon out into the world. It would be destruction on a scale not seen in thousands of years. And if you need to reach us,” the abbot closed his eyes and Edin felt something snap in the back of his head like a twig.
‘You can speak to us now through the wave,’ The abbot spoke in his head.
Edin blinked. It was different than before somehow. Before it’d been listening in on words now, the sound echoed like he was in a large chamber and it had bounced around it at least a dozen times.
Edin had to step back.
‘It takes some getting used to,’ The abbot said. ‘Only those who’ve been opened can use this, and only Vestor can open you.’
It took a moment and he felt as if there were a flea or something rummaging around in his brain. “Can you hear everything I think?” Edin spoke this because he didn’t know how to actually communicate.
‘Some, but not all.”
“Don’t. I hate this, stop, take it away.” Edin was shaking his head like it was a saltshaker and he was putting generous amounts over a large dish.
“You can set up walls to block thoughts. It takes practice but can be done.’
“How?”
‘By hardening your mind through meditation.’
“I don’t have time for that,” Edin said, “I’m in a bit of a rush, just get rid of this.”
‘Make time,’ The abbot said still in his head. ‘Now you must go. I will have our friend take you to the edge of our lands.’
A pair of men walked into the room, monks with green robes. One carried a package, the other a pack and a large quarterstaff, a tarix wood one by th
e looks of it. Behind came the man he began to think of as his minder. The one who’d been showing him around like a servant at a lord’s estate.
‘There are new robes, sandals, and trousers. We have packed food and water for your journey.’
Edin nodded to the three men. ‘Sandals?’ Edin asked but then realized his mouth didn’t move. It worked.
He spoke without speaking…
‘We do not wear boots, though these are just as tight and more comfortable. They may take longer to get on and off though. We shall show you.’
It took twenty minutes for the monk to teach him to wrap the sandals around his feet and ankle. He was surprised it offered good support and movement and they didn’t slip. He held the quarterstaff in one hand, his sword was at his side, and the pack was strapped on and ready. The monks did not have any bedrolls but gave him robes and new trousers. It would be cold nights until spring decided to show.
Then they were gone; he and his minder walked through the courtyard. Edin saw a donkey eating grass in a herd of horses. It was as if the thing wanted to join the group. Then there was a cow before a trough with a monk near its udders. Edin looked back at the castle and saw a steep drop and scrub brush hanging off the edge of one of its roofs. Eating from the brush was a goat.
They hiked down the stairs and Edin saw Bliz at the bottom waiting for him. A gray, white and black lump of fur. The dire wolf was curled up and looking out over the lake as if he were a guard who’d not been very diligent in his duties.
A few monks heading toward the stairs were looking at Bliz warily and they made wide circles around him. At the bottom the dire wolf stood.
“We’re leaving this place my friend.”
Bliz shook and started padding next to them and heading south. It was a day hike to the pass though there was nothing in this place that would hurt him. It was a neutral zone of peace, according to the monks.
He used the quarterstaff as a walking stick and noticed the slight limp in his still-stinging leg. It was like a wasp had hit it. Hopefully it’d go away sometime.