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The Fall of Tortall: The Legacy of the Wildmage
~*~CHAPTER ONE ~*~
The gods stood in a circle around their sister, now imprisoned in a cage of dead matter and starfire. She shrieked, clawing at the sides. The gods slowly turned their backs on her and returned to their thrones in the Divine realms.
The abandoned one screamed her anguish, slamming her twisting body at her confinements. For many months she continued this self destructive plight.
How she hated those puny inhabitants of Tortall! She was the goddess. Her plans, all thwarted, by a few key mortals! In her fury, she planned carefully for revenge.
Then, two years later, a chink was found in her cage. Snarling in pleasure, she slammed her weight and power against it, and burst free. Shards of cage matter flooded the sky.
She flew through the air, reveling in her freedom.
Mithros and his gods were conferring quietly when an explosion startled them from their ambrosial seats. Sister Chaos shot into the air, her multicolored servants twirling around her. He yelled even as Mother and Father yanked her back.
But it was too late. Grinning in her victory, the Queen of Chaos threw her final vindicative move. Raising an oozing, changing palm, she hurled a ball of venomous Chaos at Tortall before sinking into darkness.
~*~
Daine and Numair, chatting at a court party that evening, felt the sky shimmer and the ground quake under their soft soled shoes. Then, and explosion ripped through their senses, and all was black.
~*~
Daine awoke painfully on rocky rubble. Sitting up, she saw the ruin of the palace and the country as far as her eagle eyes could see.
"Hello?" she yelled, her mind panicking. Where were the People? She stood up, the ruins of her cloud-blue ball gown blowing in the wind. The sky shimmered the vicious rainbow hues of Chaos. Coughing into her sleeve, she stumbled around trying to find Numair. Shimmering flecks flew in her face, and the sulfurous stench clouded her nose.
She ran around in a frenzy, until she saw a shred of black robe fluttering in the wind near a shattered dining table. Running to it, she burst into tears.
"Numair! NUMAIR!" She screamed, shaking him. He remained unmoving, eyes closed against the massive wound he suffered at his temple. His skin was cold and...he was dead.
Sobbing convulsively, Daine whispered, "Dont go" before sinking down next to his body.
~*~
It felt like years later when Daine stood up. Her ears rung from her tears and the emptiness of the air. The People?
Walking away Numair's body, she came upon Neal freeing an injured child from a large piece of wood. "Daine?" he asked. Ignoring him, she moved on towards the south.
"Where are you going?" Neal aimed the small boy towards a group of screaming people, propelling the frightened child gently. "Daine!"
"I can't stay here." Staring into his worried green eyes, she repeated that thought. "I can't stay here."
She squeezed his arm, and walked off again. How could she stay there? Numair wasn't there anymore. Her heart painfully constricting, Daine ran off towards the direction of the smashed forest. Who else died? She couldnt bear to find out. Irrationally, she wandered until the moon was nearly at its fullest.
Sitting at the base of a shredded tree, she stared at her hand. "Just one more month!" she laughed painfully. The sapphire set ring gleamed back at her, mockingly. "And we would have been wed."
~*~
A week later, Daine arrived at the sea. The beach was deserted, quiet. She could not hear any People. And that was for the best, she thought. Any thought of ... Numair ... even his teachings, reduced her to a sobbing mess.
Dabbling her aching toes into the freezing waters, she was suddenly swept up into an iron grip. Yanked onto a slave ship, she did not resist. What had she to live for, anyway?
~*~CHAPTER TWO~*~
Daine's chains clanked as she arranged her hands on her lap again. Her shackles made a painful, shrill noise as it struck against metal.
She heard a bird voice calling out to her, but quickly stuffed the thought back behind her eyes. How could she listen to them anymore? Every word and creature reminded her that she lost Numair. Swallowing back a sob, she patted the fair head of the child next to her.
Ryll, murmuring in her sleep, shifted and nestled closer to Daine's sandy blue gown. The small, blonde child was only about four years old. Daine smiled. For the three days she had been on the ship, Ryll had clung to her constantly, though she rarely spoke.
The shipmaster crowed harshely. "Carthak!"
Sitting up, Daine looked out the tiny window above her head. The port of Carthak City loomed in front of them. Waking Ryll gently, Daine picked her up as she herself was yanked harshly to her feet by chains.
~*~
Dragged along with other captives, they were taken to the City.
"Slaves from the former Tortall!" the master cried gleefully.
Entering the back end of the Emperor's Palace, a dour looking servant looked them over. "Hmm...his Imperial Highness needed some more slaves but...bah! Too expensive!"
The master looked shocked. "But sir, these are survivors! They certainly are worth more!"
An angry bellow came from the stairwell above. "Yamuth! Where are those documents I have been asking for since sunsday?"
The emperor Kaddar swept in, his servants preceding the way. Stalking up to the touchy Yamuth's desk, he sighed. "What is all this?" His gaze took in the small group, until he saw Daine and Ryll in the crowd. "By the Hag..." He stood there, shocked, looking very confused and childlike.
Straightening suddenly, he commanded Imperial power instead of looking like the young man he was. Clapping his hands, he announced, "This group will do fine! Yamuth, pay him now and I will see them in a moment!"
"But, your Imperial Majesty..." Yamuth whined.
"Now!"
~*~
Ten minutes later, Kaddar led Daine and the inseperable Ryll into his study.
"Daine! What happened? What..?"
Sitting down, Daine's face lost all expression. "Haven't you heard," she began bitterly, "that Tortall has fallen to ruins because the Chaos Queen broke free?"
Gasping, Kaddar reeled back. "You mean...the rumors are true? Who survived?"
"I don't know! I left as soon as I found Numai-" Daine's sobs racked her thin frame so hard she couldn't speak. Memories flooded her mind, the fallen stones, motionless Numair...her mother's bloody body..."
Ryll hugged her tightly around the waist. Wiping her eyes, Daine stared back at the tiny child. Who had she lost, and how did she emotionally survive? The strength of will in her wide green eyes stopped Daine's hysteria and calmed her visibly.
Kaddar closed the door for privacy, and that day Daine told her story to the Emperor of Carthak.
~*~CHAPTER THREE~*~
Daine dressed in a violet gown with golden flowers stiched down the sleeves and skirts. She had been in Kaddar's house for a year now, but she never had become accustomed to Numair's absence. Fingering her sapphire ring on a chain, she choked back her emotions.
Rising from her dresser, she glanced at her figure in the mirror, then put on her masquerade mask and left the room.
~*~
Walking into the gala Ball, Daine couldn't recognize anyone with their masks and costumes on. Not that she knew many people, most of the time she was yet in a daze. After five minutes, a gloved hand took her arm and led her into a gazebo.
Looking up, she saw dark eyes glittering behind a mask. "Kaddar?" she guessed.
Holding her arm tightly, he kissed her. Gasping, Daine pulled back violently, clutching her Badger's claw. Running into the palace, she found her room and closed the door, trembling.
Numair! How could she?
Sobbing, she tried to seperate obligation from her heart. Hadn't she been in Kaddar's home for one whole year? Everyone expected this, she thought bitterly, since he obviously favored her. Although he had never shown this so openly before. Yet...Numair...
Ryll walked into the room, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "Daine?"
Silver light bloomed into the air. Ryll, jumping back, collided with her surrogate mother.
"Ma! Da!" Daine cried.
Weiryn and the Green Lady stood in front of her. Sarra had tears running down her face. "Oh, sweetling!" she wept.
Daine bit her lip. "You couldn't stop it." Then, bursting into tears, she cried out loud, "Why can't i just die, and meet up with him in the Dark Realms! There is no point in living my life without him!"
Weiryn pulled at his antlers. "Well, what would the People do without you?"
Ma hit him. "Heartless! Don't force her right now!"
"He's right," Daine admitted. "Although I haven't been doing such a wonderful job anyway." She burst out, "But I only love Numair! What will i do?" Then softly, " I dont know how much more i can take."
"They need someone, Daine! What will they do without someone with your Magic?" he insisted. "They would be all alone again, killed needlessly. With no one to help animals in the future, they will never be saved."
Daine sighed. She knew.
Taking a deep breath, she said "Ma, I'll have a child. To pass it on. I have to, Da is right."
Ma sniffled. "Dear, you dont have to listen to your father. He's just a big, mean-"
Daine continued seemingly without hearing her mother speak. "Then I'll go. To Numair."
Ryll, her big eyes very bright, tugged the hem of Daine's skirt. "Kaddar," she said softly.
Sometimes, Ryll's wisdom shocked even her foster mother. Bidding farewell to her parents, Daine smoothed her skirt and put Ryll to bed. Leaving a light on, she turned and silently slid out the door into the hall.
~*~
Daine stood outside Kaddar's room. She could hear him moving around, removing jewelry, by the plink of precious metal.
Timidly knocking, a dishevled Emperor came to the door. Gasping, he saw Daine standing there. "Daine? You came back?"
Blanking out her mind, Daine whispered sadly to the People, I wont hear you now. I cant live with...this choice...and your minds. I will talk to you again someday. Closing the shutter between her Magic, she firmly glued it down in her mind. The last thoughts of animals clamored angrily in her mind. Where are you going?
"Daine?" Kaddar said worriedly. "Are you alright? You were in this trance-"
Smiling weakly, she stepped into the room. Poor Kaddar, he just unwittingly continued his kiss. Never let him know why, she commanded herself. That would be too painful.
Daine hated how manipulative she was.
~*~CHAPTER FOUR~*~
"I know the banquet is tomorrow, but still! We ought not to postpone the garden renovations until after!" Kaddar dictated, his brow furrowed in fustration.
Hovering by the door of the state room, Daine felt her old anger flare once more. Cannot he be more polite to the slaves? Arranging her posture, she walked into the room as her position required her. Emperess was a difficult job, after all.
"Daine!" Kaddar was obviously relived. Waving the scribeslave away, he stood up. "Stupid duties!"
Smiling demurely, Daine shook her head. "Kaddar, could you watch Darram and Onuyet tonight?" she asked innocently. "I have some buisness to attend to, and cannot have so many energetic children around."
"Sure." With a hug, her busy husband grinned and returned to his work.
Sadly, Daine looked on at him, the left. Her skirts swept a sad silky melody around her ankles.
~*~
That night, Daine sat at her desk for a long time, doing nothing. With her firm resolve, she opened a crystal box and gingerly took out the silver claw placed inside. Stroking the smooth, even silver tenderly, she then reached for the solitary ring still remaining in the box.
Conflicting emotions ran through her, making her shudder. For the past three years, she had been Kaddar's Empress, bearing two children. But now, there were Wild Ones again. Should she not fulfill her only wish in this world?
For these years, she had given her life for her father's opinion. She had married Kaddar for his sake. And she had borne his children for the People. It was time for Daine. No matter how selfish, or foolish it seemed.
Standing, she clutched the claw and ring to her heart. Glancing at the open window, the sea beckoned to her, offered its soft arms. Joy bubbled up from her hidden soul.
Daine! Where had she been for so long? Her old fire flared up in her chest, causing her breathing to increase. This was her, the archergirl, the Magelet. With a cry, she threw down the glowing barrier that seperated herself from the animals.
They clamored in her mind, excited. Daine! they cried.
Reaching with outstretched fingers, she felt the moist ocean air.
Ryll walked out of the room. "Daine? Are you ready?"
Swirling around in shock, Daine exclaimed, "Ryll!"
"Cause if you are," Ryll continued, "I am too."
"Ryll," she said sternly. "You are not going to die!" Daine choked on the word.
Green eyes luminous, Ryll just smiled. "I always knew you were going to leave. I wanted to go too! My family, my dog, you..." she faltered. "What would i do? I want to be there, see them again!" She paused. "And no one really notices I'm around...theres nothing left to live for, really. Except for you!"
Awed by this amazing speech in such a tiny child, Daine just nodded. Stunned.
~*~
Minutes later, they stood hand and hand in the beach. The cold water and the frothing waves closed over their heads.
Closing her eyes, Daine held Ryll close. Even under the water, she could hear Ryll laughing, and Daine smiled. The darkness covered them, and through the deep blue she could see a shadowy path extending before them.
Jumping onto it, Ryll ran to a fluffy white dog. "Snuggles!" she cried. Her arms tight around his neck, she grinned at Daine. "See?"
SMiling right back at her, Numair emerged out of the darkness. His eyes glowed, and he held out his arms to her. "Numair!!!!!!!"
He took her hands. "Oh, Daine! I've missed you so much!"
She took Ryll's hand and the three of them and a dog walked to the Realms together.
~*~
Mithros and teh Goddess watched them go.
"That's the last of them," the Great Lady whispered. Glancing at the desolate, empty lands of Tortall, she sniffed sadly.
As the full circle of gods came forward, Mithros nodded his head. "So mote it be."
With that utterance, waves slowly and somberly washed over the once great Nation. All the memories, leaders, heros. But for all time, songs would be sung of the fall or Tortall.
The land disappeared under the sea. As this happened, those Tortallans in the Dark Realms felt a shimmering glow around them. In front of their shocked eyes, their spirits saw their home unfold around them, magically as it was before Chaos' plight. Joy bloomed in their faces, and a great cheer rose from the multitudes.
The gods smiled down upon their upraised faces.
~*~