Innocence Questioned
Chapter 9
The thick fog refused to yield that morning; its wispy tendrils clung desperately to the forest floor, surrounding the grand trees, fighting a loosing battle against the rising sun.
A loosing battle, thought taless'naverine darkly.
Their journey from the cave had not been an easy one, constantly forced to make detours, going out of their way to avoid the increasing numbers of human troops had cost precious time, and time was of the essence now.
The silverway and its allies had learnt that Alessia, the humans leader was due to leave the high temple within a few days for an unknown location, leaving their window of opportunity very small indeed.
Their destination was the small orbital town of fanacasecul, one of several bridge routes over lake rumare into the temple city, beneath which ran the tunnel leading into the bowels of the temple itself.
Incra'te's plan was a relatively simple one, the majority of the temple survivors would infiltrate the city and remain hidden until the pre arranged time, while the silver way, led by lorenk and incra'te would enter through the tunnel into the catacombs.
Both simultaneously attack, those on the surface a diversion while those below would strike at the very heart of the emergent empire.
He made it all sound so easy, taless'naverine sighed. of course incra'te had mentioned nothing about escaping afterwards.
A sharp breeze blew through the fog before them bringing with it the unmistakable stench of smoke and burnt flesh.
"Must be getting close" shalinva remarked warily, a nervous chill ran down taless'naverine's back.
They had heard the horror stories of what the uprising slaves had done, the wanton destruction, the raping and burning. There had been a time when she may have empathised with them, now she no longer cared. Their betrayal had been a personal slap in the face of everything she had believed in and they would be made to pay for what they'd done.
Maybe then her father would be able to rest.
A signal from ahead halted the column. Taless'naverine could feel the fear and anticipation in those around her, this was it.
Fanacasecul.
As planned, the grim faced temple survivors quickly departed, eager to exact their own vengeance.
"Not even a farewell" shalinva huffed.
They watched as lorenk passed among the remaining warriors, offering final words of encouragement, flashing his winning smile and laughing along at some joke, to outward appearances he was the came charismatic man, only the white haired woman could see the terrible power radiating from and his humour the thin disguise that it was, he was in agony.
Lorenk's smile faded as their eyes met, realising she hadn't been fooled by the pretence he made his way over to her.
"Your brother was right you know, were all criminals" he began quietly, staring into the distance. "None though more than me".
"What are you talking about? I agree we've done some terrible things lorenk, the cause was just, at the time" she added. " I just don't understand why you took up the sword, Ilithari told me I was the harbinger of the empire reborn, it should be me carrying this burden".
Lorenk chuckled, a genuine sound she hadn't heard in a while.
"I was like you once girl, so wide eyed and innocent, brought up in luxury without a care in the world. Then my family sent me to the temple for 'education' and I did rather well for a time".
Taless'naverine nodded, finally understanding. "You broke your vows to the temple."
Lorenk merely shrugged. "I simply didn't agree with their views and the more my tutors attempted to force the issue the more I rebelled. I left and founded the silverway, out of nothing more than sheer spite really" He smiled warmly at the memory. "It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I guess its finally caught up with me".
"So it would seem, this then is your final penance?" she ventured.
Patting the sword on his hip, lorenk grinned. "Aye girl the swords a one way trip, even now it pulls at my being, threatening to end me, but I have no regrets". He smiled sadly.
"My only request is when you get free of this mess, you and shalinva get as far away as possible, Valens wood is as safe as it gets at the moment".
"I promise" she nodded gravely.
Contented, lorenk gave them each a final smile before returning to the gathered warriors.
Shalinva gave a low whistle. "Never ceases to amaze me."
Fanacasecul was a ravaged husk, the meekest shadow of its former beauty. The silver way gathered silently on the edge of the forest looking across at the devastation each person lost to their dark thoughts.
Although taless'naverine had never been to the city before she mourned its loss, the passing of something ancient and irreplaceable.
The group crept through the silent tomb city, seeing no living thing other than carrion crows feasting on the bloated dead.
Across the blackened city taless'naverine could see the once elegant white marble bridge that had once connected the temple city to the mainland, it now had a huge gap blown out of its centre, no doubt the work of powerful explosive magic's.
She was jolted from her musings by shalinva who indicated their destination, a smoke blackened temple, under which lay the secret entrance.
Three of the group secreted ahead seeking potential ambush, while the main body of the silverway made their way as surreptitiously as possible into the chamber interior.
The chamber, once a place of worship was an abattoir, taless'naverine gagged as the stench hit her.
Two or three deep in places were the men, women and children of fanacasecul, none had been spared in what appeared their last stand.
Incra'te broke the silence, indicating the route to the lower levels and so like grim, pale faced ghosts they followed.
The dripping of water was a constant and uncomfortable reminder to taless'naverine of how deep under lake rumare they were travelling, the walls of the narrow tunnel were slick with moisture that reflected in the flickering torch light and despite their attempts at stealth the sound of footfalls echoed alarming loud.
After roughly fifteen minutes they gathered at the far end, much to taless'naverine's relief. Before them was an old lattice work gate through which was a stone stair spiralled upwards.
"From here we'll emerge directly below the central auditorium" Incra'te explained as they gathered at the stairs base. "Its likely we'll be spotted quickly so speed and surprise is of the essence. Even with the diversion we'll have no more than a few moments".
Taless'naverine's chest grew tight as lorenk drew the red metal daedric sword, she could feel the vast and terrible energies within it, like a coiled spring awaiting release.
"Remember, alessia is mine". He stated, his voice dripping with malice. "No one interfere".
There were muted goodwill's and hushed blessings. Shalinva gave taless'naverine's hand a reassuring squeeze. "When this is all over, beautiful". She left the rest unsaid, taless'naverine grinned, knowing a promise when she heard one.
Upon checking their weapons, the sixteen ascended to meet their human foe.
As they neared the top a deep rumble vibrated through the stairwell casting down dust and debris, the diversion had begun.
Taless'naverine heard cries of alarm and the pounding of armoured feet. They positioned themselves around the secret entrance, taless'naverine held her breath as incra'te whispered a three count then burst through the door with a mighty bellow.
The humans were taken completely off guard as the ayleids burst into circular chamber, lorenk barrelled into them, the power of his sword finally unleashed, a furious bloody aura surrounding them. With each swing of the god blade, humans by the dozen fell eviscerated, their souls wrenched out to feed the hungry blade.
The slaughter was over in mere moments.
Taless'naverine, with shalinva at her side the humans had been using the chamber as a workshop of some kind, scattered across the floor were designs for a flag or emblem, a black stylised dragon. She smirked, the symbol of the new order was splattered with human blood.
"For cyrod!" cried incra'te, charging with lorenk at his side.
Quickly, they left the temple basement via a broad stair leading into a gently curving corridor with a high arched ceiling, by now the humans had recovered from the initial surprise and were desperately repositioning their lines, it was then the silverway summoned daedra.
A dozen giant red and golden armoured figures burst into existence behind the human barricades, systematically butchering them, it was almost to easy.
Almost.
Around them, giant claws and razor sharp fang tore their way through realities walls, a host of reptilian daedra, accompanied by scored of elemental creatures ploughed into them.
"Oblivion damn them!" shalinva cried over the din. " Our only way out!"
It dawned on her then, as taless'naverine fought through humans and daedra, that there was no going back and a grim resolve settled upon her, if she was indeed to usher in a new golden age for ayleids people as Ilithari had foreseen, it would happen in the next few moments.
The last of the silverway smashed into the temple towers central chamber, not slowing for anything, the guard before them nor the daedra behind.
The chamber had been cleared of any furniture and ornamentation save the high priests dais, upon the high priests marble throne of state, surrounded by scores of warriors, grey robed and grim looking sat alessia, queen of slaves, resplendent in baroque shining golden plate.
With a wave of her hand, the golden figure cast the daedra back into the nether realm suddenly leaving nine silverway looking insignificant and vulnerable, their assault faltered as an incandescent shield of force bisected the marble arched chamber.
Her presence seemed to fill the chamber as she stood, for the briefest moment taless'naverine caught her gaze and was near overwhelmed by the power behind them, the sadness and the rage.
Taless'naverine's heart sank. No longer was she a mere slave, alessia had become a vessel of divine power.
"My terms are simple" her voice resonated sharply through the chamber. "Swear fealty to me and I will spare your lives".
"Live under the rule of humans!" Incra'te spat. "Slaves? I would rather die. This insurrection ends here!"
Alessia smiled sadly, shaking her head. "You simply don't understand, your sister does, don't you taless'naverine iscario".
The ayleids felt her knees going weak at alessia's penetrating stare.
"The end of one empire to give birth to another" she whispered, remembering Ilithari's words.
How could this be, the golden age, was it all a lie, a misinterpreted prophecy?
"The age of ayleidom draws to an end and a human empire will rise from it's ashes, this has been foreseen and it will come to pass. All that remains is you, the remnants of the old order".
Lorenk, master of the silverway gave her wry smile before thrusting the fiery aloft, at the sight of it alessia stumbled back as if struck.
Her hold on the dividing shield vanished and the ayleids charged forward into the waiting guards.
Raw daedric power lanced from the sword cutting a gory swathe through the humans, rending body and soul. Lorenk, bloated with energy, laughed maniacally.
Recovering, alessia faced the oncoming ayleids. For a moment she stood there, as if lost in thought, then drew her sword.
The flash of light was so intense it blinded half those present in the chamber.
Alessia's weapon, an elegant long sword of the purest crystal, taless'naverine's was aghast as she saw the sword held a fragment aedric consciousness writhing about the blade, that of akatosh.
In one swift move alessia leapt across the chamber and into the fray, cutting down two silverway in the space of a heartbeat. Lorenk, finishing off a human guard roared a challenge to the woman and began battering his way towards her.
A aura of energy played about alessia's outstretched hand and she unleashed a magical torrent, taless'naverine screamed.
Her world slowed to a crawl as she watched shalinva fall, wide eyed with shock, to the ground, all around her people moves in slow motion as taless'naverine desperately fought to her lovers side.
Her heart wrenching wail was drowned by the calamitous ringing of two swords, the very ground beneath her shook as the most elemental forces in existence clashed.
Time seemed to pass in disjointed flashes, taless'naverine was vaguely aware of being hauled to her feet, running down a curving corridor as huge slabs of masonry fell about them, the place was shaking itself apart.
Five ayleids stumbled to the bottom of the spiral stair and back into the secret tunnel, desperately trying to keep their footing as the violent quaking intensified.
"Hurry!" cried kosiv. "This place could cave in on us at any moment!"
Incra'te nodded grimly.
Between him, valmone and the old mage they supported a delirious taless'naverine and the unconscious form of shalinva.
About two thirds of the way back there was a deep rumbling from behind them and the whistling of displaced air.
"Were flooded!" incra'te cried in horror. "Run!"
"No, I can hold the water back long enough for you" yelled kosiv over the growing thundering.
As he began gesturing desperately, incra'te looked on in dismay as the waters of lake rumare roared towards them.
Then it simply stopped. Kosiv stood, facing the water with outstretched arms with concentration etched into his face.
"I can only hold it for a few minutes" he said through clenched teeth, glancing back at them the old mage managed a smile. "Go, take care of your sister".
Incra'te nodded, "I will, thank you.
With the smell of fresh air, taless'naverine began to come to her senses, the series of dream like events snapped back into focus.
"Shalinva!" she cried. Incra'te's hold on her tightened.
"Sister not now" he said. "She's safe but we have to get away from here".
She was relieved to see shalinva, her eyes flickering and despite the terrible wound to her cheat, was breathing.
As they reached the edge of the city there was a loud roaring of water behind them, they turned to see a torrent of water and debris spewing from fanacasecul's temple.
What drew their attention however was the spectacle across the rumare, above the city of the high temple the very air seemed to be rippling and distorting, the clouds above them began turning dark red and thunder boomed across the sky.
"I think we get out of here while we can" said valmone, but it was already too late.
The veil between realities ruptured over lake rumare. Out of nowhere a gale descended upon them, uprooting trees and ripping tops off houses, a bloody red squall drenched them as they made their escape.
Taless'naverine liked back one final time, centred over the high temple and rapidly expanding was a tempest of a power so pure and primal it threatened to overcome her.
Nothing was spared it's wrath, whole buildings were torn from the ground, the city walls disintegrated, the very land was sucked into the air to feed the ever growing cyclone.
But through the storm, as if taunting them, was the tower.
The wind had died down considerably by the time they stopped, the rain though, continued mercilessly.
Taless'naverine knelt in the mud over shalinva, her breathing had become shallow and rapid. As taless'naverine cradled her head her eyes flickered open and after a moment focused.
"Morning beautiful" she whispered. Taless'naverine wept with relief.
"Morning yourself" she sniffed. "Don't worry you'll be fine my brothers here, you'll be up in no time. Just you remember that promise okay, just be…".
Shalinva started coughing, retching blood. Holding taless'naverine's hand in a vice like grip.
"Brother, do something!" she screamed, desperately holding her lovers hand, soothing her while incra'te weaved spells of healing over her body.
"Less.. Lessa" shalinva whispered, her voice just audible. "It's alright beautiful…, beautiful, together forev…"
The forest, despite the pounding rain was filled with a woman's despairing cry.
Taless'naverine sat there, her soul numb. She gently closed shalinva's eyes and, reaching over tenderly kissed her blood stained lips.
She didn't look up as her brother approached, he and valmone were already seeing to the digging of a grave.
"Forgive me lessa, the wound was beyond my ability to heal".
She didn't answer, just stared. Numb, until she felt a curious tingling at her breast.
Digging into her armour taless'naverine dug out the black metal amulet Ilithari had given her.
The stone at its centre was glowing an eerie blue, she heard a sharp intake of breath from her brother and glancing at him saw his attention firmly fixed on the amulet.
" A soul stone, sister. An incredibly powerful one". A thin smile crossed his lips and reaching over he took taless'naverine's hands in his. "Your friend was right, she will be with you forever, look".
Looking down at the amulet, taless'naverine's eye's filled with tears. Of joy or sorrow she couldn't tell, but as the blue gem began throbbing, she knew she could feel her lover within.
The following two years passed for taless'naverine as she and her bother travelled form place to place, city to city trying to keep one step of the new alessian army and it's ayleid vassals. Even though they were considered the lands most hunted criminals, it didn't deter them from organising resistance to the new order, but the as time went by the resolve of the people began to weaken as the humans consolidated power and soon support for the last high priest and his sister started to dissolve.
The humans began closing the noose on them and eventually they discovered why.
Huddled around their small fire deep within the underbelly of the city sarcen, incra'te explained to his sister over their small meal.
"It's our sigillum" he explained. "I fear they've tracking us through our marks, possibly with the help of one of the traitor houses".
Taless'naverine said nothing for a time. "That would explain the last three times the nearly got us". He nodded, turning the cooking rabbit on the spit.
"It would seem we are faced with yet another small dilemma, not wanting to dampen the mood of course".
Ignoring his attempt to lighten the mood, she cut herself a small piece of meat.
"Well, what's the plan then?"
"Your not going to like it sister, but I think you have a better chance of survival this way".
She spat the half chewed meat into the fire. "What in oblivion are you suggesting, that we split up? Go our separate ways way's incra'te".
"No" he replied, unmoved by her outburst. "Lessa it's only a matter of time until the find us and if one of us were hidden beyond the humans ability to reach, it give us half a victory".
"What are you talking about, hidden". she asked, suddenly terrified of what he was about to ask of her.
There is a blood rite, old and powerful stuff which will allow me to, in effect…"
"Just tell me incra'te" she said softly, knowing he was struggling with his decision.
"I will in effect be making you into a statue, my sister. You as you are now, until the spell expires will cease to be, the humans will no longer detect you. Not for at least ten years ".
Chewing on her lower lip, taless'naverine mulled over the information. "Ten years you say?"
He nodded. "Only ten years, and only one person lessa, it's all I can manage, it has to be you. Please taless'naverine iscario, do this for me. Put my mind at ease, I want you to be safe".
"And what of you my brother?" she asked, feeling tears welling behind eyes.
"It's only ten years and we are a long lived people, I'll have them running around in circles".
Slowly, taless'naverine nodded her agreement. "Thank you, my brother".
The blood rite itself didn't take long to prepare, incra'te needed few ingredients, he escorted taless'naverine into the cities crypts were he prepared an empty sarcophagus.
"Are you kidding" she pointed. "There's no way I'm getting in that thing".
Ignoring her complaint, incra'te set out his ingredients, a small wooden bowl, a small phial of blood and a tiny ingot inscribed with arcane runes.
"For this this to work sister I'm afraid you'll have to remove the clothing".
She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
"Anything else while I'm busy stripping for you?"
"Mead".
"Mead?" she asked, confused.
"Mead. Cant remember the last time I had a good one". he shook off the thought. "Good, stand there.
Placing her clothing in a bundle taless'naverine but keeping her amulet firmly in place, did as her brother instructed. He sat cross legged before her.
"This may feel rather strange, try not to panic" she nodded nervously.
He poured the phial of blood into the bowl before reading an incantation from the ingot.
Taless'naverine watched as the blood began boiling, then rising before her in as tendrils of vapour.
Incra'te's chanting grew more intense and her heartbeat increased as the bloody mist encompassed her, covering her milky skin with a glistening film, it didn't end there however, to her growing realisation, the blood coalesced over her skin forming familiar arcane runes.
The runes from her dream all those years, she knew now this was meant to be, it felt like something was falling into place.
Incra'te completed the chant with a deep breath. "It's done my sister, now quickly into the sarcophagus.
She lay back cringing as her skin touched cold stone.
Incra'te looked down, she could see the tears behind his eyes.
"My beautiful, beloved sister" his voice cracked. "We will meet again. If something goes amiss look for me in valens wood".
She could already feel her skin going tight, hardening.
"Ten years my brother" she blurted. " I love you".
Her world burst into bright light, then nothing.
And here ends Innocence Questioned. Fear not, the story is far from over.
Thanks for reading everyone.