The Harp of Aleth (10 page)

“Priests do not concern themselves with the continuation of our race. Others have that duty,” Qin-Dar replied, her attention on the couple who embraced in the light of the crystal. “I die in the knowledge that I have done my duty well, Loriel. Can you say the same thing?”

“Who knows what my duty was? I died to everyone, remember. But I was brought back and I can offer that rebirth to you,” the Lych Mistress said softly, kindly.

Qin-Dar looked at the elven princess-who-was. “What?”

“I can take you to the one who brought me back from the realm of Death and then you can find a mate and have as many foals as you wish. You have only to do one thing.”

“And that is?” The were-unicorn shivered, feeling her last moments upon her.

“Say yes.” The Lych Mistress caught Qin-Dar as she started to collapse. “Say yes and I will save you.”

I could be reborn and have children. The only thing that I never experienced in my entire life; the joy of home and hearth. Or I could become a warrior and feel the thrill of battle in a way that the peaceful arts of priesthood never gave me.
The dying cleric stared up into Loriel’s eyes.
So much temptation. Life eternal just by giving up my soul… but what would the Dark Ones ask of me to gain such a reward? Rebirth now or certainty of death?
She took one last deep breath and made her decision. “No.”

A bright white light flared around her and the Lych Mistress screamed as it touched her. Loriel dropped Qin-Dar and with Hezan and Tavia close behind her, fled for the portal in the next room.

The white light touched the slow pulse of the crystal. There was a shriek and the crystal cracked, falling onto the dais.

“Thus I die, my duty done and the dungeon cleansed,” Qin-Dar gasped out as she slumped against the floor. “May The Mother receive my soul.”

The light brightened until the room was flooded with pure white light. Fiörna appeared beside Qin-Dar.

“Come home, my child.” The Goddess took the cleric’s hand. “You are loved.”

When the light faded, no one remained in the room, just the two halves of the crystal, rocking on the dais where they had fallen.

* * *

The rumbling started as they left the treasury. All of the Gremlins carried on working as if nothing was happening around them, despite the chunks of rock dropping from the ceiling.

Julissa clutched the harp.
How am I going to be able to carry this and move quickly? It doesn’t seem heavy, but the size is more than a little cumbersome and I really do not want to get it damaged.

The harp’s jewels gleamed brightly and Julissa felt it give a shiver under her arms.

Did it just respond to me? None of the books said that it was sentient.

“We have to get out of here before the whole mountain falls down on top of us.” Virrinel led the way out through the training room, his sword gleaming with multi-coloured light.

“What about the Miners? We can’t just escape ourselves and not warn them,” Julissa gasped, her hands clutching the harp tightly to her chest.

It shimmered and shrank rapidly until it looked like one of the doll harps Julissa had played with as a child.

“I’m sure that they’ve weathered worse than this, Julissa, they’ll be fine.” Joran snapped his fingers as a huge rock detached itself from the roof above them. The mage gestured sharply, throwing the stone behind them to block the corridor to the treasury chamber. “Put the harp somewhere safe and let’s get out of here.

“But, Qin-Dar…” Julissa half turned as if to go back, tucking the harp into the pouch of holding on her belt.

“She was dying. She chose to use her last moments to ensure our survival. Don’t be pig headed, Julissa!” Virrinel slung his shield onto his back and grabbed one of her arms with his free hand. “Joran, help me.”

Joran nodded and slipped an arm through Julissa’s.

“It would be fastest if we exit through the library. Qin-Dar disarmed all the traps along there and we really ought to rescue my Blood Bat. He didn’t ask to be brought down here.”

“Good plan.” Virrinel rolled his eyes and looked at Julissa who they hauled along between them through the machinery of the training room. More rocks crashed down around them. “The less hassle as we leave the better.”

“But…” Julissa moaned. “Oh very well. Let go of me, you two. I know when I’m beaten and I can move faster on my own.”

“Joran, take the lead.” Virrinel gestured with his blade as they exited the room.

The blood mage let go of the bard and moved in front of her. Virrinel fell behind slightly, making sure that nothing followed.

Despite the falling rocks, the dungeon was eerily silent as they moved along the corridors toward the library.

Gremlins started to appear along their route to try and fortify the walls, but would collapse moments later, gasping out their last without any help from the three heroes trying to make their own escape.

The dungeon shuddered massively as they reached the entrance to the library. The corridor ceiling collapsed on Virrinel’s heels as he pushed Julissa into the room ahead of the cloud of dust.

“What on earth is causing all this?” Julissa coughed as Joran called his Blood Bat to him.

“I’d say that Qin-Dar managed to smash the dungeon crystal instead of retrieving it and taking it outside into sunlight the way we’d originally intended.” The mage tucked the trembling little bat into its wooden box and put the box back into his pouch. “The release of power from the crystal would send cracks through anything fortified using its magic.”

“I don’t particularly care about how it’s happening; I just want to get out before we get trapped in here.” Virrinel sheathed his sword and shook the dirt out of his fur.

Joran looked around.

“The entrance was over there.” He pointed at the opposite wall to the door they had entered through.

They picked their way across the room; although the room’s ceiling appeared to be intact, the bookcases had all toppled and books and scrolls were scattered everywhere.

One bookcase had slid sideways across the front of the hinged casement that closed the tunnel, so Joran and Virrinel heaved that aside while Julissa shifted the fallen books enough to be able to open the door.

The dungeon shook violently and more rock fell as the three of them scrambled up the passage into the narrow corridor between the bathing rooms. As the door slid shut behind them, a great rumbling crash shook the whole complex.

Julissa coughed as the dust pursuing them up the corridor enveloped her in a thick, grey-white cloud.

“Thank the Lady that’s over.”

“I’m not sure it is, Julissa.” Joran waved one hand and the dust dropped out of the air, gathered itself into a ball and rolled back the way they’d come, plastering itself over the wall where the secret door resided, and hiding it permanently. “I believe that our experience was a part of the troubles the Empress informed me of.”

“What troubles?” Virrinel shook his fur roughly.

“I’ll tell you on the way to Alethdariel.” Joran smiled. “I believe you have a border war to halt and I have a Queen to greet.”

Julissa smiled.

“Good point. Besides, I need to get to know you a lot better if we are going to be wed.”

Joran looked at her and then at Virrinel. “Wed?”

The cat-man grinned, his canines shining.

“I’ll hold her if you want to run now, brother.”

Julissa laughed and grabbed both of them by the arm.

“Come on.”

* * *

The Aracan Katuvana welcomed Hezan and Tavia with a handshake and embraced the Lych Mistress, leaving her gasping for breath.

“I shall settle our guests into their rooms, Lord,” she said, motioning to the two lovers to follower her out of the throne room.

The Jar watched them leave, then swivelled its eye upon the Aracan Katuvana.

“You gain much this evening, my Lord.”

The Aracan Katuvana growled and with a violent gesture brought the dungeon up on the window. Everywhere lay the bodies of the Lych Mistress’s fallen army. Even the gremlins lay expiring on the smooth stone floors. The stone bound Wortarin lay in pieces on the floor, flattened by a massive chunk of ceiling that the cracking of the dungeon crystal must have released.

“One Dungeon has perished. What of it? With the High King of Franier under your control through Tavia and Jarsken, as well as the undiscovered dungeons of Galivor, Valdier and Jinran to provide your army, we shall regain that which we have lost easily.” The Jar smiled. “And once you have conquered the Heart Kingdoms, you will be free to fulfil your side of our bargain.”

The Aracan Katuvana paced the floor.

“Worry not, my Sweet Lord.” The Lych Mistress returned to the throne room and laid one hand on his arm, bringing him to a halt. “We shall be victorious.”

The Aracan Katuvana slid his arm around her, and with a growl at the Jar, led her out of the room.

The Jar’s smile grew broader.

“Yes, you will be victorious, and I shall soon be free,” it muttered.

End of Book Four

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The Final instalment - Nightbringer

The Midwinter Solstice Beacons snake across Quargard as the Aracan Katuvana plots his next move. The surviving Heroes of the Dungeons gather to plan his demise. The Gods watch the Heroes and wait.

Behind it all the Jar completes its designs, setting into motion a conflict that is intended to set the Dark Gods free once more.

Who will prevail? Not even the Gods can tell…

Kira Morgana thought she was a teacher but life decided otherwise.

Living not far from a rift in time and space in a land that has a dragon on its flag, is it any wonder that Kira was inspired to write stories of myths and legend, creating her own worlds and her own legends?

Buoyed by the magic of three children and a loving partner she has created the five stories that make up The Tower And The Eye series of sword and sorcery adventures. Based on her own imagination and love of playing role play games, these stories are the everlasting dilemma of Good versus Evil. We all know which SHOULD win, but does it?

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