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-hides self in angry-Pellinorite-proof bunker-
Okay, I'm ready. Go ahead and read.

REPRISE: "I think I know what to do!" Hem exclaimed.

Then he turned and Maerad heard a scream of pure terror escape him...

Fourteen

You hurt me to the core,
When I watched you walk away,
I thought what we had was so strong,
Until that awful day.

I gave you my heart,
And as you walked away,
You took it with you,
And I wish that you would stay.

Anarkin of Lirigon

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Maerad whipped around to see what had scared him, and saw with horror that Sharma was just a few steps away from them, and he had his arms raised above his head. He was forming a huge ball of darkness and shadow between his hands, which twisted between his fingers.

"Push all of your power into this," Hem told them quickly. The hand he held out the fork with was not shaking, although his eyes were wide. Without question, Maerad and Cadvan took one of the forked ends each and began to push their power inside it. They retreated backwards over the battlefield, over dead and dying people, blood and mud. Sharma did not move. The ball of darkness was getting larger.

Maerad overbalanced and fell flat on her back into the soggy grime, and accidentally pulled Cadvan down with her so that he landed on his backside - but they didn't let go of the tuning fork and continued to force more and more power inside it, though it was starting to glow.

"I'm getting tired," Cadvan said. "I can't give much more."

"Nor I," Maerad agreed.

"That will have to be enough," Hem replied, and took the fork from them. He slit a long wound in his left hand and smeared blood all along its length. It became blood red and sparks flew off it like fire. Hem gripped the fork by the prongs, and aimed it at Sharma.

"Nor," he whispered, and, slowly at first but then faster, a beam of golden light began to emit from the end of the tuning fork. It grew brighter and more concentrated, and Hem held it steady, pointing at Sharma. He began to smoke. The maggots fell away and Sharma screamed again. This just brightened the light further and, with a frightening suddenness, he burst into flame. His last act was to cast the ball of darkness at his attacker, and Hem was hit by the full force of it. Maerad tried to grab him as he fell backwards, but he was too heavy and she was too weak. He fell onto the muddy, bloody ground with a sickening squelch. Maerad desperately listened for a heartbeat, but heard nothing.

"Hem?" she whispered, her voice cracking with fear. "Hem?" she repeated, louder. "Hem? Hem? Come back! Hem!" She called his name, her voice rising until she was screaming it into the air, over and over again, "Hem! Hem!" She collapsed onto his chest and sobbed uncontrollably, clutching her heart because it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She was still crying out his name, a desperate plea that he would return against all logic and reason. She clutched his hand, praying that no more warmth would leave it, that he would sit up, give her one of his cheeky smiles. Cadvan put his own ear to the boy's chest, then shook his head sadly and pulled Maerad to him, rocking her gently, holding her head as she sobbed, until there was no water left in her eyes and she began to retch. Feeling a wetness on the top of her head she realised that Cadvan was crying too. Then he kissed her and their tears mingled, and she wasn't sure where she was any more; it was just them for a few seconds, in their own little world.

Then he pulled away and it all came flooding back.

That was how Ardina found the scene. The Hulls all dead. The great army all lying dead or close to it on the ground. The wers flying away.

Maerad and Cadvan crying, rocking each other, clutching each other. She stopped a respectful distance from them and waited until the initial grief was over. She stood there, in silence, for over half an hour, until they were ready to stand up and speak.

"Alas, my daughter, you have suffered much, but your job is not yet finished."

"You can't ask her to do more," Cadvan told her, pulling Maerad to him again.

"I must," she replied. "Remember the prophecy. The White Flame will blossom anew. She has not yet fulfilled this part."

"What do I have to do?" Maerad asked weakly.

Ardina turned to her. "The tuning fork. Take it." Maerad did as she was bid, taking the fork from her brother's dead hand, feeling a great lump form in her throat.

"What now?" she asked hoarsely.

"It does not have to be done here. Indeed, I feel it should not. I will take you back to Innail, and show you what to do there." She took their hands and closed her eyes. They did the same, and when they opened them again they were inside the chamber of the Circle; Maerad recognised it from her first visit to Innail.

"The White Flame is dead," she told them, bringing a small gasp from Cadvan. "Norloch is corrupted. You must make a new centre of Light. Here."

"Ardina, why are you doing this? Eldihu should not be concerned with the matters of the mortal," Cadvan questioned.

"I owe it to Ardhor," she said sadly. "Now, Maerad, Elednor, Irana. Soon you will have to give up one of your beings."

"What?" Maerad cried.

"You must pour all of your Elidhu powers into it. And from it the White Flame will blossom anew. Can you make this sacrifice?"

Maerad nodded, and held the fork upright, prongs down, on the table. She took a deep breath, and gave up all of her powers to it. The fork once again began to glow, this time pure white. Maerad felt it taking her powers, but now it had started it wouldn't stop and she let out a shuddering gasp as she realised it was going to consume her.

"Cadvan…" she choked.

"Let go!" he cried.

"Can't…hands…"

Ardina took over, taking the fork in her hands. As she did, Maerad was released.

"Ardina, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm doing the impossible," she whispered. "I'm dying."

"No!"

"You can't stop it now. It's too late." Maerad watched in horror as Ardina's glow began to fade. Finally, she was released with a jerk and fell to the ground. Maerad watched the woman in front of her. She looked so weak; she could scarcely believe that this was the Moon-Child, the Queen of Rachida, the Elidhu Ardina. So many names, so many legends and songs and Maerad had the awful feeling that they were being snuffed out irrevocably, one by one, even as she watched. Ardina's eyes were closed, and her face was calm, but still the sense that something was wrong was radiating out of her. Maerad took her hand nervously, and Ardina finally opened her eyes.

"My daughter," she said. "I feel something I never expected to feel. I admit to fear, but relief also. I feel the life ebbing away from me. I think I will not last much longer."

"How is this possible?" Cadvan murmured, putting an arm around Maerad. Ardina regarded him calmly.

"I am old," she said. "Older than imaginings. For I was the first, and it was I who first heard it, the Treesong." Maerad's heart still jumped at the name. "And now I have given my life for the Light, in honour of my love." She gasped suddenly, and Cadvan put out a hand to comfort her. The light around her dimmed further.

"Why do you call me daughter?" Maerad asked.

"I loved your ancestor, long ago. You are not quite my daughter, but I love you as though you were." She glanced between Maerad and Cadvan, taking in them both. "A thousand blessings on you," she said. Cadvan kissed her hand, and Maerad did the same.

And as Ardina breathed her last breath, she smiled. Her last word was: "Ardhor."

-stays in angry-Pellinorite-proof bunker-
Are you going to kill me?

PS - One chapter left, now -nervous smile-