The Ways of Mages: Two Worlds (17 page)

Speaking of which, she should have remembered that the Nirami had a kind o
f‘
min
d’
. How often had she directed what it did? How could she forget?
Old age must be getting to me.
She thought sullenly. No wonder the child said the things it did. She was its master and she had told it to alert her if anyone tried crossing the Nirami. Now someone was attempting to. Someone who, according the illusio
n’
s phrasing, was heading south. A Sheyestivan. 

And the prophec
y…
the Niram
i’
s Grave was a tortured scar upon the land; it would know when there was a hope it could be heale
d
…

Ari
té
turned from her door to the basin of water. It was a large thing that rose from the floor to her waist and was wide and deep enough to be a bath tub. Although, no one would want to bathe in it because of its wild waters. She had gathered the water from the rain outside centuries and centuries ago when she had first arrived in the Niram
i’
s Grave. Never in all that time had the water stilled on its own. Constantly it churned, the wild magic within it knowing no rest. Wild, fighting, restless magic was what formed the Niram
i’
s mountains all those long years ago. And for some reason beyond knowledge, remained trapped within the boundaries of those same mountains. The wild magics were what drove the storms and heated the rain water. It was those same magics that mad
e‘
ghost
s’
to those who knew not of illusions.  Many people to the south considered the Niram
i’
s Grave to be the land of the dead. Ari
té
could
n’
t necessarily disagree with the consideration. The Nirami was a dead, barren place. She was the only living thing who
could
live here. Ari
té
could control the purposeless energies.

Her basin gave her easy access to these magics. It was how she was able to observe and control everything in her domain. Now she stood before the churning waters. Ari
té
dipped a solitary finger into them. The magic within recognized that within her blood. It knew she wanted something and magic longs for something to direct it. It wanted a purpose. The water stilled as it waited for her purpose. Ari
té
smiled slightly. Then she focused upon a single thought; to find.

The magic started the waters to slowly circle her finger, like a dog promised a treat. Eagerly it waited for the scent of what it was to find. Ari
té
wetted it with the
telecy
magics at her command. With a jolt, Ari
t
é
’
s consciousness was pulled in the wake of the magic as it hunted. A fair distance from her body passed before it showed her its prey. A great eagle with feathers made of the very absence of light soared between two mountains. With a length of seven feet and a wingspan of eleven
,‘
grea
t’
was an accurate description. For all his size, the eagl
e’
s movements were smooth with not an ounce of energy wasted. Calculating, intense, black-veined blue eyes watched everything.

Her illusion visitor had been correct. She recognized him alright. Not just his kind, but
him
. In an age past, Kaishan had led his countr
y’
s troops south to begin that bloody, wasteful war called The Shadow War. There was no quarter given, nor mercy to ordinary folk. It took precious time for the people of the south to realize that they were suddenly in a conflict for their very existence. Just in the end, when it looked like the conquerors were to win, the southern king with nothing to lose and everything to gain, cast a spell. A spell the likes of which had never been seen in ages ended the Shadow War with a stalemat
e
…

He looks just as he did when last I saw him.
Ari
té
thought.
Perhaps a little olde
r
…
She reconsidered. The only difference was the silver flashes along his wings. Focusing on those flashes, Ari
té
could feel the warmth of
marana
. A small smile touched her lips. The southern kin
g’
s spell had marked the High Prince.
I wonder where the scoundrel thinks he is off to?
She thought. Coming to a decision quickly, Ari
té
ordered the magic into a very, very fine tether that she stuck to the eagle Kaishan. She blessed the buzz of the wild magic all around for it hid what she did from him. His kind, especially him, were sensitive to workings of
telecy.
  They had to be if they wanted to live. Kaishan, the High Prince, was very sensitive and strong in
telecy
. Ari
té
found just how sensitive. Even with the veil of wild magics, Kaishan still tensed when she hooked the tether. After a tense moment it seemed like Kaishan decided that Ari
t
é
’
s light touch was nothing more than some brush of wild power. He relaxed. 

Kaishan was Emperor Shan
tév’
s sword
.‘
The Sword flie
s
’
A sword that was probably the greatest weapon Sheyestiva owned
.
’
A sword is double edged so to cut both way
s
…’ 
None dared challenge the High Prince. Not only was he a strong
telecer
, he was also the Winged Dagger. A formidable figure that Ari
té
felt would cut into the very flow of history.
‘
One way to destruction; the other to hop
e’
.
He had to be the sword mentioned in her vers
e
…
‘
Hope lies it the Sword
.
’
She intended to guide him.

The eagle prince winged into the higher atmosphere. No other birds could fly as high as he and still the Niram
i’
s peaks rose above him. Soon Kaishan broke from the mountains. He remained high to avoid detection. The distance probably made him appear to be a small bird to those below. Something far from a threat. A Sheyestivan was nothing without his illusions.

They now flew over Marlhema. These lands were the exact opposite of the Nirami. Where the Nirami were barren, these lands were full of life; rolling grass lands, great forests, hill lands and mountains. Human civilization was scattered everywhere like bread crumbs. Bread crumbs without their dragon guardians. If Kaishan was scouting, as she assumed he was, then he knew that Marlhema was more than vulnerable. If his people wanted victory, this was his chance. 

Flying over the northern plains of Marlhema, Ari
té
wondered how long Kaishan would fly over this land before heading back. Hopefully not too lon
g…
She knew where her southern kin sheltered, plus there was something that had appeared nineteen years ago; a dome formed out of
marana
. The dragons were up to something, but she knew not what. Ari
té
had the feeling that Kaishan should not find it. She decided that she would stay with Kaishan until he returned north.

Present day- Pershara

Altana glared at where the couple with the child had disappeared. What was left of the Dark-sons walked around aimlessly.  Uselessly.  They could
n’
t figure out where the couple had gone. In a fit of rage she blasted a score of them. The rest made themselves scarce.  She entered the collapsing warehouse with the rage still simmering. How dare that couple slip through her fingers. Her master would very likely not be pleased. The only thing that could be her saving grace was the child in her womb. And even that might not be enough. As soon as she stepped over the threshold a pressure draped about her nape. There was something her
e
…

“
Ka
s’
ja nou
!”
She commanded. The air rippled and bent but nothing revealed itself. Only strong magic could keep a concealing spell from her. Narrowing her eyes, Altana tried again
.“
N
e’
SHRI KA
S’
JA
!”
She gestured sharply. The air roiled. Distorted, but visible, was an odd machine. She had never seen its like before. Her gaze was drawn to a sword in a cradle. What she could see of the blade was black. It made her think of black diamonds. The hilt was of bright brass.

Altana approached it. Power was emanating from the sword
.“
A magic sword, father? Yo
u’
re too kind
.”
Her smile could have been a thing of beauty if she had
n’
t been so evil. Her enemies were getting careless, leaving such a weapon. Their mistake. She would use it against them. Would
n’
t that b
e…
enjoyable? The universe did indeed have a way of balancing out injustices.

She reached for it. A powerful pressure was building, making it very hard to breathe. Altana ignored the pain in her bones. If her father thought a little pain would keep her from taking this sword, he was wrong. Her hand a breath away from the hilt, Altana felt the hair on her arms stand up straight. She touched the hilt. The pressure let up.

She laughed. The old man was getting soft in his old age. She turned her hand to get a better grip. With a jerk she began pulling the black blade from the cradle. A current of pure power arced through her body. Pain beyond anything she had ever suffered ripped through her skin, pushed thickly through her veins. Light flashed; searing her eyes even though they were closed. Blinded by the brilliant white light, Altana felt herself being hurled away. Maltacke
n’
s gift seized and tightened. about her wrist. The rose thorns pierced her flesh like grinding jaws. Screams filled her ears. Despite the noise she had the sense of hearing a voice speaking.

It was very succinct.
 “
DO NOT
.
”

The pain lessened and Altana became aware of whimpering sounds. The problem was, not all of them were hers. Altana made to sit up when a stabbing pain bit into her abdomen. Her maste
r’
s new husk! She put her hand to her stomach. She sent a tendril of magic to check upon the baby. It was alive. She was no healer, but she was sure the child was fine. The pain she had felt must have been an aftershock from the sword. Breathing a sigh of relief that she would not be reporting the hus
k’
s death to her lord, she sat up.

An unexpected sight met her gaze. A twelve year old girl with dark brown hair was sitting between Altana and the machine. The girl was moaning, rubbing her head.

Kairevasigh rubbed her aching head. Like the last time she was flung through time she felt drained. Unlike last time, she noticed as she regained her senses, there was an electric tingle. Made her skin itch; like when she flew near where a storm was brewing. Glancing about her, Kairevasigh guessed that she had shown up in a warehous
e…
one that had been badly used. Near her was a very strang
e…
thing. In a strange apparatus was a Sheyestivan sword.

“
Am I home
?”
She asked surprised. Kaizir had said that she had a journey ahead of her. This just seemed too easy.

“
And where did you come from
?”
A feminine voice said. A voice that froze Kairevasig
h’
s blood. The young Sheyestivan girl whirled around getting to her knees. A woman with dark, lustrous black hair was getting up. A long scar on her left cheek marred the woma
n’
s beauty. But there was already something about her that unnerved Kairevasigh. The woman wa
s…
evil
.  Before she had met Kaizir, Kairevasigh did
n’
t know evil existed. Not in so pure a form, anyway.  She knew people did bad things but everyone had been some shade of gray. But now she knew a face of evil. It was beautiful, but
wrong
and
soulless.
And what was worse, the evil woman was pregnant.  

Altana met the young gir
l’
s startling eyes. They were blue, which sometimes showed up, but they had silver and black veins in them. They were wide. The girl rose slowly.

“
Answer me
.”
Altana demanded. 

The girl swallowed, taking a step back. Kairevasigh thought quickly, trying to decipher what the woman said. It had been spoken in some strange form of the Persharan she had learned in Thiodan
.“
I a
m…
fro
m…
around
.”
She said hesitantly. Hopefully she had gotten the words close enough.

She could learn the woma
n’
s tongue better if she skimmed it from the woma
n’
s mind. But she had no interest in touching something evil. She was
n’
t desperate enough for that yet. And there was the chance that the woman would take her mind. Kairevasigh dropped her eyes to the floor. There were burn marks in the wood.

Altana sneered
.“
I doubt that
.”
She took a step toward the girl. Pressure built in the room as Altana gathered her power.

“
Do
n’
t
.”
The girl said, looking up.
The girl has knowledge of magi
c…
Altana thought. Once she learned what the girl knew, Altana might sacrifice the child to her lord.  He might forgive her then for losing GrimHolden and the couple.

Kairevasigh glanced back at the sword in the strange thing. If she could pull it out, she could at least have something between her and the evil woman. 

The pressure went up as Altana cast her immobilizing spell, a cruel smile on her face.  Several things happened at that moment. Two of them the sorceress did
n’
t expect. First, the girl evaded the spell by simply not being there. The child reappeared next to the machine, her hand on the sword. Second, the girl pulled the sword free of its cradle. There was a grating sound as the machine locked down on itself and Altan
a’
s view of it cleared as the concealing spell collapsed. The girl raised the sword toward a very surprised Altana.

Kairevasigh thanked the fates-  or maybe that should be God?- that both men and women were trained in the arts of swordcraft in Sheyestiva. She was
n’
t the Winged Dagger or anything, but Kairevasigh could at least defend herself.

By the woma
n’
s expression, it seemed that wherever Kairevasigh was, the women did
n’
t know swordcraft. Pressure began building in the room again as the beautiful woman scowled at her. It was at that moment that Kairevasigh wondered if a sword could do anything against magi
c
…

“
HOW DID YOU PULL THAT FREE?
!”
Altana raged and a ball of black and red fire sprang toward the girl.

Kairevasig
h’
s eyes widened and she instinctively teleported to a point behind the crazy, evil woman. The magic fire consumed the metal beast that she had pulled the sword from.  The door was now near Kairevasigh. She ran for it, just as the woman was turning toward her.

“
KA TASHA!
!”
She heard the woman shout
.“
I want the girl and the sword brought to me
.
”

Kairevasigh glanced behind her. The woman was pointing at he
r…
and there wer
e…
Things gathering around her. Kairevasig
h’
s eyes widened and her grip on the sword tightened. She turned away and raced as fast as she could along a deserted dirt road. She could hear scrabbling sounds as the Things gave chase.

By the sounds of pursuit, the Things were not that far behind her. Kairevasigh could feel the rotting breath on her neck.
Not for long.
She thought as she narrowed her eyes at a point in the distance. She teleported there and ran around a corner and down an alley.

Panting, Kairevasigh looked for the next place to jump. She lost track of time as she ran through this strange water-side town. The people that she saw in the market section stared at her and the sword in her hand. They then screamed and fled when they saw what was following her. it became a sick game of cat and mouse between Kairevasigh and the Things. Kairevasigh hated playing the mouse. It was taking everything she had to stay a step ahead of the creatures. Teleporting helped a lot, but the Things were coming out of the woodwork. So not fair.

Eventually, Kairevasigh ran into a dead-end
.“
Shraka
!”
She swore viciously turning around to meet the oncoming Things. The grotesque creatures slowed. Grins of victory spread on their putrid face
s…
if you could call them faces. Kairevasigh brandished the sword before her, fighting her exhaustion. She had led them a merry chase and she would be damned if she let them touch her. Damned in more ways than one, she figured eyeing them.

There was a saying her people had
.“
Fate is the Great Audience. The audience adores tricks, the more you have, the more the Fates love you
.”
Kairevasigh had a few tricks in mind. She did
n’
t think her weapon could do much against the Things before her. And even if it could, there was only one of her against many. Too many. The tricks she had, she prayed would work long enough for her to run far away.

The Dark-sons came toward the girl their mistress wanted. She was so small, so fragile. The black sword she held before her so slim. They were vast in their numbers. They came closer to their prey. They hoped she fought, because then they could have a taste of her before they had to give her to their mistress. The girl pulled away from them, clutching the sword with white knuckled fingers. When she had no room to swing, they pounce
d…
and hit the wall. The Dark-sons clawed at each other in a putrid, slimy mess hissing in frustration. How had the girl child escaped them?

Meanwhile, Kairevasigh raced the wind on a finicky horse she had stolen from a taver
n’
s stable. The black sword she had wrapped in some laundry she had grabbed on her way out of town and strapped to her back. She had teleported to point along her previous trail when the Things had first started to close in on her. In her place she had left an illusion of a cowering girl. She had panicked that she would run into the evil, scar faced woman. But she had
n’
t. Thanking God for her escape, she pushed the horse hard. She also apologized for taking the beast and the clothing. She had no idea how she would pay it back. She only hoped that the evil woman would
n’
t kill the owners in her rage.

At that moment, Kairevasigh felt her illusion in the alley break. Cursing, Kairevasigh asked the horse for more speed.

***

Bendon was on his way to a portal symbol he had planted ages ago that would take him to Thioden. As the First Wizard of the Wizard Council, he could do such a thing. He had keyed it so it would, unless he specified otherwise, work only for him.

His fight with Altana could have gone a lot better, but she would
n’
t back down. There were also a ton of Dark-sons crawling around. He had started to taunt her so she would be mad enough to follow him to just outside of South Port, giving the rest of the group time to escape. But she had
n’
t.

He knew she had
n’
t succeeded in killing Jewel and Gawin simply because he was still alive and he had felt Jewel within the portal. That was his past. Some thought that being able to go back in time meant that one could change what happened. That was
n’
t so. Time was like a river. You could go down the river hundreds of times, but you cannot stop the river. The river always flows to the sea.