torg 03- The Nightmare Dream (28 page)

"What are you talking about, shaman?" she demanded, suddenly tired of his endless riddles.

Djil touched her hair, brushing it away from her emerald eyes. "You need to sleep before we reach your land, Tolwyn," he said quietly, soothingly. She felt her eyelids suddenly grow heavy, and a yawn escaped her before she could stifle it. "There is one more dream you must have, one more question you need answered."

Tolwyn listened to his voice move farther and farther away, and she tried in vain to keep her head from lolling. She failed, and it hit the back of the seat with finality.

And then Tolwyn dreamed.

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Angar Uthorion left Malraux in the throne room and entered the bed chamber. He was tired, and he needed to sleep before he could solve the last of his problems.

"Damn Tolwyn and her curse," he muttered through Ardinay's lips. "Where is she?"

He collapsed upon the huge bed, letting Ardinay's head hit the thick pillows. He suddenly felt even more tired than he had a moment ago. All of the recent events were catching up with him, and he desperately needed to close his eyes.

But what if the dream returns, he thought. What if I have the nightmare again? Too late, he realized as sleep took him, it was too late. He could hear the nightmare prowling in his mind, waiting for him to join it in sleep.

And then Uthorion dreamed.

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Tolwyn and Uthorion dreamed ...

... It was the darkest day in Aysle history, when invaders from another land marched toward the sacred Valley of the Sword. It was in this beautiful valley that the hero that was to become a god brought his enchanted blade, Aurel. He was Dunad, and his people were enslaved by the savage giants of Lower Aysle. But Dunad had gone on a quest to find something to aid his people. He finally returned, carrying the enchanted sword. It had the power to unlock the very essence of Aysle, to allow the person who wielded it to call on magic! Dunad knew that he alone could not stop the giants, so in the valley that was to become a sacred place, he shattered the weapon and released the skills and knowledges it contained for all to use.

And so magic finally became a tool for all folk, human and giant, dwarf and elf.

That, however, was a long time past, and now a new danger threatened the folk of Aysle. Lady Pella Ardinay stood upon the highest rampart of her castle, watching as the streaming armies of undead shambled ever closer.

The invaders came across a bridge of twisted souls that spiraled down from the sky to crash to the ground beyond the Inland Sea, behind the jagged peaks of the Kelor Mountains. With its arrival, the land changed. Where the monsters passed, the land became dark, poisoned by their foul touch. Trees blackened and withered. Water turned murky. The ground cracked like dried skin, and black ooze flowed from the wound like blood. And now the monsters were almost upon the defenders of Aysle, bringing their decaying touch into the most holy of places, the Valley of the Sword.

"We will make our stand here," Ardinay told the six men and women beside her. "Here, in the valley where Holy Dunad made his own stand so long ago. In this castle, where the Speakers of the Houses meet with the Speaker for the People to decide laws and policies. This is where we will defend our land."

The Knight Protectors nodded solemnly, making ready to go below so that they could take command of their armies. They were the sons and daughters of the House Dukes, heirs to the seats of power in Aysle: Kwev of House Daleron, the handsome swordsman who was perhaps the best fighter in the land; Abonon of House Gerrik, a mighty mage; Seris of House Liandar, the red-haired woman who laughed hard and fought harder; Hogar of House Vareth, a dwarven genius who carried two huge battle-axes across his back; Candal of House Bendes, the archer; and Tolwyn of House Tancred, paladin of honor who commanded both the Knight Protectors and the combined armies of Aysle.

The young warriors started toward the stairs when Lady Ardinay called, "Tolwyn, wait a moment, child."

The Lady of the Light was radiant, standing proudly before Tolwyn. The warrior woman loved Lady Ardinay

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with all her heart, the way she loved her father, the way she loved the land.

"This place stands for everything I have fought for, child," Ardinay explained, "everything the people of Aysle believe in. It is the home of the Delegate Legacy, a government I am proud to have helped found. I will die before I see it defiled by these invaders."

"You will not die, my lady," Tolwyn pledged. "We will drive these creatures back to their bridge, back to whatever terrible world has spawned them."

Below the tower ranged the forces of the Houses, the armies of the Knight Protectors. Ardinay sighed as she looked upon them. "They are my friends, Tolwyn," the Lady said, "the best warriors this continent has to offer. Much blood will spill this day, I fear. I hope I do not have to bury too many of my friends."

The column of abominations moved relentlessly forward, drawing closer as the sun began to set. "They will attack at dusk," Ardinay said, suddenly realizing the invaders' plan. "They will attack at the Entity's Hour."

At the head of the column Ardinay could see a huge dragon, somehow related to the great beasts of Aysle but made different by its inherent wickedness. Upon its back was a man in dark robes, wearing the symbols of necromancy. He was the leader of this terrible force of evil. He was Uthorion. He was death.

The sun hit the rim of its path through the world, and vibrant colors exploded across the sky. Once the bright reds and oranges faded, the monsters would attack. Until then, they waited behind the Carredon and its master, neither eager nor sullen. They simply waited.

"Remember the land, Tolwyn," Ardinay said, brushing her fingers gently across Tolwyn's brow. "The

land is important. It is what makes Aysle so special."

Tolwyn listened intently as the blazing colors of the sky went through their cooling process and darkness began to spread across the world disk with casual strides. Ardinay hoped the plan she was implementing never had to be used, but she would put it in place just in case. She hoped Tolwyn would forgive her.

"Dunad," Pella Ardinay prayed, "show us the way to banish these things of darkness. Show us how to preserve the land."

A glowing ball appeared in the Lady of Light's hands. It was warm and bright, and it felt very good to Tolwyn. The Lady stretched out her hands to Tolwyn.

"This is the land, Tolwyn," Ardinay explained. "Dunad has helped me gather it. Place it in your heart and remember it always."

The ball drifted into the warrior's hands, and she was suddenly filled with the sights, sounds, scents, and tastes of Aysle. The ball began to shrink, its glowing brightness becoming a swirl of crimson and turquoise as it formed into a crys flower. Then the flower disappeared.

"I have done all that I can, my warrior," Ardinay said with sadness and hope. "Now you must do what you can."

Dusk took the countryside, throwing the Valley of the Sword into deep twilight. The Carredon stretched its foul wings, announcing that it was about to move. "I will do what I must, my lady," Tolwyn declared. Then she leaped over the rampart to face the evil dragon.

Ardinay prepared herself for her own battle as she heard the dragon cut through the ranks of defenders. She also heard the Knight Protectors begin a prayer of sending, just as she had asked them to do.

"Remember the land," Ardinay said once more. "And

die well, my cherished knight."

"I will see you dead, Uthorion!" Tolwyn's strong voice called out from far below. "Whether in this life or another, you will one day have to face my blade!"

There were more shouts, but Ardinay blocked them out as she gathered her magic about her. She would need every bit of strength she could muster to battle the dark one, and even then, she knew that victory was uncertain.

"I am here," Lord Angar Uthorion of the Dark announced as he entered Castle Ardinay.

"As am I," Lady Pella Ardinay of the Light answered. Necromancer and mage drew their magicks into defensive cloaks, and the air crackled with energy.

"It is the Hour of the Entity," Uthorion said, "the time of those beings that do not belong to the world of folk. It is the hour of my victory."

Then the battle was joined, as mage threw lightning and fire, and necromancer countered with twirling bones and the grave cold touch of gathered spirits.

It was a short war.

As powerful a mage as Ardinay was, she could not stand against Uthorion and the powers he drew from his Darkness Device. Before the Hour of the Entity passed, Uthorion cast his most devastating spell.

"With this object that belongs to you," Uthorion declared as he held a small mirror in one hand, "I sunder your spirit, separating it from your physical form and banishing it to the realm of entities!" The words of power spoken, Uthorion touched Ardinay, and a crackle of arcane might was released.

Lady Ardinay screamed as pain wracked not only her physical form, but her soul as well. It was the pain of forced separation as her spirit was wrenched from her body and cast into the nether dimensions of Aysle. As her body fell to the floor, Uthorion cast his second spell, possession. With the words of power spoken, his body too collapsed as though struck.

A moment later, Ardinay stood up, but it was Uthorion who looked through her clear blue eyes. He glanced down at the necromancer form, the body that he had so recently occupied, and drew Ardinay's enchanted Lightblade from its scabbard.

"Now this reality shall be mine," Uthorion said in triumph through Ardinay's red lips. Then he plunged the sword into his old body so that he could display it to the masses of Aysle.

With body in hand he stepped out upon the balcony overlooking the Valley of the Sword. He cast the dead Uthorion flesh over the battlements, tossing it to the crowd below. Then he shouted one word with Ardinay's voice.

"Victory!" he proclaimed, and what he meant was far different than what the folk of Aysle heard.

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The dream

(nightmare)

ended, but neither of the dreamers awoke.

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Tolwyn had dreamed of the day she died, but it was as if she was seeing it from another perspective, from another person's point of view. And now, floating in a dreamscape of muted colors, unable to wake herself from her slumber, Tolwyn felt another presence. She tried to locate the source of her feeling, but it was as if the presence was hiding. She turned one way (if direction could have any meaning in a dream) and was bombarded with waves of terror, as though the other dreamer (for that is what she suddenly knew the presence to be) had been locked in a nightmare and was even now attempting to dispel the fear from his memory. She turned another way, trying to catch a glimpse of the darting form, and waves of deep hatred crashed upon the shores of her consciousness, attempting to overwhelm her. It was then that she realized who the other dreamer was.

"Uthorion," Tolwyn said, making the name sound like a curse. "Show yourself."

The muted colors parted like a curtain, and Lady Pella Ardinay emerged from the darkness behind them. But it was not Ardinay, not exactly. Tolwyn watched her walk closer, and if she strained she could see another form superimposed over the Lady of the Light. She knew that form.

"Uthorion!" Tolwyn said again, but this time it was an exclamation of surprise.

"You have been in my nightmares for five hundred years, paladin," the combined Ardinay/Uthorion said. It was disconcerting seeing the Lady of the Light move her mouth and hearing the Lord of the Dark's voice emerge. "But I sense that this is not a nightmare, not exactly. You are actually in my dreams this night, Tolwyn. How have you accomplished this?"

They were close to each other now, floating just out of arm's reach. Tolwyn stared at Ardinay, but sensed that she was not within that form. Ardinay was gone, replaced by Uthorion. She wanted to attack the necromancer, to destroy him. He had made a mockery and abomination out of Tolwyn's memories, and for that he deserved no mercy. She started to will her dream form forward, but a powerful tug kept her back. She whirled to see who dared stay her hand, and saw the small aborigine. He was not smiling.

"Not here, Tolwyn," Djilangulyip cautioned, "not this way. We will reach this monster soon enough, and then there will be a reckoning."

"Yes, paladin!" Uthorion shouted. "Come to me so that we may finally finish what was begun so long ago. You do not know how I have longed for an end to your prophecy."

Tolwyn glared at the hated double form. "I am coming, Angar Uthorion. Prepare yourself."

"And what will you do, Tolwyn?" Uthorion laughed. "Your mighty Lady Ardinay could not defeat me. You do not have a chance!"

"Then why are you afraid?" Tolwyn asked simply, then she felt Djil drawing her back, drawing her out of sleep.

For a moment, she felt a second presence. It was full of light and goodness, but it was very tired. She tried to focus on it, to contact it. But then the dream was over, and Tolwyn opened her eyes.

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Pella Ardinay's body sat up from the bed, but it was Uthorion's eyes that looked out of her face. They darted back and forth, and sweat dripped from Ardinay's forehead. He remembered his dream