Hey! I'm sorry I took so long with these next chapters! to make it up to you guys I have a number of ch. up now.
The acidic scent of Free Magic floated about her. Her sense of Death tingled, chilling her to the bone. Charms had been a disaster. As she had readied a perfectly innocuous floating spell, her mind had slipped and she had grasped what she had when fighting her first Stilken – Fire. Luckily no one had been hurt. Sam was at least able to keep his head, but he was a wallmaker and his talent was enchantments. Afterwards, Lirael had gone to the Library. She was immediately disapointed. Unlike the huge Library of the Clayr, where danger lurked around every turn, this was a large room. Though the books were interesting, the only ones looking really likely were in a restricted section – well, she knew how to get into those, didn't she.- the rememberence of slipping unnoticed into rooms no second librarian should have been able to enter was bittersweet. In all of her encounters, the Disreputable Dog had been with her, urging her on to more risk and excitement. She had first met the Dog after accidentally freeing a Stilken – a malevolent Free Magic beast. She'd ended up in the Infirmary over that one. The Dog was gone. Only the soapstone carving remained, and Lirael still hadn't the heart to see if she could resummon her friend and companion. She was all too afraid of finding out that her only friend for most of her life was truly and finally gone. She had searched Death for the Dog, of course. But the Dog left no trace when she didn't want to be found. A tear slipped down her cheek in remembrance of the being.
A soft hand brushed it away. She looked up to see Sam's friend Nick. Nick had been possessed by Orranis, tricked into freeing the Free Magic being. He had died, but had been brought back by the Dog. They had all lost so much in that fight. All grown up a hundredfold.
They headed off to speak with Sam. With a bump, Lirael walked right into Hermoine. The girl who had questioned her earlier. The girl who had obviously been listening to the entire conversation.
'I think we need to talk.' The tall boy with black hair and glasses announced.
With a sigh of regret – life was obviously not getting any easier – she signaled her approval.
A loud cough issued from beneth her legs.
'Is anyone going to invite ME?' asked Mogget.
Ignoring the children's gazes of astonishment, Lirael turned to the cat. 'Of course, Mogget. I thought that that was implied. For the oversight, how about some fish for supper?'
The cat jumped up on her shoulder. 'That sounds reasonable.'
'Hey! I've been wondering where you all got to!' Sam cried, ignoring Madam Pince's look of disaproval. He noticed the others. 'Er- what's going on, exactly?'
'That's what we're all trying to figure out.' The bushy-haired girl – Hermoine, was it? – replied. 'Who exactly are you people? And why on Earth are you here?'
'It's a rather long story…' Lirael began.
'We have time. Here, let's go somewhere we won't be overheard.' Hermoine replied sensibly.
'We come from another… world, I guess you would call it. I don't know why we must be here, exactly. Only that the Seers on our world - the Clayr, as they are called – Saw Sam making the portal, and then Saw us coming here. Since they've only ever Seen about two Visions of me before, and both turned out to be rather important, we realized we had better do as the Clayr saw us doing. It is always best to listen to the Seers anyway.
Our world is organized slightly differently than yours is. The Great Wall separates the Non-Magical part of the world, where no magic exists and the people live much as your Muggles do, from the Old Kingdom – where magic is the very life of the land. No tecnology can exist on the Old Kingdom side of the wall, but while we seem to be backwards and old-fashoned, we have very powerful magic. To those who are not born in the Old Kingdom – and in fact to even those who know what precautions to take and how to go about life in a dangerous land – death soon comes walking.
Long ago the magic in our land was bound to a Charter. All Charter Magic is bound to the symbols and sounds of the Charter, except for the Free Magic. Free Magic is the type of magic you use, basically. It errodes the Charter Magic, and is only practiced by those who work evil in our world. Free Magic creatures are dangerous and deadly. Free Magic Sorcerers often dwell in Necromancy and will always have a corrupted Charter Mark.' Here Lirael parted her hair across her forhead to reveal a rune-like mark on her skin. 'This is a charter-mark. Mine is uncorrupted. If you are ever meet another person with this mark or one like it, touch it immediately. You will know if it is corrupted, believe me. If it is, RUN. Do not ask questions, just run and find one of us or your professors.'
'Do you think others will try to follow you?' Harry asked, puzzled.
'Possibly. I allready know of one who has – we followed him, actually. He is a malevolent spirit that I fought some time ago. I believe his name is… Voldemort.. or some such in this world.'
'Why are you called the… Abh.. Abhorsen?' Ron asked, curiously. 'It sounds like some sort of title. Are you royalty? You seem pretty young for any other title.'
'It is a title,' Lirael said, with a small smile at Ron's confusion. 'I am actually around 25 in your years. Dumbledoor asked me to keep an eye on you, though. This seemed the easiest way to do that.'
'What does it mean?'
'It is a title passed down from generation to generation. I told you about the Free Magic sorcerers that dwell in our world. I must put the Dead they raise to rest…'
'It might not seem like that much to you, but the Abhorsen must battle death until she herself succumbs to it. It is a never-stopping, thankless job. Each time she goes into battle with the knowledge that this might be her last. It takes someone very brave to take the job.' Sam stepped in, glaring at Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, who were exchanging incredulous glances.
Then Lirael stiffened. 'Sam, did you feel that?'
'What?'
'Never mind, I must've been mistaken. I thought someone opened a gate-'
This time Sam felt it too. In a moment he was on his feet. 'Below. Somewhere in the Dungeon area!' He turned to Harry and Ron. 'Go get Dumbledoor. Tell him that there are intruders in the dungeon. We should be able to handle this, but tell him to take what measures he feels necessary.' Without a word, they took off towards Dumbledoor's office, the tone of Sameth's voice giving them extra speed as they sped along.
The acidic scent of Free Magic floated about her. Her sense of Death tingled, chilling her to the bone. Charms had been a disaster. As she had readied a perfectly innocuous floating spell, her mind had slipped and she had grasped what she had when fighting her first Stilken – Fire. Luckily no one had been hurt. Sam was at least able to keep his head, but he was a wallmaker and his talent was enchantments. Afterwards, Lirael had gone to the Library. She was immediately disapointed. Unlike the huge Library of the Clayr, where danger lurked around every turn, this was a large room. Though the books were interesting, the only ones looking really likely were in a restricted section – well, she knew how to get into those, didn't she.- the rememberence of slipping unnoticed into rooms no second librarian should have been able to enter was bittersweet. In all of her encounters, the Disreputable Dog had been with her, urging her on to more risk and excitement. She had first met the Dog after accidentally freeing a Stilken – a malevolent Free Magic beast. She'd ended up in the Infirmary over that one. The Dog was gone. Only the soapstone carving remained, and Lirael still hadn't the heart to see if she could resummon her friend and companion. She was all too afraid of finding out that her only friend for most of her life was truly and finally gone. She had searched Death for the Dog, of course. But the Dog left no trace when she didn't want to be found. A tear slipped down her cheek in remembrance of the being.
A soft hand brushed it away. She looked up to see Sam's friend Nick. Nick had been possessed by Orranis, tricked into freeing the Free Magic being. He had died, but had been brought back by the Dog. They had all lost so much in that fight. All grown up a hundredfold.
They headed off to speak with Sam. With a bump, Lirael walked right into Hermoine. The girl who had questioned her earlier. The girl who had obviously been listening to the entire conversation.
'I think we need to talk.' The tall boy with black hair and glasses announced.
With a sigh of regret – life was obviously not getting any easier – she signaled her approval.
A loud cough issued from beneth her legs.
'Is anyone going to invite ME?' asked Mogget.
Ignoring the children's gazes of astonishment, Lirael turned to the cat. 'Of course, Mogget. I thought that that was implied. For the oversight, how about some fish for supper?'
The cat jumped up on her shoulder. 'That sounds reasonable.'
'Hey! I've been wondering where you all got to!' Sam cried, ignoring Madam Pince's look of disaproval. He noticed the others. 'Er- what's going on, exactly?'
'That's what we're all trying to figure out.' The bushy-haired girl – Hermoine, was it? – replied. 'Who exactly are you people? And why on Earth are you here?'
'It's a rather long story…' Lirael began.
'We have time. Here, let's go somewhere we won't be overheard.' Hermoine replied sensibly.
'We come from another… world, I guess you would call it. I don't know why we must be here, exactly. Only that the Seers on our world - the Clayr, as they are called – Saw Sam making the portal, and then Saw us coming here. Since they've only ever Seen about two Visions of me before, and both turned out to be rather important, we realized we had better do as the Clayr saw us doing. It is always best to listen to the Seers anyway.
Our world is organized slightly differently than yours is. The Great Wall separates the Non-Magical part of the world, where no magic exists and the people live much as your Muggles do, from the Old Kingdom – where magic is the very life of the land. No tecnology can exist on the Old Kingdom side of the wall, but while we seem to be backwards and old-fashoned, we have very powerful magic. To those who are not born in the Old Kingdom – and in fact to even those who know what precautions to take and how to go about life in a dangerous land – death soon comes walking.
Long ago the magic in our land was bound to a Charter. All Charter Magic is bound to the symbols and sounds of the Charter, except for the Free Magic. Free Magic is the type of magic you use, basically. It errodes the Charter Magic, and is only practiced by those who work evil in our world. Free Magic creatures are dangerous and deadly. Free Magic Sorcerers often dwell in Necromancy and will always have a corrupted Charter Mark.' Here Lirael parted her hair across her forhead to reveal a rune-like mark on her skin. 'This is a charter-mark. Mine is uncorrupted. If you are ever meet another person with this mark or one like it, touch it immediately. You will know if it is corrupted, believe me. If it is, RUN. Do not ask questions, just run and find one of us or your professors.'
'Do you think others will try to follow you?' Harry asked, puzzled.
'Possibly. I allready know of one who has – we followed him, actually. He is a malevolent spirit that I fought some time ago. I believe his name is… Voldemort.. or some such in this world.'
'Why are you called the… Abh.. Abhorsen?' Ron asked, curiously. 'It sounds like some sort of title. Are you royalty? You seem pretty young for any other title.'
'It is a title,' Lirael said, with a small smile at Ron's confusion. 'I am actually around 25 in your years. Dumbledoor asked me to keep an eye on you, though. This seemed the easiest way to do that.'
'What does it mean?'
'It is a title passed down from generation to generation. I told you about the Free Magic sorcerers that dwell in our world. I must put the Dead they raise to rest…'
'It might not seem like that much to you, but the Abhorsen must battle death until she herself succumbs to it. It is a never-stopping, thankless job. Each time she goes into battle with the knowledge that this might be her last. It takes someone very brave to take the job.' Sam stepped in, glaring at Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, who were exchanging incredulous glances.
Then Lirael stiffened. 'Sam, did you feel that?'
'What?'
'Never mind, I must've been mistaken. I thought someone opened a gate-'
This time Sam felt it too. In a moment he was on his feet. 'Below. Somewhere in the Dungeon area!' He turned to Harry and Ron. 'Go get Dumbledoor. Tell him that there are intruders in the dungeon. We should be able to handle this, but tell him to take what measures he feels necessary.' Without a word, they took off towards Dumbledoor's office, the tone of Sameth's voice giving them extra speed as they sped along.