Chapter 30
Tal, Breg and Kira skated swiftly over the frozen lake. Breg was surprised that Tal had kept up with the cracking pace she had set.
"I suppose he isn't called the legend for nothing," Breg thought to herself with a grin.
The trials were always held in the one place. The place was known as the caves of truth. Although Breg had only been there once as a guard, she remembered the way clearly and knew how to get there. Breg also remembered another way to get to the caves that would be much quicker than the normal path she knew the Crones would take. Tal caught up with Breg and skated alongside her speaking loudly to get his voice over the rushing and howling wind.
"Breg I didn't get the chance to ask a Crone for some advice on what I'll be facing at the Trials so I was wondering if you could tell me anything that you know," Tal said as the group rounded a curve.
"Well I'm not sure it's my place to tell you as it is your Trial and I don't think I'd be much help because I have only heard rumors of what the Trials are so I'm sorry I cannot help you," Breg said with a little regret in her tone.
"Thank you anyway," Tal said giving her a small wink as he couldn't bow while skating along at such a speed.
Breg smiled back and quickened her pace leaving Tal to skate behind and ponder the possibilities of what he could be facing. Tal was absorbed in his thoughts so much he didn't realise that Breg had stopped and went shooting right past her. Breg called out and Tal snapped out of his thoughts and almost stumbled over as he turned his head to see Breg and Kira waiting for him. Tal slapped himself mentally and pivoted on his brakes.
"How embarrassing, and I'm the one who is supposed to be Emperor," Tal thought as he came to a halt in front of the girls.
Tal looked around and expected to see a door or an entrance of some sort but failed to see one. All Tal could see was a cliff face. As Tal looked at it he had the sneaking suspicion that he had to scale it. His suspicions were confirmed as he looked at Breg who was giving him a beaming look of expectation.
"I have to climb that?" Tal asked as he surveyed his path.
Kira nodded solemnly while Breg bobbed her head enthusiastically which made Tal smile a little as he watched at how different the two were.
"Okay," Tal said easily looking back at the cliff.
Tal moved closer and inspected the icy cliff and knew light magic was the only way to go without the proper equipment Tal would have to make his own out of light. Tal stepped back and propped a hand under his chin as he ruffled through the potential spells he could use.
"A hand of light would take too long, so would a stair of light. Maybe if I made a variation of the light rope. . ." Tal thought silently as Breg and Kira waited expectantly to see the Emperor's magic.
Tal nodded to himself and bent to take his skates off. He placed them in his pocket absentmindedly and decided to make a light rope. Tal looked up at the cliff and wondered how high it was.
"Should be about a hundred stretches at most," Tal said under his breath and started to weave the rope.
Tal concentrated in silence and searched the depths of his sunstone for the right colours. Red yellow and indigo. Tal snapped his eyes open and held out his ring in front of him and aimed it at the cliffs top hoping he had aimed right. Then he frowned in concentration and held an image in his mind of a rope with a grappling hook and knots in it being weaved together. Tal fixed the image in his mind and as he did his sunstone started to glow. Tal waited until it was bright and shot the rope out of his sunstone. The rope spilled forth and shot right up the cliff. When it was half way up the cliff face the end of the rope split to become a three pronged hook. The rope traveled quickly and before long had latched onto something at the top. Tal tested the rope and when he was satisfied it was secure he flicked his sunstone and knots appeared in the rope and he began to climb the warm rope.
It took Tal a good five minutes to reach the top and when he did he diffused the rope and thanked the girls.
"Thank you for your help I won't for get it you had better get back to your fishing before you get into trouble," Tal shouted down.
"Okay!" Breg yelled up and moved off with Kira.
"Must remember to thank them," Tal whispered.
Feeling a little exhausted from his climb, Tal sat on a near by fallen log and surveyed his surroundings. He found that he was amongst a thicket of white frosted trees. Tal looked at his surroundings with interest and wondered how anything could grow in the cold. Before too long Tal moved off to find the Trials or at least find someone who could get him there. After a few minutes of wandering through thick trees Tal finally came to an opening where he saw what looked like a circular ruin of some sort. There were pillars and what seemed like Icecarl writing on them. Tal moved to the center of the ring and found himself standing on sleet covered stone. Tal had originally thought that it was snow but as he looked closer he found an image etched into it. What it was, Tal couldn't make out.
"Maybe it's a picture?" Tal thought as he bent down to trace the intricate lines with his finger.
After a few minutes of searching and observing, Tal heard a faint but distinct sound. It came from the direction of the bone doorway. Tal stepped through it and waited on the outside of the ruins knowing full well the Icecarls sensitivity towards intrusion onto hallowed grounds. Tal waited and listened to the sound. As the beat of the drums and the rings of the bells played Tal noticed that they were getting louder. As the music drew nearer he heard chanting that made him feel light headed and dazed. Tal shook his head and focused, now was not the time to be distracted. Tal stared through the trees and saw sunstone light, green lanterns with luminous moths in them and fire torches.
"A procession no doubt," Tal thought as they came into plain view down a path.
The procession waltzed its way down the path and into the space just before the ruins, where Tal stood mesmerized at the hypnotic dancing girls and chanting Crones. Tal tore his eyes away form the hypnotic display and scanned the crowd for Milla. To Tal's relief Milla stood to the side and looked absentminded as if her mind was thousands of stretches away. Tal moved towards her, dodging and weaving through the crowd of still chanting Crones and instrument players.
"Milla," Tal said tapping Milla's shoulder.
Milla turned to face Tal and her eyes lit up as if she hadn't seen him for ages. Then Milla did something Tal never thought that she would do, she hugged him.
"Milla, I've only been missing for a few hours," Tal said returning the hug with a chuckle.
"Oh Ramellean, don't tease me so," Milla said in still hugging Tal.
"Ramellean?" Tal thought as Milla mentioned the name.
Then Tal pulled her gently away and held her by the shoulders. Milla then kissed him and threw her arms around him.
"Milla. . . this isn't. . . like you," Tal managed to gasp out between kisses.
Tal pulled away hard and stood a stretch away from her and looked at Milla. Something felt strange. Tal was looking at Milla but she had changed somehow. Milla seemed. . .refined. . .somehow and didn't look like the girl Tal had grown to love.
"Who are you?" Tal asked softly still gazing at Milla's ethereal body.
"It's me my love," Milla said reaching out to Tal with a concerned look on her face.
"No. . .you're not Milla," Tal said getting closer to her "Milla wouldn't call me Ramellean,"
Just then Milla seemed to snap out of her trance and frown as if she were struggling with troubling thoughts.
"Milla? What's going on?" Tal asked supporting her as she stumbled forward.
Tal set her upright on her feet as she stopped swaying and looked into her eyes which were wildly looking around. Then her eyes fixed on Tal.
"Tal? Where were you? Where are we?" she said noticing the chanting Crones and the dancing girls.
"The Trial ruins I think," Tal replied looking around with Milla "Are you alright? You weren't being. . .yourself. . .before,"
"What do you mean?" Milla asked confused.
"Nothing," Tal said dismissing the question and kissing Milla's forehead putting his arms around her.
Whatever just happened, Tal felt certain it would be explained soon. As if on cue the chanting, music and dancing stopped. Everyone froze and stared at the couple. Then an old Crone stepped out from amongst the crowd which Tal recognised as the important Crone who sat in the chair at the meeting.
"Our ancestor has chosen!" she said in her eerie resounding voice that reached the soul.
Milla and Tal were stunned as the crowd gave applause and cheered like animals.
"Now it is the Emperor's turn to choose," the Crone said and as she turned towards the crowd again the dancing, chanting and music started up again.
Tal and Milla stared at the display in silence and awe. Too many things didn't make sense and too many things were happening to quickly for them to keep track but just as Milla started to ask something Tal's eyes clouded over and his head slumped. Mila drew back from the nearest Crone and went to support Tal who was now on his knees.
"What is going on here?" Milla asked loudly to get over the din of the music and chanting as she held Tal but no one would answer instead the music picked up the pace and the chanting grew faster.
Tal then let out a moan and fell backwards in the snow and his last image was Milla crouched over him shaking him, her mouth moved but no sound came. Then the world around him went black and the familiar feeling of unconsciousness claimed him.
Tal, Breg and Kira skated swiftly over the frozen lake. Breg was surprised that Tal had kept up with the cracking pace she had set.
"I suppose he isn't called the legend for nothing," Breg thought to herself with a grin.
The trials were always held in the one place. The place was known as the caves of truth. Although Breg had only been there once as a guard, she remembered the way clearly and knew how to get there. Breg also remembered another way to get to the caves that would be much quicker than the normal path she knew the Crones would take. Tal caught up with Breg and skated alongside her speaking loudly to get his voice over the rushing and howling wind.
"Breg I didn't get the chance to ask a Crone for some advice on what I'll be facing at the Trials so I was wondering if you could tell me anything that you know," Tal said as the group rounded a curve.
"Well I'm not sure it's my place to tell you as it is your Trial and I don't think I'd be much help because I have only heard rumors of what the Trials are so I'm sorry I cannot help you," Breg said with a little regret in her tone.
"Thank you anyway," Tal said giving her a small wink as he couldn't bow while skating along at such a speed.
Breg smiled back and quickened her pace leaving Tal to skate behind and ponder the possibilities of what he could be facing. Tal was absorbed in his thoughts so much he didn't realise that Breg had stopped and went shooting right past her. Breg called out and Tal snapped out of his thoughts and almost stumbled over as he turned his head to see Breg and Kira waiting for him. Tal slapped himself mentally and pivoted on his brakes.
"How embarrassing, and I'm the one who is supposed to be Emperor," Tal thought as he came to a halt in front of the girls.
Tal looked around and expected to see a door or an entrance of some sort but failed to see one. All Tal could see was a cliff face. As Tal looked at it he had the sneaking suspicion that he had to scale it. His suspicions were confirmed as he looked at Breg who was giving him a beaming look of expectation.
"I have to climb that?" Tal asked as he surveyed his path.
Kira nodded solemnly while Breg bobbed her head enthusiastically which made Tal smile a little as he watched at how different the two were.
"Okay," Tal said easily looking back at the cliff.
Tal moved closer and inspected the icy cliff and knew light magic was the only way to go without the proper equipment Tal would have to make his own out of light. Tal stepped back and propped a hand under his chin as he ruffled through the potential spells he could use.
"A hand of light would take too long, so would a stair of light. Maybe if I made a variation of the light rope. . ." Tal thought silently as Breg and Kira waited expectantly to see the Emperor's magic.
Tal nodded to himself and bent to take his skates off. He placed them in his pocket absentmindedly and decided to make a light rope. Tal looked up at the cliff and wondered how high it was.
"Should be about a hundred stretches at most," Tal said under his breath and started to weave the rope.
Tal concentrated in silence and searched the depths of his sunstone for the right colours. Red yellow and indigo. Tal snapped his eyes open and held out his ring in front of him and aimed it at the cliffs top hoping he had aimed right. Then he frowned in concentration and held an image in his mind of a rope with a grappling hook and knots in it being weaved together. Tal fixed the image in his mind and as he did his sunstone started to glow. Tal waited until it was bright and shot the rope out of his sunstone. The rope spilled forth and shot right up the cliff. When it was half way up the cliff face the end of the rope split to become a three pronged hook. The rope traveled quickly and before long had latched onto something at the top. Tal tested the rope and when he was satisfied it was secure he flicked his sunstone and knots appeared in the rope and he began to climb the warm rope.
It took Tal a good five minutes to reach the top and when he did he diffused the rope and thanked the girls.
"Thank you for your help I won't for get it you had better get back to your fishing before you get into trouble," Tal shouted down.
"Okay!" Breg yelled up and moved off with Kira.
"Must remember to thank them," Tal whispered.
Feeling a little exhausted from his climb, Tal sat on a near by fallen log and surveyed his surroundings. He found that he was amongst a thicket of white frosted trees. Tal looked at his surroundings with interest and wondered how anything could grow in the cold. Before too long Tal moved off to find the Trials or at least find someone who could get him there. After a few minutes of wandering through thick trees Tal finally came to an opening where he saw what looked like a circular ruin of some sort. There were pillars and what seemed like Icecarl writing on them. Tal moved to the center of the ring and found himself standing on sleet covered stone. Tal had originally thought that it was snow but as he looked closer he found an image etched into it. What it was, Tal couldn't make out.
"Maybe it's a picture?" Tal thought as he bent down to trace the intricate lines with his finger.
After a few minutes of searching and observing, Tal heard a faint but distinct sound. It came from the direction of the bone doorway. Tal stepped through it and waited on the outside of the ruins knowing full well the Icecarls sensitivity towards intrusion onto hallowed grounds. Tal waited and listened to the sound. As the beat of the drums and the rings of the bells played Tal noticed that they were getting louder. As the music drew nearer he heard chanting that made him feel light headed and dazed. Tal shook his head and focused, now was not the time to be distracted. Tal stared through the trees and saw sunstone light, green lanterns with luminous moths in them and fire torches.
"A procession no doubt," Tal thought as they came into plain view down a path.
The procession waltzed its way down the path and into the space just before the ruins, where Tal stood mesmerized at the hypnotic dancing girls and chanting Crones. Tal tore his eyes away form the hypnotic display and scanned the crowd for Milla. To Tal's relief Milla stood to the side and looked absentminded as if her mind was thousands of stretches away. Tal moved towards her, dodging and weaving through the crowd of still chanting Crones and instrument players.
"Milla," Tal said tapping Milla's shoulder.
Milla turned to face Tal and her eyes lit up as if she hadn't seen him for ages. Then Milla did something Tal never thought that she would do, she hugged him.
"Milla, I've only been missing for a few hours," Tal said returning the hug with a chuckle.
"Oh Ramellean, don't tease me so," Milla said in still hugging Tal.
"Ramellean?" Tal thought as Milla mentioned the name.
Then Tal pulled her gently away and held her by the shoulders. Milla then kissed him and threw her arms around him.
"Milla. . . this isn't. . . like you," Tal managed to gasp out between kisses.
Tal pulled away hard and stood a stretch away from her and looked at Milla. Something felt strange. Tal was looking at Milla but she had changed somehow. Milla seemed. . .refined. . .somehow and didn't look like the girl Tal had grown to love.
"Who are you?" Tal asked softly still gazing at Milla's ethereal body.
"It's me my love," Milla said reaching out to Tal with a concerned look on her face.
"No. . .you're not Milla," Tal said getting closer to her "Milla wouldn't call me Ramellean,"
Just then Milla seemed to snap out of her trance and frown as if she were struggling with troubling thoughts.
"Milla? What's going on?" Tal asked supporting her as she stumbled forward.
Tal set her upright on her feet as she stopped swaying and looked into her eyes which were wildly looking around. Then her eyes fixed on Tal.
"Tal? Where were you? Where are we?" she said noticing the chanting Crones and the dancing girls.
"The Trial ruins I think," Tal replied looking around with Milla "Are you alright? You weren't being. . .yourself. . .before,"
"What do you mean?" Milla asked confused.
"Nothing," Tal said dismissing the question and kissing Milla's forehead putting his arms around her.
Whatever just happened, Tal felt certain it would be explained soon. As if on cue the chanting, music and dancing stopped. Everyone froze and stared at the couple. Then an old Crone stepped out from amongst the crowd which Tal recognised as the important Crone who sat in the chair at the meeting.
"Our ancestor has chosen!" she said in her eerie resounding voice that reached the soul.
Milla and Tal were stunned as the crowd gave applause and cheered like animals.
"Now it is the Emperor's turn to choose," the Crone said and as she turned towards the crowd again the dancing, chanting and music started up again.
Tal and Milla stared at the display in silence and awe. Too many things didn't make sense and too many things were happening to quickly for them to keep track but just as Milla started to ask something Tal's eyes clouded over and his head slumped. Mila drew back from the nearest Crone and went to support Tal who was now on his knees.
"What is going on here?" Milla asked loudly to get over the din of the music and chanting as she held Tal but no one would answer instead the music picked up the pace and the chanting grew faster.
Tal then let out a moan and fell backwards in the snow and his last image was Milla crouched over him shaking him, her mouth moved but no sound came. Then the world around him went black and the familiar feeling of unconsciousness claimed him.