Source Of The River (10 page)

S
tepping closer
to the cave and peering inside, Kaiya said, “I’ll go in with you this time.”
She regretted not going with him the first time. Her magic may well have
protected him from the attack, and she wouldn’t let him go alone again.

River nodded, looking down at the young dwarf. He
admired her determination and courage. She had already felt this being’s wrath
and witnessed her attack on River, but she did not hesitate to venture back
inside.

“We’ll all come,” Lenora said, stepping forward.

Galen looked uneasily at her. Facing down a
magical being that could best River was not something he hoped to do.

“Thank you, Lenora, but you two should wait
outside. I don’t want to overwhelm whoever this apparition is. It’s best if
only Kaiya and I enter.”

Galen let out a breath in relief.

“All right, but if I hear anything that concerns
me, I’m coming in.” Lenora trusted his judgment, but she wouldn’t stand by
while others were hurt. She might not be able to match the power of the being
within the cave, but she would do whatever was necessary to help her friends.

Kaiya stepped inside with River, and the two
disappeared in the darkness. A chill ran up Kaiya’s spine, but still she
pressed on. River seemed unfazed as they journeyed deeper inside. A cold wind blew
as they neared the gleaming white basin that lay directly in front of the
apparition’s pool. The sound of rushing water filled their ears and invigorated
River. Closing his eyes, he approached the water cascading from the cave
ceiling. Cupping his hands, he collected some water and rubbed it onto his
face. His eyes flashed with blue fire.

A sense of calm came over Kaiya. Before she had
felt only anger within the cave, but now she could sense peace and serenity.
River’s magic was overwhelming the hatred and replacing it with kindness. The
wind swirled as a light appeared over the pool. Kaiya realized this was her
chance to prepare, and she threw out her arms to gather the wind about her.
Laying her hands on top of her heart, she closed her eyes and ignored the light
forming before her. Focusing only on the wind itself, she created a shield to protect
her from the evil spirit’s attack. A swirling vortex of wind surrounded her,
and her eyes glowed with a silver light.

Side by side, River and Kaiya faced the
apparition. This time, she would not force them from the cave.

“Why have you come to this place?” River asked.

The elf spirit reached out her hand, testing the
layers of magic surrounding her visitors. Finding it respectably strong, she
said, “You are not the beings who came before me previously. Now you show your
true forms.”

Kaiya remained focused, refusing to allow the
spirit’s words to distract her. Any lapse in concentration and her spell of
protection might fail. “You are harming my kinsmen,” she said. “You must stop.”

The apparition laughed, throwing her arms up in
the air. “Wind and water, such a brave pair,” she said, still laughing.

A bright flash of light blinked before their eyes,
but still their magic held fast. The cave rumbled, and rocks fell from the
ceiling. Projecting his aura of peace, River refused to be moved by her tricks.
Kaiya tensed momentarily but opened her mind to absorb the calm of her
companion. Without River at her side, she knew her concentration would fail.
Her eyes filled with tears, wishing she could express her gratitude.

“You will not drive us away,” River said. “I can
sense your torment, and I would help you if I could. Tell us how we can free
you from this place.”

“You wish only to expel me!” she cried, her voice
filling with anger.

A blue light emitted from River’s hand and slowly
made its way to the apparition. Screaming with rage at its approach, the woman
held up a hand to block it. Undeterred, the blue light encompassed her, calming
her despite her efforts to stop it. Tears glistened as they slowly slid down
her cheeks, and an immense sadness filled the cave.

Kaiya felt herself beginning to falter, and she
dropped to one knee. Bowing her head, she once again tried to focus her mind to
hold the spell. River placed his hand on her shoulder, his aura once again
giving her strength. The sadness did not disappear, but Kaiya’s heart was
lifted. She stood strong once more, the air continuing to swirl around her.

Turning his attention back to the apparition,
River saw her tears. “Let us help you,” he said quietly.

“You cannot help,” she replied. “I am bound to
this place.”

“There is a way to free you, and we will find it,”
he said.

“I was murdered here,” she stated. “The one I
loved most betrayed me, and now I cannot leave. I have slept here for many long
years, but the dwarves have disturbed my rest. They must be punished.”

“My people meant you no harm,” Kaiya said. “They
are ignorant of magic, and they did not feel your presence.”

The apparition’s eyes filled with anger at Kaiya’s
response. “You could sense me,” she spat. “You should have stopped them.”

“They don’t listen to me,” Kaiya replied. “They
fear magic.”

“Then they deserve their fate,” she declared.

“I am sorry they disturbed you,” Kaiya continued.
“They were unaware, and they don’t deserve what you’ve done to them. Please let
us help you.”

“If you would help, then leave me in peace,” the
spirit replied. “Any who come here will be cursed.” Her tears had ceased, and
anger crept into her voice. River’s calming effect was waning.

“You cannot curse me!” Kaiya said boldly, taking a
step toward the pool.

“Your magic protects you,” the spirit replied
coolly. “For now, at least.” A wicked laugh escaped her throat.

“We’ve seen enough,” River said to Kaiya. “Keep
your focus until we’re out of the cave.”

Kaiya nodded, knowing that the apparition would
attack her if her magic faltered. She followed closely behind River as they
made their way through the darkness. Stepping out into the light, both of them
dropped their magical defenses.

Lenora rushed to River. “Are you all right?”

“We’re fine,” he replied. “I know what I’m dealing
with now. She is an ancient spirit, and she is capable of great evil. We won’t
easily be rid of her.”

P
ounding on the
door of Yiranor’s tower with his fist, Telorithan waited impatiently for a
servant to answer. When a timid young apprentice finally opened the door,
Telorithan shoved him out of the way and entered the tower. He did not spare so
much as a glance at the apprentice, who quickly ran up the stairs to fetch his
master.

Yiranor hurried down the winding staircase to meet
his former student. His hair was in slight disarray, but his face was shining. “Telorithan,”
he said. “It’s nice to have you back so soon.”

Telorithan folded his arms. “I’ve located an
elemental.” He was in no mood for pointless banter. He already felt delayed by
his own misgivings, and he was anxious to get some answers.

Yiranor asked, “The Red Isle?”

“No,” he replied. “A water elemental who is also
an elf.”

“Extraordinary!” Yiranor exclaimed. He had never
heard of such a thing and was honestly intrigued. “Please, sit. You must tell
me everything.”

The two elves took seats in the waiting area.
Yiranor motioned a servant to bring wine. This could be a lengthy discussion.

“It seems there is an elf living in the Westerling
Vale who embodies the spirit of an elemental. I’m not sure how this occurred or
who is in control of this body, but he has left the safety of the Vale to visit
a dwarf village in the mountains.”

“What is he doing there?” Yiranor was puzzled. No
elf spent time among the dwarves. They were a boorish race, unworthy of an
elf’s attention.

“I know not,” Telorithan replied with a sigh. “I
sense great power in him, and he is not alone.”

“A second elemental?” Yiranor’s eyes were wide.
Was Telorithan considering taking on two of these creatures at once?

“I sense its power, but I can’t see it. All I see
are dwarves and the two elves who traveled with the elemental.”

“Perhaps one of those elves is also an elemental?”

“I don’t believe so. I can sense their power, and
it is quite weak. One of them is so weak I can barely sense anything from him.”

“Do you suppose it could be a dwarf?” Yiranor
liked to consider all options, while his former pupil preferred to ignore
answers he did not like.

“Have you lost the small amount of mind you have
left? How could it possibly be a dwarf?” Redness crept into his face,
displaying his anger to his mentor.

“Perhaps one of them is possessed by a spirit just
as the elf is.”

Silence followed. Telorithan had not considered
that scenario. Their nature not being fully understood, elementals were capable
of incredible feats of magic. “My question to you is, do you think being half-elf
and half-elemental would make this creature more or less powerful? Why would an
elemental need an elf body unless it augmented its own power?”

“I cannot say,” the old elf replied. “I do know
one thing: only the gods possess more power than elementals.”

“You mean that an elf body would suppress an elemental’s
powers.” Telorithan spoke more to himself than to Yiranor. Perhaps it was taking
elf form merely out of curiosity. Old tales spoke of elementals who grew bored
and found strange ways of amusing themselves.

“I don’t believe having an elf body would make it
more powerful.” Yiranor’s words were sincere. He doubted Telorithan could
tackle a true elemental, but he may well succeed in binding this half-breed.
“Unless,” he said, thinking out loud, “the elemental were to release itself
from the body of the elf, it might no longer be inhibited.”

Telorithan’s eyes flashed red, his gaze piercing.
“I hadn’t considered that,” he said, sounding uncertain. “Yiranor,” he pleaded.
“You must help me. I have to find a way to bind an elemental. It’s my only hope
of binding a god.”

Yiranor felt a chill at those words. Before him
was an elf obsessed with power, not the young man he had nurtured. The fire in
his eyes burned not only with magic, but also with desire. His mind was bent on
a single goal, and he needed Yiranor’s help. “How could I refuse you?” he
replied. “Follow me.”

He led his guest up the winding staircase to a
room Telorithan had never seen. It was filled with rows of cabinets and wooden
boxes of various sizes, all of them labeled with glowing runes. With a quiet
giggle, Yiranor opened a small metal box, and a soft-blue glow illuminated his
face. Peering inside, Telorithan beheld a large sapphire. Yiranor reached in
and scooped the gem into his hand.

“I enchanted this myself centuries ago,” he said
proudly. He turned the gem over in his hand, admiring it. “It is flawless and perfectly
suited to your needs. You won’t find many sapphires of this quality.” He placed
the gem in Telorithan’s hand. “This could soon hold the power of an elemental.”

Staring at the gem in his hand, Telorithan was enthralled.
“This gem is capable of binding an essence?”

“It is,” Yiranor replied. “I know you’ve only
worked with amethysts for soul binding, but an amethyst cannot contain an
elemental. Ordinary elves and beasts can be contained in them, but for an
elemental, you need higher-quality gems that match your target.”

“A sapphire for water,” he said, holding the gem
up to the light. “Of course. It’s so simple I hadn’t thought of it.”

Yiranor smirked. “I’m happy to be of assistance.”

Carefully wrapping the sapphire in a cloth,
Telorithan placed it in his pocket. “You have given me a great gift once more.
When I have achieved my ultimate goal, your help will not be forgotten.”

“I wish you great success,” Yiranor replied. He no
longer feared what Telorithan might become. Instead, he felt pride. An elf who
had grown under his tutelage may someday possess the powers of a god. Perhaps
he would bestow a reward upon the elf who had helped him along the way. If he
were younger, Yiranor would love to accompany him on this mission. Though he
would not be there to witness the event, he knew his student would succeed.

“L
et me at that
witch!” Rudi shouted as he burst through a crowd of dwarves. His skin was
flushed, and he was sweating. “I’ll make her take this curse off, or I’ll kill
her with my bare hands!” he shouted. “She’s the only dwarf to go in that cave
and come out healthy. That proves she’s the cause!” Immediately after uttering
the words, he fell into a coughing fit. Doubling over and clutching his midsection,
he continued to cough until he fell to the ground.

Lenora
instinctively rushed to his side. None of the dwarves dared to move. She lifted
his head from the ground, and he looked up into her pale eyes. Seeing only
kindness, Rudi was nearly overcome with emotion. His anger vanished, and his
coughing subsided.

“I will take you
into the hospital,” Lenora said, helping him to his feet.

Rudi followed as if
in a trance, entering the tent beside Lenora. She led him to an empty cot where
he could rest. After removing his shoes, she brought a bowl of cool water and
gently wiped the sweat from his face.

“You’re going to be
all right,” she said, placing a cool cloth on his forehead. “You mustn’t believe
that Kaiya has caused this. She is only trying to help.”

He nodded, unable
to argue with the lovely elf maiden. Stirring a small amount of crushed herbs
into a glass of water, Lenora pressed the cup to his lips. Within seconds, Rudi
was asleep. Repeating the same procedure for the other ailing dwarves, Lenora
ensured they would all rest comfortably. She could not break the magic that was
causing their pain, but she could minimize their suffering.

She stepped out of
the tent to speak with Kaiya. “You mustn’t pay heed to his accusations,” she
said. “He’s delirious.”

“He’s always
thought of me as a witch,” Kaiya replied with a shrug. “I doubt he will ever
see me differently.”

Lenora did not
reply, but the sadness in her eyes said more than words could express. Her
heart was heavy for Kaiya, as well as the suffering dwarves. In her heart,
Lenora knew that Kaiya would do anything to save her people. It pained her that
the young woman was treated so badly.

“Can you cure this
illness?” Galen asked.

Lenora shook her
head. “I don’t have the skill to break the enchantment. All I can do is try to
make them comfortable.”

“They must stop
drinking water from inside the cave,” River said.

“Not only miners
are affected,” Lenora replied. “Some of the afflicted dwarves are wives and
children to the miners. They’ve never been inside the cave themselves.”

“Then it’s
contagious,” Galen remarked, his eyes darting back and forth. “Do you think we
can catch it?”

“I don’t know,”
Lenora replied.

“We will find a
cure,” River declared. “I believe I know who this spirit is.” He turned to
Galen, “Do you remember tales of Nicodun?”

“Yes,” Galen said,
nodding. “I read about him while I was working in the archives. He was one of
the First Ones who lived in ancient times. His desire for power led him to
commit acts of great evil. When his lover refused to assist him, he murdered
her and bound her essence.”

“What happened to
him?” Kaiya asked.

“He was banished by
his kinsmen after he tried to force the Island Dwellers into servitude,” Galen
replied.

“I believe the
apparition inside is that of his lover Indal,” River said. “She was murdered
here and bound to this place. The dwarves awakened her, and she has nothing left
but hatred.”

“I think I’d be
angry too,” Kaiya replied, looking at the cave. “How long has she been
trapped?”

“If it’s Indal,
it’s been several millennia since her death,” Galen said quietly.

The group remained
silent for a moment, absorbing the tragedy of the situation. Indal’s anger was
understandable, but she was punishing the wrong people. Someone had to stop her
before the dwarves were wiped out.

“I will consult
with the Spirit of the river in the morning,” River said.

“You’re leaving?”
Lenora asked, surprised.

“No,” he replied.
“This is the same water that flows into the Vale. I can communicate from here.”

“Do you think he
knows how to help Indal?” Lenora wished medicine could cure a heart that was broken
so long ago, but she knew any effort she made would fail. This was far beyond
her skill.

“If there’s a way
to help her, I believe the Spirit will know,” he replied.

“There is one thing
I forgot to mention,” Galen cut in.

The others turned to
look at him, wondering what he had left out.

“Nicodun was
banished by the others using an ancient artifact. They required an enchanted
opal to destroy him, and they may have destroyed it when they finished with
him. There is no record of how it was made or what became of it. It might not
be possible to make such an item again.”

“My people have
great skill with gems and metals. Maybe Trin could craft whatever it is you
need.” Kaiya sounded hopeful. She had no idea of the power of the First Ones.

“I’m afraid the
knowledge of such crafts has long since disappeared,” River said. “It’s
doubtful that anyone could create it.”

“Then we’ll have to
find the original,” Kaiya declared.

Galen looked
doubtful. “There may be nothing to find.”

Frustrated, Kaiya
replied, “We have to try! We can’t stand around talking about how it’s
hopeless. We have to do something!”

“We will,” River promised.
“The Spirit will know what to do.”

Kaiya sighed. She
watched as more dwarves made their way into the hospital tent, some of them barely
able to walk. More of her kinsmen were falling ill, and she was powerless to
stop it. Ancient magic or not, she wished she had the power to banish the
entity herself. She felt sorry for Indal, but she was not justified in her
vengeance on the dwarves. There was no excuse for her behavior, and Kaiya would
use any means necessary to stop her.

Lenora knelt to
embrace Kaiya, who was on the verge of tears. “I will do everything I can for
them,” she said. “I know you feel it’s your duty to save them, and I believe
you will do just that. Don’t lose heart, my friend. You haven’t been defeated
yet.”

Kaiya watched
Lenora as she headed into the tent to treat the new arrivals. Waiting until
morning may as well be a month. She was ready to act now, but she had no idea
what to do. All she could do was hope that this Spirit would have an answer
that would save her people.