(Hey there, people! Topaz speaking. This is the big dramatic climax chapter...or perhaps not, depending on how you look at the next chapter. I was jet-lagged, sick and tired while writing this, so I'm not really sure how it turned out...I like it, but that's just me. Well, whatever your opinion, please be sure to R&R! --Topaz Fox)
(Mini-Disclaimer: The song in this chapter is not mine. I'm sure you'll all recognize it, and when you do, you'll know who it belongs to...)
Ter Van woke with a start in the dead of night. He had to lie still for a moment, trying to recall where he was. His mind had been elsewhere…
He rolled over and saw a dull metallic glint. He raised an eyebrow at it in the dark. What the…? His eyes flicked over to the gentle up-and-down movement of a pile of…blankets? He shook his head. What on earth…?
It took a moment for Ter Van to realize that the blankets and shining metal were connected. Only then did he remember the object beside him was Caliphen. Everything else came back to him swiftly: After we crossed the Jegon on Tristan's Ferry, Caliphen told Elga it was far too late to be fighting lizards in Daemon's Court, so we set up camp.
The Selkie boy slowly sat up. Turning his face skyward, he examined the stars and the moon. It was another extremely clear night. There seemed to be more stars than ever, and Ter Van realized for the first time that they had colors; one to the east was reddish, another blue-silver, two more were the faintest polished gold. A tiny, waif gray cloud crept nonchalantly over the moon, momentarily marring its perfection.
Soaking everything in, Ter Van sat like that for a long time. He scanned the frothy black shadows of the riverside trees and suddenly remembered that where his mind had been while he had slept:
He had dreamt of a lush green land full of exotic fruit trees and sunlight, inexplicably beautiful. It was like some sort of paradise. There was no miasma anywhere, nor were there monsters. The only things that inhabited the land were little white sparrows and the occasional cow.
In the middle of the land ran a deep river. Without warning, the river dried up, and the gorgeous lively land withered almost immediately. The worst part was the wind that had picked up after the river ran dry. Ter Van swore it was screaming actual words, but he couldn't recall them…
I'm losing my mind.
An owl hooted. A miniature symphony of crickets, concealed in shadow, chirped a song, which was halted once by the sharp screech of an animal falling prey to another beast. The Crystal Chalice cast a gentle gossamer glow, a friendly patina, all over the campsite. The sleepy light made it seem impossible that there was so much suffering and confusion in the world…
Ter Van sat and brooded, deep in thought, silently admiring the subtle appeal of the night. He turned to face the Jegon River's whispering warble, hoping the sight of it would calm him a little.
It did just the opposite.
Something was in the river. Ter Van craned to see it. The thing was a shade paler than the platinum river waters, and a half-shade pinker. It dipped underwater for only a moment and rose up again, swaying slightly. Ter Van stood up, trying to identify it. What in the name of…?
As Ter Van approached the mysterious object, his heart jerked suddenly. A slight wave of recognition lapped through him. Oh, hell…not now…please…
The strange thing in the river happened to be Anne, completely naked. A firm voice that some might call a conscience told Ter Van, Go back now. Don't even think about staying. What about Ralthia?
Another voice, this one some would call temptation, said, Ralthia is not beautiful. It doesn't matter how you look at it; she's just not. Get over yourself and get with the pretty girl.
Temptation won.
Dropping to his knees behind a rock, Ter Van watched cautiously. A sick kind of amazement was spreading in him. Every fiber of him knew he shouldn't be doing this, didn't even want to do this, but for some reason he did it anyway.
Anne had her back turned to him. She was humming very softly, dipping down into the river occasionally and smoothing a wet cloth over herself. Ter Van was close enough to see the tiny beads of water that rolled down her skin, glittered on her shoulders like the finery of a thousand queens. The Clavat's brunette locks were almost black in their wetness, and they would drift around her gracefully when she lowered herself into the water. Otherwise, they hung down and stuck to the smooth, markless skin of her back, twisted into living abstract works of art. She turned her head to the side several times, making Ter Van freeze up, not wanting to be seen but somehow secretly hoping he would be.
Gently, Anne vanished completely underwater. When she reappeared, she tipped her head back, flipped her waterlogged hair, and began to softly sing as she twirled around:
"Dreaming of the stars on high
That speak to me in secret sighs
Drifting on a breeze
Only I can feel and hear…"
Her voice lilted and peaked smoothly, going amazingly high, practically soaring. Its delicate beauty helped to distract the nearby peeping Tom, helping him relax about the fact that Anne was not only naked, but lovely beyond words. The way Anne's voice fluttered, circled, flowed reminded Ter Van of doves roosting late at night…
"Could it be the sacred wind
That's pulling me to now begin
To walk into the dark
Carrying the light of tomorrow…"
It was like perfume, her singing, permeating the surrounding area with a dizzy sweetness. Ter Van found himself mesmerized, swaying back and forth very slightly in time with the song. The melody embraced him and beckoned him, and he found himself wanting more than anything to be there in the water with Anne…but something stronger than want held him back.
"Need to walk the wings of high
Beyond the earth, beyond the sky
C'mon don't hesitate
Don't look back, we've got to go now…"
Fear—yes, fear—crept over Ter Van, floating by him much like the cloud that had floated over the moon. It momentarily marred the pallid perfection of the scene, the want, the invisible thing holding Ter Van back. He was afraid…afraid of this beautiful girl, and sick with the fear of what might happen…
"Don't fear
You'll be safe with the one
Morning star watching over all…
Deep inside so silently
My heart must beat
Deep inside of me
Memories flickering and shimmering on
Endlessly."
He couldn't take it any longer. He knew perfectly well what the one thing that was holding him back was. It was love, pure love, not just lust or a love of appearance. It was more vast a love that skin-deep desire, which was what Ter Van had for Anne.
It was his love for Ralthia that was holding him back.
Suddenly, the memory of Ralthia was so powerful it was almost as if she was there, bent over the rock, her great welcome hand outstretched. Come on. Let us get back to the campsite.
The vision dissipated, and Ter Van, knowing for sure he was utterly insane yet relieved that his heart had straightened out, made sure Anne wasn't looking. Satisfied that she was turned around, Ter Van rose and fled back to the camp.
Once there, Ter Van was about to slip into his sleeping roll when something told him to look in the caravan. At first, he resisted the idea, but then thought, Why not? I'm crazy anyway. It won't hurt to just take a peek.
He tiptoed around to the back of the caravan, where the luggage and supplies were stowed. Dig, his mind commanded. He obliged without the slightest hesitation. After a while, he discovered something he had long since forgotten.
Bright silver caught the moonlight and glowed like a beacon of memory. Ter Van picked up the shining thing and saw that it was an amulet engraved with the stoic, elegant symbol of the Yukish tribe. Ter Van remembered that Ralthia had given it to him the day of his departure. He reprehended himself for forgetting about it and immediately slipped it over his head.
Oh, Rallie, you told me this would bring me good fortune. For the first time in what seemed like ages, Ter Van's lips curved in a meager--yet genuine--smile. It did, Rallie, it did. I'll come back to you…of course I will. Overcome by a random wave of insight, he said to himself:
Land may seem to be the staple of life, but without water, the land will wither. Without love, lust withers just as easily.
He had overcome a trial that night, a trial greater than hunting treasure or fighting monsters. He had overcome the trial of truest love.