"Jon," said Thayet, "tell Kel you're sorry for sending her into his," she glared at Lord Wyldon, "clutches. And then, you are going to go with us to your study and Kel will see her parents and then we will have a discussion involving those four," she nodded at Sanar and Ryelle, Lirael and Sam, "their charming kitties and the up- coming war that can only be stopped by those three; including the girl-page-child you let him," she glared at Wyldon again, "send away. It is such a good thing that some people have the foresight to plan for the worst."
"This is all as wonderful as spring flowers," drawled Kel, "but in the meantime I need Alanna to fetch Raoul, Myles, and Numair; and meet my crew and me, along with these two oafs, Roald, Neal, Daine, Buri, Eda and Haukin in half an hour somewhere." She turned to the King, and said, "There's a war coming, and you need us to stop it."
"The world as you know it may end." intoned Sanar and Ryelle, their voices having taken on the air of one who knew the future. "Hedge's brother Carcerous will join with the second most powerful black robe mage, a man called Duan. They have denizens from the seventh precinct and the mordicants on their side. They will promise any spirits who join them eternal life under the sun, and the spirits will believe them, such is the power under their control." The vision released them and they swayed on the spot before being steadied by Lirael and Kel. Kel was muttering under her breath.
"Great, this just keeps getting better and better." Out loud she said, "And we didn't hear this before, why?"
"We just had the vision with the help of the glacier. The trouble is coming much quicker than we had guessed." King Jonathan finally found his voice.
"Well, if this is going to affect my people I want to know all about this." Wyldon still looked dubious, but followed Jonathan as the group filed into the Castle. "Oh, and Keladry?"
"Yes, Sire?"
"I want to know where on earth you went as I know you didn't go to Shang," he glared at the two Shang following them, "and what my Glorious Queen meant when she said you are the only ones who can stop this coming war." They had reached the King's study. A page was walking by, Jon stopped him. "I need you to find me Gareth of Naxen the Younger and have him come here as quickly as possible. Also, in the Great Hall you will find Baron Piers and Ilane of Mindelan. Bring them here." He gave the boy a silver noble for his trouble and sent him on his way. Turning back to the group he raised his eyebrows. "Is there any particular reason why your parents knew to be here today Keladry?"
"Of course! Couldn't have everyone spread all over the country when I came back now could I? I wrote my parents weeks ago, to tell them when to expect me, and to wait for me at the castle, on the fall equinox!" Kel replied brightly. Just then her parents and Gareth walked in, and Kel was enveloped in a hug from her parents.
"Welcome home Kel. Now, let's see that mark of yours. I hear it is supposed to be very elaborate!"
"Oh, it's elaborate all right." Kel unzipped the zipper on the front of the white robe, and took it off, to reveal loose, but form fitting black pants that fell to her knees, with a light emerald colored dance wrap skirt. She also wore a tight black tank top that showed off her curves and an elbow length red shirt that covered her shoulders and came to tie under her chest, with her fish-scale arm guards from the elbow down. Presently, she untied the knot that was holding the long sleeve sweater shirt to her body, and removed it to bare the back of her shoulders and her left bicep where the tattoo started. Everyone gasped and right then Alanna walked in with Raoul and Myles. Alanna nodded in appreciation. Kel glared at Kara and Ana from across the room until they were forced to come over and show their marks.
"Very nice, girls; I have to say- very nice indeed."
"Thank you, but we have business to attend to; the small matter of the army approaching your borders as we speak." Myles interrupted her.
"There are no armies, Kel."
"Yes there are; they approach in the realm of Death, our Death, not your peaceful realms."
"This has happened before to your realm." Lirael's voice was quiet as she looked at the group surrounding her, and yet nothing at all.
"It was in the year one BHE, the reason why the numbering started over. The dead had allied with Chlorr of the Mask, then a necromancer of two hundred years. She allied herself with the King of the country that was once Barzun, the area that is now the lower part of Tortall. They planned to kill all royal lines to the thrones in Tortall, Tusaine, Maren and Sarain; together they would rule the world. Only one person was able to stop them, the Dracaena Maxima of the time, a woman named Kelsai. She stopped the invasion and was the hero of the lands. This was only the first attempt, for it was supposed to happen again, just less than twenty years ago, at your crowning sire. Duke Roger, your cousin, allied himself with the once Kerrigor, originally known as Rogirrek, although that story must be told another time. Yet, they allied together and were stopped, not by the Dracaena Maxima, but by Sam's mother, my half sister, Sabriel, the current Abhorsen, and by the lady with red hair and purple eyes, the Alanna of, now, Pirates Swoop and Olau, when she killed Duke Roger. This was important because even though her twin Lord Thom undid her work, by the time Roger was brought back to life, Kerrigor was enslaved and entombed within the great barriers of the Abhorsen's house. Roger still tried to complete the plan, starting by killing the King of Tortall, and then going on to claim the other thrones of the surrounding Kingdoms. The war in Sarain was started by Kerrigor and his hate demons, and spurred on by the hate instilled in the people there. Had any of the fighters stopped to think about what they were doing, the curse would have been lifted, but blinded as they were by their hate, none could see the end. Yet Alanna and Sabriel stopped the invasion, with out knowing they were doing so, but they did it anyways." Lirael's body shook as the vision of the past released her, and Sanar caught her.
"So you stopped needing the mirror, then?"
"No, in order for me to find out something I still have to use it, but the mirror has a tendency to use me when it wills. I was doing research and the mirror was created by the fifth of the seven, and, as I found out when I was in the library alone one day, it does whatever it wants. It can give me visions if it is so inclined."
"Great. First Kibeth, then Dyrim, now Belgaer, walker, talker, thinker; are we going to get the binder and the weeper next? When is it going to end?"
"Yes, you know that as well as I; and never, that's our blessing and our curse." Jon cleared his throat.
"Well that's all fine and great, but there was no Dracaena Maxima at my coronation."
"Yes there was." Said Kel; she looked directly at Alanna. "Think Alanna. Who was at the coronation? You know exactly who I am talking about, for there are ways for the Dracaena Maxima to get around his or her fear of magic, even if that is what they are meant to do." Alanna blanched.
"Liam." Alanna's voice was barely more than a whisper.
"Unfortunately yes; that is often the fate of the Dracaena Maxima, for they are only reborn when they are truly needed and times are going to get very rough." She turned to Jonathan. "Sire, the Dracaena Maxima is usually a female, although there were no women alive at the time to take up the roll, so the title was handed to Liam, after he finished his Shang training and before he went on his year abroad. He was the best Shang Dragon because the Dracaena school only lets you go when your fighting skills are perfect." Jonathan nodded his understanding, while Eda asked one question.
"But if Liam was afraid of magic, how could he have the title? Everything you are taught is centered on magic."
"The role of the Dracaena Maxima is to kill the sorcerer and the necromancer, and to stop the dead. Liam was able to be selected because the Clayr saw only one future, and Alanna was prophesied to slay Duke Roger and Sabriel already had a bone to pick with Kerrigor, so she was able to finish him off with just a little help from the Clayr. Therefore, all Liam had to do was make sure that Roger and his henchmen, namely the one called Claw, Ralon of Malven, were dead. Alanna had taken care of Roger; Jon had told him so; therefore, he could put all of his energy into fighting to keep the King safe." Lirael fell quiet, though she did not hide behind her hair as she once would have done. Lord Wyldon finally spoke.
"I do not believe you have the skills you say you do." He directed this at Kel. "You were not good enough your year here, why should you have gotten any better?" He winced, as the eyes of Shang, Alanna and Raoul, Neal and Roald, and of Kel's parents turned to stare at him with hate in their eyes.
"If you do not believe me, Lord Wyldon, why do you not fight me? I will except any challenge from anyone in the palace and I will win. THAT is my blessing and my curse. Choose your men, I will fight them all. Although a gentleman would fight me himself." Wyldon blanched as Kel's eyes narrowed and turned to the color of blood, but otherwise she could have been having a simple chat about the weather. Alanna stared at her in wonder.
"Your eyes…" She said. Kel startled, looked up at Alanna as her eyes turned back to their normal shade of hazel. "They do the same thing Liam's did. They change color."
"My eyes changed? Well they must have to have you mention it, yes, that is one of the powers of the Dracaena Maxima. I did not realize I was that angry. Forgive me, as we follow Monsieur Stump to find his challengers. That is, if he will not fight me himself, which would the proper thing to do, especially since he was not enough of a gentleman to let me stay here after I met all of his requirements." Wyldon stared back at Kel, eye for eye.
"Come. I will find you your challengers." He led her to the mess hall for pages and squires. "We seek a challenger for the young lady here. Would anyone like to have a go?" Kel smirked as she noticed that Wyldon forgot her title. She stepped out from behind the man where she had been standing and surveyed the room. Her eyes came to rest on Joren of Stone Mountain. In the years after she left, she had learned that Joren had been late to his forth year page examinations and had to repeat the entire year. Now he would have been one of her year mates, and she glared at him from behind her mask. Joren stood up.
"I will fight with the lady." He said with a sneer. Kel bowed to him, only slightly, the equivalent of addressing a minor.
"Agreed."
"Ten gold crowns when you loose."
"And the same from you when I win." Kel grinned wolfishly, spun on her heel, and walked out the door. Looking over her shoulder, she called, "Well? Are you coming?" Flustered, Joren started after her. When he reached the practice courts Kel was already stretching in a far corner with the Queen, the Champion, three unidentified women, a black cat, a white cat and a young man. Neal walked over as Joren looked on.
"My dear Kel, is this really going to prove a point?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Now, Joren's fighting style has not changed much since your year here. Just do whatever it is that you do and be done with it. He is twice as easily angered as before, since he didn't get to run you off himself."
"Kel." Lirael was on the left, speaking softly. "Look behind you." Kel turned around and saw the one person she had not expected to see. Yasmine, her training mistress.
"Don't bother with me girl, just remember what I taught you. And one more thing, don't use magic. You know you want to beat him fairly. And if anyone here sees you do magic, they will call you a cheater. You know how much I hate that word." Kel bowed deeply to Yasmine to show her acceptance of what she had been told, and to show respect and honor to the words. "Just play by our rules and you'll be fine. I'll make sure there is no interference in the fight." Yasmine hopped the fence and strode directly onto the court. She grinned at Kel and started the introductions. "Today we are here to see a fight between my very own Dracaena Maxima Keladry of Mindelan, and her challenger Joren of Stone Mountain.
"Let's have a clean bout, no magic is to be used by the competitors, and no magic is to be used by the watchers to help or hinder either competitor in any way. I will know if you do and I will be very displeased." Kel visibly cringed, and Yasmine looked around. A tall man with black hair looked ready to explode, and a grey- haired woman was fighting her way towards the fences. Yasmine grinned, some people never changed.
"Yazzy! Kel said you wouldn't be here for another week!"
"My plans changed, as the best laid plans often do." Eda jumped the fence and came over to hug Yasmine. The man with coal black hair shouted,
"And just who, may I ask, are you?"
"Yasmine Ishiyama at your service sir; I am the training mistress at the Dracaena School and cousin to Miss Eda Bell."
"You have a cousin Eds? Cool!" Haukin's voice came from the sidelines.
"Yes you overgrown child, I have family." To the quirked eyebrow of the woman beside her, she said, "Haukin Seastone, Shang Horse, Yamani, fellow teacher of pages."
Yasmine started to smile, but quickly changed it to a frown as Kel started swearing under her breath in several languages. Suddenly the cats started meowing, well Dyrim did, and Mogget yowled. Lirael, Sanar, Ryelle and Sam had worried looks on their faces and then Yasmine felt what they felt; the pressure of several hundred dead, newly out of death, less than half a day away. All six people's eyes locked at once, and a simultaneous 'they're coming' issued from eight mouths, six humans and two cats. Kel walked to the center of the court, and looked right up at King Jonathan, her voice loud and clear.
"Sire, I am afraid we won't have time for this now. I must ask that you go to the great hall and barricade yourselves in, with anyone who is too old, too young, or simply unable to wield a weapon, any weapon." Kel didn't look to see if her orders were obeyed. Instead she turned to her people and started issuing orders to them. "We have an army coming sooner than we had planned. I had hoped to make more paperwings and teach some people to fly them, but there's no time. We currently have fifteen hundred hands, thirty shadow hands, eight mordicants, and Carcerous coming at us. They are less than ten hours away. I want Sanar and Ryelle to ready the paperwings for flight. Mogget and Dyrim fetch my bandolier and Sam's Pipes. Sam, put extra strength in the castle walls, I want those walls unclimbable; nothing, I repeat nothing is to get in here. I'll take care of the swords, and Lirael you know what to do."
"Kel, we have our own swords," protested Neal.
"Yes, but they won't do anything against what we are about to face and there is no time for Sam to spell your swords and the walls against the dead."
"What are these things Kel?" questioned Alanna; Kel sighed.
"Dead hands are corpses that our lovely necromancers have allowed dead spirits to reanimate. They are completely subject to the necromancer's will and are only dangerous so long as they have bodies. Shadow hands are spirits brought back from the dead with better spells so they don't need bodies, but cannot exist in direct sunlight. Surround them with fire and they are forced back in to the void. A mordicant is a creature of the forth or fifth precincts, sometimes farther. They are horrid creatures with great teeth and claws, and they are the servants of the necromancer. A necromancer is a person who plays with the bodies of the dead, and the spirits. Carcerous is a necromancer, as is Lirael, though not of the same means. While others seek to raise the dead, she lays them back to rest. She is the Abhorsen-in-waiting, as her sister, Sabriel is the current Abhorsen." Alanna accepted this information stoically, and like the seasoned warrior she was, didn't question the information, grabbed a sword, tested it, and satisfied that it was of good weight, walked a distance away to begin to learn its quirks. The men around Kel, the newer knights, blanched at the facts, but followed Alanna's example, grabbing swords and beginning to learn their strengths.
Once all the warriors had, in their possession, a magical sword, Kel jumped back up on the gypsy cart and commanded the attention of all those assembled. "I know you heard me tell Alanna what we are going up against. The dead hands can be destroyed by fire, or when their bodies are completely destroyed. The necromancer is after me, not you, so you shouldn't worry about him. However, if you are confronted by him, or a mordicant, or even a shadow hand; don't play a hero; holler like hell and either myself or one of my companions will help you. If all goes well, I'll be able to kill Carcerous before he even gets to the gates, and when he dies, all of his minions will go with him. Life is not however, easy, and in all likelihood, all of you will dirty those blades. Now, I will teach you a couple words of power to protect yourselves if you happen to be confronted by one of the more difficult creatures."