Author's Note: Well, it's here. I know I am a very bad person for taking so long to update. Maybe you readers will decide to review anyway. I appreciate it but I realize that I really don't deserve it.
Anyway, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. As always, the books in the Elenium and Tamuli belong to the late David and Leigh Eddings, I own nothing.
A Thief in Armor (Arc II)
Chapter 16: Resilience
Part I.
The chamber was dimly lit, the dark red drapes seeming to drink the brightness of the sconces set about. The floor was patterned stone, ancient beyond recall. Slender windows, elegant in their simplicity, filtered starlight into the chamber patterning the floor with rivets of silver and gold.
The unique mix bathed the woman lying motionless on the plush pallet. Her skin was pale and luminous and her dark hair framed her face and shoulders. She seemed as still as a statue except for the slight rising and falling of her chest.
"Dear one, you should rest. There is nothing you can do for her at the moment." Sephrenia said softly.
Sir Bevier looked up at the familiar voice and shook his head slightly. "I will remain, tis' my duty…"
Sephrenia studied the handsome, brooding knight. "Are you sure it is duty that compels you to remain close to her?"
Bevier turned to the former Pandion tutor and bowed. "I promised, my lady, when you brought her to us that I would protect her with every ounce of my ability. I intend to do so." He answered emphatically.
Sephrenia tilted her head to the side as a small smile played on her lips. She walked closer to the pallet set up for her young apprentice and laid her palm on the sleeping woman. "There was always something special about Y'phira. She is superb with the secrets…but I've seen better masters. It is something else, elusive to me, as strange as that may seem. That is why I brought her to you."
The handsome Knight's brow creased in thought "I don't understand, little mother. How am I of any significance to your apprentice?" Bevier asked.
Sephrenia looked up and smiled at the curious man. "Well, that is quite a long story, dear one."
Bevier grinned back. "Well, I love stories."
The sun beat down on the bright shrubs of the northland. "I don't understand, love. If hetai is so poisonous, why are we going all this distance to get it?" Vanion asked as he and his companion rode at a slow trot north.
"Hae-ti, beloved, watch your emphasis. The plant is deadly, but the antidote is extracted from the same herb. Besides, in tiny amounts it provides temporary feelings of invincibility. Perfect to even the odds in some circumstances, as I am sure you understand." Sephrenia shot her husband a knowing look. Vanion nodded as several possibilities for the rare herb ran through his head. "And this collector friend of yours gathers it for you, isn't that dangerous as well?"
"For her, no love. The villagers are naturally immune…" Sephrenia stopped as the smell of smoke reached her nostrils. Vanion must have smelled it as well because he turned his mount sharply toward the scent. It was coming from their destination.
"The village!" Sephrenia gasped in alarm.
The horses raced along the game trail, weaving through the thick shrubs and bushes until they reached the Styric settlement.
They were too late.
Only charred remains of the once vibrant population remained. Here and there flames still burned, but the destruction was several hours old. "My god, what happened here?" Vanion said softly as he dismounted from his horse and helped his wife off the other one. Sephrenia narrowed her eyes and uttered a string of curses.
"What is it?" Vanion asked urgently.
"Vile magic has been used here!" She said promptly.
"We should get some help," Vanion said, moving to return to his horse.
Sephrenia sighed. "Let's check for survivors first."
The two crossed the village looking for any sign of survivors. After two hours of searching they found none. Vanion glanced anxiously at his wife. Lines of despair were etched into her lovely blue eyes making her seem haunted and surreal.
"Come my love, there's nothing left here."
"I suppose you are right, dear one…" she said softly, but stopped as she heard a soft whispering.
"Did you hear that?" she said sharply to Vanion.
"Hear what?" he asked, confused.
Sephrenia turned about as the faint whispering continued; it was stronger from a certain direction.
At once she set off to the large burned temple she and Vanion had searched earlier.
"Beloved, we already checked here." He reminded her.
Her intent look silenced him and he followed her, unsheathing his sword.
The temple was burned but the fire apparently hadn't been strong enough to do more than more than singe the marble and consume the inside furnishings. The benches remained intact and Sephrenia slowly threaded her way between them as she made her way to the altar at the front.
There, rising majestically from the center was a massive statue of Aphrael, lovely and serene, almost lifelike from the skill of the sculptor. The statue alone was devoid of any form of damage, sparkling in its quartz and marble brilliance.
The whispers undoubtedly stemmed from this area, to Sephrenia's mind it seemed as if the voices all individually subdued, but together sounded like the rushing of mighty waters. The former Pandion tutor looked at the smiling face of her goddess wondering what it meant for her to do.
Vanion stood beside her quiet and alert. Sephrenia stepped forward and lifted her hand to the statue. Gently she pressed her fingers to the heart of her lovely goddess and a rumbling shook the ground. She found herself hastily pulled away as an opening in the ground opened up before her.
"Watch yourself, love!" Vanion said as he lifted his wife away from the gap.
Any further instruction he had was interrupted by the anxious cries of several high pitched voices. Sephrenia leaned over the edge of the gap and peered inside the dark hole.
The faces of several children greeted her.
"Vanion, help me!" she said urgently as she turned toward the children with soothing words.
One by one, they lifted the children out. There were 22 in all, ranging from infants to young teenagers. Slowly a partial account of the events of the destruction of the village emerged. A strange magician had arrived at the village and demanded to see the elder.
After the elder arrived the magician murdered her and proceeded to destroy the village. Those who could ran to the relative safety of Aphrael's temple and barred the doors. However, eventually the magician had broken through and the adults fought him with whatever skill they possessed.
It wasn't enough. Eventually the powerful magician had killed every villager and went into the temple to find the only ones who remained, the children. Despite a desperate search the evil magician couldn't find the children's hiding spot so he instead set fire to the temple.
"But how did you find this hiding spot?" Vanion asked the children as he and Sephrenia wrapped the young ones in blankets and gave them food. The children grew hushed and looked toward one of the teenagers sitting apart from the group.
The older girl looked up and Vanion was immediately struck by how much the girl looked like his beloved wife seated next to him. He shared a quick look with Sephrenia and carefully made his way to the girl.
The child's blue-grey eyes widened in fear as Vanion approached, and the former preceptor slowed giving the girl a disarming smile.
"Hello," he started in his accented Styric. "What is your name?"
The girl drew her knees to her chest and her thick black hair fell across her face. "Y'phira, sir, sir…"
"Vanion," he supplied quickly. "It's all right now. My wife and I won't let anything hurt you."
The girl Y'phira peeked out from behind her wealth of hair and gave him a look of trepidation. "…But what if it comes back?" she said.
Sephrenia had joined her mate. "Then we will deal with it, dear one." She said softly to the girl.
The girl stared at Sephrenia intently. She nodded and gave a small smile. Sephrenia immediately felt a sense of proprietary affection for the girl. "Come." She said extending her hand and drew Y'phira to her feet.
"How she knew about the statue's hiding place, I could never figure out...the strange whispers that led me to the children where just as mysterious." Sephrenia continued to her rapt audience. She turned and walked to the slender window where the pale moonlight streamed in.
"She was always a shy child, and traumatized by her ordeal. She wouldn't speak of it. I had no difficulty finding places for my other apprentices; they each found their niche in Sarsos, but Y'phira…"
"You brought her to us," Bevier answered quietly.
Sephrenia nodded. "Yes, but not to replace your tutor, at least not at first. She would not leave Vanion and me; she grew upset and afraid if I even suggested such. But when we visited the Cyrinic Chapterhouse she immediately took to you."
Bevier looked down at the unconscious woman his dark eyes thoughtful. "But why?"
"She said you made her feel safe." Sephrenia said simply. "She asked to stay on as your tutor, and she has flourished under your care, Bevier."
"I…" Bevier was lost for words.
Sephrenia merely smiled. "I have an idea of what is going on," she said glancing out the window, where half of Chyrellos had vanished, only to be replaced with an inferno-hued wasteland. "…but none of us knows everything. I believe Y'phira has a part to play, as do you, dear one."
Part II.
Sir Ulath reclined idly on the stool of the dimly lit tavern, one foot propped against the table as his charming Evonae strolled toward him with another pint of ale.
"Would you like some refreshments my lord?" she asked as she graciously held out the decanter to him. Ulath grinned as he reached for the decanter and set it aside.
"Actually my darling, I believe its time for desert." He responded as he reached forward and took the lovely auburn woman around the waist and dragged her closer.
"Why sir Ulath! I didn't know you enjoyed sweets so much!" Evonae purred as she leaned forward invitingly.
"Only when they taste as delicious as you." Ulath said huskily.
"Indeed, sir Ulath, you are quite the connoisseur." Evonae said leaning in closer until her luscious lips were only a hair's breadth away. Ulath puckered his lips in anticipation.
"Sir Ulath, are you well? Sir? Can you hear me, sir Ulath? Dirkiem asked shaking the large, unconscious Genidian Knight.
Ulath's lovely dream splintered apart along with the lovely Evonae as the Genidian Knight felt the hard ground beneath him and hands shaking him roughly.
"Do you really think saying 'sir Ulath' over and over again will wake him up?" Rhamik interrupted as he folded his arms. He stood with his back to the bright sunlight casting a dark shadow over the awakening knight. Ulath felt a slight breeze tickle at his chin as the wind blew the blood stained grass in waves.
"I do not see you offering any great ideas." Dirkeim said frowning up at his brother.
"I sure there's something better than your idiotic whining sir Ulath, sir Ulath!" Rhamik imitated in a nasal high-pitched voice.
"You have a great deal of nerve calling me idiotic and I wasn't whining!" Dirkeim retorted.
"Was so- sir Ulath, sir Ulath!" Rhamik waved his hands in the air "Wake up please! I want to go see your pretty niece so I can drool over her like the sodden half-wit I am!"
"Why you childish, impudent, pigheaded fool!" Dirkiem shouted as he leapt to his feet and made a grab for his brother.
Rhamik was fast, but not fast enough to dodge his brother's rage filled charge. He got his hands up but Dirkeim grabbed his younger brother's shirt holding him still for an ensuing pummeling. Realizing this, Rhamik quickly pulled back his fist hoping to beat Dirkeim to the punch.
Unfortunately, Ulath, who lay between the feuding brothers, happened to sit up at that moment pulling both men off balance and causing them to sprawl into the unsuspecting knight.
After suffering an elbow in the ribs and a knee in the groin, Ulath finally disentangled himself and bodily lifted both Dirkeim and Rhamik by the scruffs of their necks, glaring at them murderously as the young men sputtered apologies.
Disgusted, Ulath dropped them both leaving Kurik's sons slack jawed. "Where's Sparhawk!" He demanded.
The brothers looked at each other and shrugged in unison. "We don't know sir, we thought you might." Dirkheim answered.
Ulath sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Get up boys!" He ordered Kurik's sons. "Gather up the survivors! We need to get to Chyrellos!"
Rhamik raised an eyebrow at Ulath. "That may be difficult, sir."
"Why?" Ulath demanded.
"'Cause Chyrellos ain't there anymore." He said, pointing.
Ulath followed Rhamik's line of sight and gasped. Instead of the holy city, an inferno-hued wasteland loomed.
Part III.
As the last vestiges of daylight settled below the horizon, Kyyis' eyes fluttered open and he groaned in pain.
"Ever the night owls aren't we bro?" Talen muttered as he rapidly patted his brother's jaw attempting to jar him into consciousness. The technique worked as Kyyis blinked slowly and grabbed Talen's wrist.
"I'm up! Stop hitting me!" Kyyis growled in a croaking voice.
Talen bit back a sigh of relief. "Sorry Kyyis, but naptime is over. What happened to you?"
Kyyis pulled himself up to balance on his elbows and looked around with a bewildered expression. Talen shared his brother's confusion. The sky continued to darken in the late evening, but the stars that were emerging were none that he could identify. The heavenly expanses held none of the usual constellations but strange groupings of stars that were somehow eerily familiar.
The majestic aqueducts still loomed to the west, but the evening had wreathed the lovely edifices with an ominous darkness. Thief's mentality that he had, Talen felt distinctly vulnerable in the open grasslands of this odd place with no concealment for as far as the eye could see.
"Feeling better, Kyyis?" Danae's voice interjected.
Talen's jaw clenched his anger at her betrayal returning. He remained silent, not trusting himself to speak.
"I'll be fine princess, just as soon as I wake up from this foul, strange nightmare."
"Nightmare?" asked Danae.
Kyyis flung his arm out indicating their surroundings. "One moment we are looking for some dead Archprelate, next thing I know several dead Archprelates are looking for me! Then I head back up to the surface only to come out here!"
"Listen to me, Kyyis," Danae said grabbing the Knight's shoulder. "This is not a nightmare. Something happened, something cataclysmic. We have to find a way out of here."
Kyyis shook his head refusing to believe it. Danae sighed imperceptibly looking at Talen in askance. Talen glared back at her.
"Will you please explain to him?" Her voice sounded in his mind.
"Stay out of my head!" He responded vehemently, pressing against the feeling of her presence.
Danae reeled back suddenly as if struck. Her eyes grew large in shock and hurt. Talen turned away abruptly as guilt and satisfaction warred in his chest. He picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulder.
"Nightmare or not, we are too exposed here. We need to find some cover." Talen said. This strange place was getting to him, not to mention his mixed feelings toward a certain Elenian princess.
He helped his brother to his feet, avoiding looking at Danae directly.
"It's only getting darker." Kyyis pointed out.
"We might as well step right along then." Talen retorted. Kyyis shrugged and stretched, seemingly none the worse for wear. Apparently Danae's efforts had been successful with his brother's injuries. Talen felt his anger abate slightly and he stole a quick glance at the goddess-princess. Her head was lowered her dark brows creased in thought.
Talen wondered why he had not seen the truth sooner. He was usually very astute in such matters, especially when it came to people who carried secrets. But, Talen mused, Aphrael was a goddess and she could probably tamper with his thoughts if she wanted to. That epiphany made Talen's blood run cold for an instant before it was replaced with hot fury.
The Pandion increased his pace. He wanted to put as much distance between himself and the princess as possible.
Unfortunately for the party, there was no concealment to be had. Talen, Kyyis, and Danae had trekked north for a quarter hour before the darkness made further travel useless. They moved closer to the shallow river reasoning that the shadows of the aqueducts would provide the closest thing to cover.
Irritated, Talen settled on the ground to pick through his slender pack. He had taken enough supplies to get him through a lengthy search through the subterranean crypts. As a result, the group had very few provisions, and next to nothing to make camp with.
Talen was sorely tempted to ask Danae if there was any divine assistance she could give, whether in the way of provisions or even directions in this strange land. He was a breath away from asking but caught himself before he said anything. He didn't trust the enigmatic princess. She had her own world. Talen had seen it. For all he knew this could be a construct of her design.
He watched her warily as she assembled a makeshift pallet from her cloak and pack and settled down to sleep. She gave Talen a brief look and closed her eyes, murmuring a quiet goodnight.
"Talen you should get some sleep too." Kyyis said, staring off into the distance. "I'll keep first watch; I'm not really all that tired."
Talen smirked. "That's because you spent half the day snoring." He muttered as he arranged his own pallet.
"I do not snore!" Kyyis said indignantly.
"Really?" Talen said mildly. "Must have been a bear nearby when I found you."
Kyyis treated Talen to a derisive snort as he started away from where Talen was settling himself on the hard ground. Unable to sleep, Talen found himself studying Danae who had drifted off. It was dark, but the young princess was close enough that he could make out her features; the soft curve of her cheek, the arch of her dark eyebrows, the flair of her lashes.
Beneath her cloak her petite figure was outlined. Talen frowned, his chest flaring with an ache. She seemed so vulnerable lying there, so small. He had known Danae since she was born. He had carried her before she was able to walk. He remembered how she would hold up her hands in mute plea, her dark eyes wide and imploring. He rarely denied her, and once in his arms she would twine her chubby arms around his neck and nestle into the crook of his arm. If he really concentrated he could remember how her silky hair felt against his jaw. He had felt so protective of her. She was so small, and so apt to find trouble.
Now, looking at her, even knowing her true nature, he still felt protective of her. It was an odd assortment of feelings welling inside, protectiveness and anger, among other feelings he couldn't identify in his exhaustion, making his chest heavy. He sighed, assured that he would find no sleep that evening. He was wrong.
His dreams were vivid. He stood under Kurik's oak watching the brilliant green leaves undulate and wave in the wind under a sky so clear and pure he was mesmerized. He talked to his father, Kurik, long dead, but nevertheless present.
"It's time to be moving on from here don't you think?" He asked.
"I would if I knew how father," Talen answered sullenly.
Kurik barked a laugh. "The answers right in front of you, lad. Get your head out of your arse and you'll see it."
Talen frowned and looked back up at the oak and sighed. "I wish I could just stay here. Everything is so confusing now."
Kurik put an arm around Talen's shoulders. "Everything isn't meant to be understood, Talen. But you have a choice."
"What choice?" Talen asked.
"You accept the world you've been given as it is or…" Kurik grew silent.
"Or what?" Talen prompted.
"Or, you fight to make it what you want it to be." Kurik said.
Talen drew away from his father. "How do you fight something you don't even understand?"
Kurik gripped Talen's shoulder hard enough to hurt. "Listen to me Talen. We are running out of time. You have power. It's untried, untapped, but its there. Hear me! You must finish your task!"
Talen tried to shake free of Kurik's grip but it was unrelenting. "Father, I don't understand! I don't even know how to get home."
Kurik finally released him and Talen felt himself falling as Kurik and his oak began to darken. His father's words echoed in his mind as Talen lost his purchase.
"This errant thread is of your own making. Use your adversary to break free of your own bonds."
The darkness became absolute as Talen continued to fall, feelings of vertigo pressing his stomach against his spine. He was dizzy and lightheaded and his coherent thoughts scrambled.
"Talen? Are you all right?" A lilting, musical voice was asking him.
Disoriented, Talen's instincts kicked in as he grabbed the woman leaning over him and pulled her to the ground, turning over to pin her underneath him.
He stared at Danae's wide brown eyes. "It's just me, Talen." She said breathlessly as she squirmed beneath his forearm.
Suddenly he was awash in sensations. Soft skin beneath his fingertips, the salty tang of tasted lips, the warmth of mingled breath, the light scrape of nails against his scalp. He was kissing her. Aphrael, Danae, Flute? Her name didn't seem important at the moment as he ran the tip of his tongue across her mouth, her lips parting. He deepened his kiss drawing the goddess-princess closer. A recklessness had taken over him as he devoured her, drawing his fingertips away from her soft skin to delve in to her dark-silky hair.
Sucking softly on her lower lip he finally drew away, Danae opened her eyes, drowsy and glazed with desire. Talen felt as if he was drowning slowly and trailed soft, wet kisses along her jaw and down the slender column of her neck. He pressed his lips against the hollow of her throat and traced his tongue lightly to where her neck met her shoulder and bit lightly, sucking at the spot.
He was close enough to feel her stammering heartbeat and hear her uneven breathing. He lifted his head and stared down at her wondering what in the world he was thinking. Danae gazed back at him, mirroring confusion and desire. She leaned up and drew him back into another intense kiss.
In intense flash seared the back of Talen's eyelids and was immediately followed by the deafening crashing of thunder. Startled back to his senses, Talen pulled away from Danae as a water pellet struck his face. He looked up to see that morning had come upon him all unaware.
Instead of the sky being its clear cerulean blue, however, it was covered end to end with great bulbous clouds of a menacing grey. A streak of violet light flashed, streaking the area white again and a cacophonous thunder jarred the ground.
Immediately the heavens loosened the awaiting torrent. The rain began falling in great pounding sheets.
"What the hell!" Kyyis said, sitting bolt upright from his pallet. He scrambled to collect his provisions. "Damn! We need cover! How are we going to get out of this?"
Talen was also gathering his supplies. He had pulled his hood over his head but the covering was utterly useless. The rain had already drenched them. Talen felt panic grip him as his skin grew cold and clammy for the downpour. Suddenly, he remembered his father's words from his dream. The answer is right in front of you.
Talen looked around desperately but there was only drenched grass extending in every direction.
Except for the river.
Talen stilled. The aqueducts…Talen knew somehow they held the answer to the riddle of this strange place.
"Follow me!" He yelled to his two companions, his voice nearly drowned out in the loud rain.
The Pandion thief turned and ran for the river. He heard Kyyis screaming his protest but the words were cut off by the rain. Quickly Talen splashed into the shallow water and made his way toward the nearest towering aqueduct.
He was completely soaked as he splashed through the rapidly rising water, the arches of the massive aqueduct looming closer. Complicating matters, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky reminding Talen of the danger of his endeavors, if lightning struck the river…
Talen redoubled his efforts to reach the nearest aqueduct, the beautiful structure towering into the sky. Talen hazarded a glance over his shoulder and was reassured that Kyyis and Danae were following him even in the near invisibility of the flash storm.
Finally, when he was within a few feet of the aqueduct he saw a strange flicker in the opening beneath the arches. It looked like a room consisting of stones, but as quickly as it appeared it resumed the original perspective of the now raging river.
Talen fought to keep his balance as he waited for Kyyis and Danae to reach him. Danae was unable to, and to Talen's horror she went under the rain-churned water. Talen turned and ran toward the spot where Danae had gone under. Kyyis was flailing desperately, trying to maintain his own balance while frantically casting about for the submerged princess.
Talen let go and went completely underwater desperately feeling around for the princess. The turbulent rapids kept him from being able to see anything under the water.
His heart hammering in his chest, Talen desperately felt about and finally caught a hold of a piece of Danae's garment. He clutched and pulled and a moment later they both emerged from the water sputtering and breathing heavily.
"Do you have her?" Kyyis screamed against the torrent.
"Aye!" Talen said holding Danae against his side as she coughed up more water. He dragged them both toward the aqueduct. The three companions grabbed the slippery corners of the edifice as the water level continued to rise.
"What now?" Kyyis asked, spitting out water.
Talen looked down at Danae, who was still clutched at his side. Tentatively, he felt her presence brush against his mind.
"Can you get us out of here?" he asked silently.
He large luminous eyes stared up at him and through his connection to her he could feel her cold and exhaustion. It startled and scared him to think that she could feel human weakness.
"I can't, but you can." She answered silently.
"Talen I hate to tell you this, but if we don't find a way out soon we are going to drown or be struck by lightning!" Kyyis said shrilly.
"How can I get us out?" Talen asked.
"This place is a portal, but only you can open it. This place is part of your thread."
"We have to move!" Kyyis shouted.
"Stop talking in circles, Aphrael! Just tell me what I need to do."
"I am trying, Talen. This place responds to your will. You have to will the path to open."
"Gods Talen! Are you even listening?" Kyyis said reaching out and grabbing Talen's arm and shaking him roughly.
"Stop it Kyyis!" Talen said shaking himself free. "I'm working on it!"
"It's not working, Aphrael!" Talen sent his thought to the young woman clutched against him.
"You have to focus your will, Talen. Try using the Secrets."
The water levels now reached Talen's waist, and Danae was barely above water. He lifted her and pressed her between his body and the aqueduct wall, freeing his hands to make the gestures.
Talen turned and stared at the opening waiting for the flicker of the stone room to appear before he intoned the spell and shaped the accompanying gesture with his fingers.
The room stopped flickering and started to solidify. Kyyis let go of his hold on the wall and made his way into the dry room. Talen pulled the princess close and moved to enter the room as well.
Danae was wrenched from his arms. Startled, Talen whirled around. The river and rain had coalesced into the form of a massive giant with a gaping mouth and tentacle-like appendages. One of the tentacles held the squirming princess.
"Talen run! Please!" she screamed.
Talen looked up at the massive, water-formed monstrosity. His dagger was immediately in his hand.
"Let her go!" He shouted.
The water formed monster stared at him from two whirlpools that served as eyes.
"Who art thou to defy Anon?"
The monster blasted Talen with a power spray of water knocking the Knight backwards into the raging river.
Talen came up from the blast disoriented, but almost immediately got to his feet, adrenaline coursing through his veins, giving the young man almost inhuman strength. He brandished his dagger against the water-formed monstrosity who laughed at him. The sound was filled with gurgling.
"Thou art impertinent, thief of Epallus. Thy death is reserved for the favored of Anon. Come to the tower of bones if thou seeketh thy goddess. There thou wilt find thy demise!"
The monstrosity laughed its strange laugh again. To Talen's horror it began to form a funnel between water and sky, immersing Danae in the middle. Talen ran toward the funnel even as the powerful winds wrenched and threw him every which way.
The funneling whirlpool continued until suddenly it cleared, leaving nothing in sight. The rain ended abruptly and the sky clearly leaving only cerulean brilliance behind.
"Danae!" Talen cried, dropping to his knees in the calming river.
Nothing answered his call.