Chapter 6
Author's Note: I'm too bored with doing anything else wait for reviews, but that doesn't mean I don't want them! Review, please!
*
Kalathan stared into an obsidian mirror, wondering why he felt so - uncomfortable. The hideous headache and the peculiar power drain had been recovered from, but he still felt that there was something wrong. He attempted, yet again, to scry towards the palace, but he was stopped by those infuriating mage boundaries, and shields made of something elusive that he could not even see.
A scowl dropped onto Kalathan's face. This entire country was repulsive. Those boundaries - he knew what they were. Those white clothed people Javer and the others were so concerned about must indeed be demons to allow that monstrosity to be used.
A strange euphoria settled over Kalathan, and he smiled. Once he had accomplished this self-appointed quest to destroy the blasphemes use of mind power, he would be exalted above all others. The gods were surely pleased with him.
Inspired by this thought, he abandoned his fruitless striving towards the palace, and looked into the mirror again, breathing onto it's glossy black surface. With a touch of his power, he went searching for those white- garbed blasphemers.
Here was one - a man, brown haired and pale skinned, talking to villagers who looked at him with awe. If only they knew how surely their idol was disobeying the gods. Kalathan stared at the man with mage sight, and saw no glittering sheath of magic gift, but those repulsive, slippery bluish threads. And the horse like creature he sat upon - the slimy blue silver power shone through it unmistakeably.
When he achieved the death of the queen - what sane country would allow a female to rule over men anyway? - and the death of all her white clothed minions, he would have to purify all those creatures, and return their power to the gods.
Bored of watching this one man, Kalathan restlessly jumped from one "herald" to another. Suddenly, the view shown by the mirror moved unexpectedly close to the city where all those aggravatingly strong shields were. It showed a small party leaving the gates, and riding down one of the roads. Curious, he dove closer, and examined them.
The first was mounted on one of those horse like things - this one was full of the blasphemes power, far more so than any others he had seen. A woman, dressed in white, and full of true, real magical power, as well as with threads of that unsightly blue.
Beside her rode a man, also with both true magic, and blasphemes power. However, he was not dressed in the white uniform, wearing instead brown and green. Nor was he mounted on either a real horse or one of the demons others used. This creature was like none he had ever seen - three slender horns rose from its head. And unlike any other normal animal, this one had strands of the evil blue.
Behind these two were three others. The first was dressed in a bright silk robe, and wore an elaborate mask over his face. His free flowing hair was an Adepts silver, and when Kalathan scanned him, he saw an awesome power, laced with greenish energy. He was mounted on another three-horned creature.
The next man had no magic - only traces of the repugnant power that seemed so common in this god-forsaken land. His hair was long and black, and he rode another of the unknown horned animals.
The last, however - she made Kalathan start in surprise. For her skin was a dark brown, and she was undoubtedly from the Empire, just as Kalathan was. She wielded only pure magic, no blasphemes powers, and she wore a grey tunic, not white. In spite of this, however, she was sat upon one of those eerie not-horses. Kalathan's first thought, that she was a prisoner, was obviously untrue.
He stared at her, wondering why she seemed so familiar, and why he had no wish to destroy so blatent a traitor to the orders of the gods. He gazed at her as though mesmerised, and suddenly, he could feel dreamlike sensations, as though from someone else, far away.
The warm touch of watery sunshine on his face - but Kalathan was in a cave - Edern's warmth and gentle presence - who was Edern? - the soft rubbing of the cotton against her arms - but Kalathan was wearing silk. What was happening? Kalathan was feeling dizzy, he couldn't pay attention. He shut his eyes, trying to stop thinking about this unknown girl. Instead he saw through someone else's eyes.
*
Vho listened to the talk of the other four, who, she gathered, were old friends. She did not feel left out, but she felt strangely abstracted, as though she were seeing everything through a window. Her strange dreams two nights ago had somehow imprinted themselves on her mind, and for some reason, she wished she had seen this man's - Kalathan's - face. It seemed strangely important, somehow.
"Vho?" Elspeth turned slightly in Gwena's saddle to look at her. "Are you alright? You seem very quiet."
For a split second Vho seemed to wonder who she was speaking to, but the thought drifted away.
"I'm fine," Vho assured her.
Elspeth turned back to the road. "Now we're out of the traffic, let's have a canter," she suggested. "It's a long way to that village."
Edern moved into a canter. They were headed for the village this mage had destroyed. Vho wondered idly why she insisted on calling him Kalathan in her mind. That was only a name conjured up by her sleeping unconscious. Elspeth was hoping to pick up a trail there. Then they would hunt him down, and stop him.
For a sudden moment, Vho's mind filled with shock, then scorn. The scorn was laced with a burning malice, and a hungry desire to see them dead at her feet.
Silverfox stopped his dyheli and stared at her. "Vho? What's wrong?" He asked. The others turned and joined them.
Vho didn't answer; her mouth did not seem to be under her control. Edern turned to regard her with anxiety in his blue eyes. There was a second burst of hate filled malice and fear that would have made Vho cry out in pain if she could have.
"Silverfox, what's wrong?" Vho could barely see them, or hear them; it was like she was being pushed away.
"I don't know." He said helplessly. "She just suddenly let out a load of emotions -scorn, hatred, then - murderous rage. And I can barely feel her, it's like she's only partly in her body, and most of her is somewhere else!"
:Someone's pushing her out, and sitting in her mind!: Edern spoke to all of them. :I can reach her, but she isn't where she should be.:
The group all looked alarmed. "Who? Is it this mage, has he figured that it's her who's fighting him?" Elspeth demanded.
Vho could hear, her, but only like an echo. She was not – fully - inside herself, but there was a trail, thin and almost indistinguishable, that seemed to go between her body and somewhere else. She was being pulled, as if by a vacuum, to the other place, but she stubbornly forced her way back.
Thoughts, alien, full of rage and obsession, raced in her mind like her own, separated only by her own knowledge that they were separate. There was power there, huge power, and it felt like her own. The mind caught her and held her.
Witch!
The thoughts were not like Edern, smooth and clear-cut in her mind. They were built from emotion, and they burned in her mind.
What foul blasphemy is this? The gods will have you for this!
Edern somehow found her, and bound himself to her. Suddenly, she was in her own body again, and in control. But the alien-ness was still there, buried in her own head.
Let me go, witch, blasphemer, traitor!
There was rage and fear, but underneath a strange pulling that would not stop. It was - fascinating. It drew her to it and she watched, engrossed. The alien swirling and the pulling came closer.
A sudden sharp pain broke her thrall.
"Vho? Vho?" It was Elspeth speaking. Vho clung to the sound of her voice, real, tangible. Now she could not see it, could not feel it, the alien pulling revolted her.
"I'm - here." Vho replied. Her cheek stung, and she touched it, confused.
"I slapped you," explained Elspeth apologetically. "What was that?"
"His name is Kalathan." Vho stated certainly. "He is a mage. The one we're looking for. I can - feel him, in my head."
"Where is he?" demanded Darkwind.
Vho closed her eyes. The feel of him had a direction. It was a faint pull, like metal to a lodestone. Edern turned underneath her, until they were facing almost due North.
"That way." She declared, gazing down the road as though she thought she would see him.
"How far?" Darkwind asked again.
"I don't know, it doesn't matter, he is - far, but close, almost in my head . . ."
Silverfox stared at Darkwind. "No . . ."
Darkwind's face was grim. "I can't think what else it could be." he admitted. "Somehow, Vho and this mage we want, this 'Kalathan' are lifebonded."
* * * * *
You'll have to wait until next time to find out what will happen. Muwahahahaha!
And I gave you lots and lots of hints about the lifebonding. By the way, is the correct term in the Haileigh tongue "loriganaela"? It's been ages since I read The White Gryphon, and I don't have a copy.
Author's Note: I'm too bored with doing anything else wait for reviews, but that doesn't mean I don't want them! Review, please!
*
Kalathan stared into an obsidian mirror, wondering why he felt so - uncomfortable. The hideous headache and the peculiar power drain had been recovered from, but he still felt that there was something wrong. He attempted, yet again, to scry towards the palace, but he was stopped by those infuriating mage boundaries, and shields made of something elusive that he could not even see.
A scowl dropped onto Kalathan's face. This entire country was repulsive. Those boundaries - he knew what they were. Those white clothed people Javer and the others were so concerned about must indeed be demons to allow that monstrosity to be used.
A strange euphoria settled over Kalathan, and he smiled. Once he had accomplished this self-appointed quest to destroy the blasphemes use of mind power, he would be exalted above all others. The gods were surely pleased with him.
Inspired by this thought, he abandoned his fruitless striving towards the palace, and looked into the mirror again, breathing onto it's glossy black surface. With a touch of his power, he went searching for those white- garbed blasphemers.
Here was one - a man, brown haired and pale skinned, talking to villagers who looked at him with awe. If only they knew how surely their idol was disobeying the gods. Kalathan stared at the man with mage sight, and saw no glittering sheath of magic gift, but those repulsive, slippery bluish threads. And the horse like creature he sat upon - the slimy blue silver power shone through it unmistakeably.
When he achieved the death of the queen - what sane country would allow a female to rule over men anyway? - and the death of all her white clothed minions, he would have to purify all those creatures, and return their power to the gods.
Bored of watching this one man, Kalathan restlessly jumped from one "herald" to another. Suddenly, the view shown by the mirror moved unexpectedly close to the city where all those aggravatingly strong shields were. It showed a small party leaving the gates, and riding down one of the roads. Curious, he dove closer, and examined them.
The first was mounted on one of those horse like things - this one was full of the blasphemes power, far more so than any others he had seen. A woman, dressed in white, and full of true, real magical power, as well as with threads of that unsightly blue.
Beside her rode a man, also with both true magic, and blasphemes power. However, he was not dressed in the white uniform, wearing instead brown and green. Nor was he mounted on either a real horse or one of the demons others used. This creature was like none he had ever seen - three slender horns rose from its head. And unlike any other normal animal, this one had strands of the evil blue.
Behind these two were three others. The first was dressed in a bright silk robe, and wore an elaborate mask over his face. His free flowing hair was an Adepts silver, and when Kalathan scanned him, he saw an awesome power, laced with greenish energy. He was mounted on another three-horned creature.
The next man had no magic - only traces of the repugnant power that seemed so common in this god-forsaken land. His hair was long and black, and he rode another of the unknown horned animals.
The last, however - she made Kalathan start in surprise. For her skin was a dark brown, and she was undoubtedly from the Empire, just as Kalathan was. She wielded only pure magic, no blasphemes powers, and she wore a grey tunic, not white. In spite of this, however, she was sat upon one of those eerie not-horses. Kalathan's first thought, that she was a prisoner, was obviously untrue.
He stared at her, wondering why she seemed so familiar, and why he had no wish to destroy so blatent a traitor to the orders of the gods. He gazed at her as though mesmerised, and suddenly, he could feel dreamlike sensations, as though from someone else, far away.
The warm touch of watery sunshine on his face - but Kalathan was in a cave - Edern's warmth and gentle presence - who was Edern? - the soft rubbing of the cotton against her arms - but Kalathan was wearing silk. What was happening? Kalathan was feeling dizzy, he couldn't pay attention. He shut his eyes, trying to stop thinking about this unknown girl. Instead he saw through someone else's eyes.
*
Vho listened to the talk of the other four, who, she gathered, were old friends. She did not feel left out, but she felt strangely abstracted, as though she were seeing everything through a window. Her strange dreams two nights ago had somehow imprinted themselves on her mind, and for some reason, she wished she had seen this man's - Kalathan's - face. It seemed strangely important, somehow.
"Vho?" Elspeth turned slightly in Gwena's saddle to look at her. "Are you alright? You seem very quiet."
For a split second Vho seemed to wonder who she was speaking to, but the thought drifted away.
"I'm fine," Vho assured her.
Elspeth turned back to the road. "Now we're out of the traffic, let's have a canter," she suggested. "It's a long way to that village."
Edern moved into a canter. They were headed for the village this mage had destroyed. Vho wondered idly why she insisted on calling him Kalathan in her mind. That was only a name conjured up by her sleeping unconscious. Elspeth was hoping to pick up a trail there. Then they would hunt him down, and stop him.
For a sudden moment, Vho's mind filled with shock, then scorn. The scorn was laced with a burning malice, and a hungry desire to see them dead at her feet.
Silverfox stopped his dyheli and stared at her. "Vho? What's wrong?" He asked. The others turned and joined them.
Vho didn't answer; her mouth did not seem to be under her control. Edern turned to regard her with anxiety in his blue eyes. There was a second burst of hate filled malice and fear that would have made Vho cry out in pain if she could have.
"Silverfox, what's wrong?" Vho could barely see them, or hear them; it was like she was being pushed away.
"I don't know." He said helplessly. "She just suddenly let out a load of emotions -scorn, hatred, then - murderous rage. And I can barely feel her, it's like she's only partly in her body, and most of her is somewhere else!"
:Someone's pushing her out, and sitting in her mind!: Edern spoke to all of them. :I can reach her, but she isn't where she should be.:
The group all looked alarmed. "Who? Is it this mage, has he figured that it's her who's fighting him?" Elspeth demanded.
Vho could hear, her, but only like an echo. She was not – fully - inside herself, but there was a trail, thin and almost indistinguishable, that seemed to go between her body and somewhere else. She was being pulled, as if by a vacuum, to the other place, but she stubbornly forced her way back.
Thoughts, alien, full of rage and obsession, raced in her mind like her own, separated only by her own knowledge that they were separate. There was power there, huge power, and it felt like her own. The mind caught her and held her.
Witch!
The thoughts were not like Edern, smooth and clear-cut in her mind. They were built from emotion, and they burned in her mind.
What foul blasphemy is this? The gods will have you for this!
Edern somehow found her, and bound himself to her. Suddenly, she was in her own body again, and in control. But the alien-ness was still there, buried in her own head.
Let me go, witch, blasphemer, traitor!
There was rage and fear, but underneath a strange pulling that would not stop. It was - fascinating. It drew her to it and she watched, engrossed. The alien swirling and the pulling came closer.
A sudden sharp pain broke her thrall.
"Vho? Vho?" It was Elspeth speaking. Vho clung to the sound of her voice, real, tangible. Now she could not see it, could not feel it, the alien pulling revolted her.
"I'm - here." Vho replied. Her cheek stung, and she touched it, confused.
"I slapped you," explained Elspeth apologetically. "What was that?"
"His name is Kalathan." Vho stated certainly. "He is a mage. The one we're looking for. I can - feel him, in my head."
"Where is he?" demanded Darkwind.
Vho closed her eyes. The feel of him had a direction. It was a faint pull, like metal to a lodestone. Edern turned underneath her, until they were facing almost due North.
"That way." She declared, gazing down the road as though she thought she would see him.
"How far?" Darkwind asked again.
"I don't know, it doesn't matter, he is - far, but close, almost in my head . . ."
Silverfox stared at Darkwind. "No . . ."
Darkwind's face was grim. "I can't think what else it could be." he admitted. "Somehow, Vho and this mage we want, this 'Kalathan' are lifebonded."
* * * * *
You'll have to wait until next time to find out what will happen. Muwahahahaha!
And I gave you lots and lots of hints about the lifebonding. By the way, is the correct term in the Haileigh tongue "loriganaela"? It's been ages since I read The White Gryphon, and I don't have a copy.