A/N: Thanks for reviewing! You all rock, seriously. I love your comments, and questions are cool too. So, on to the next chapter! Tirelle has left Abhorsen's House and arrived at Belisaere to supervise the making of – guess what? – the Great Stones.
The Great Stones
Ghidreth stood waist-deep in freezing water, her arms folded tightly. Beside her Tirelle was looking on with wide blue eyes. Six large stones had been hauled down into Belisaere's reservoir by the Wallmakers, and placed in a circle in the centre of the columns. Ropes and pulleys had just been removed from the dark jagged stones, and all was in readiness for the ceremony.
Ghidreth nodded at the Wallmakers who waited at the periphery of the reservoir, and they sloshed forward, separating into groups of three. The Wallmaker watched with a mixture of sadness and pride as they joined hands around each of the stones.
Around the nearest stone were the brothers Imsiber, Malsiber, and Forsiber, all with wavy brown hair and twinkling eyes. Surrounding another were Trovin and Deliah, and their teenaged daughter Amitar, smiling bravely at one another. Encircling the stone next to theirs were childhood friends Romyn, Vicara, and Neri, strong young women who had learned and grown as Wallmakers together… and more. Eighteen Wallmakers in total had volunteered for this special task, and looking at them, Ghidreth's heart swelled with emotion.
"I should be doing this", she whispered to Tirelle sorrowfully.
The Clayr glanced at her. "You have a different part to play", she replied quietly.
The dark woman resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the Seer's enigmatic response. What could you expect from the Clayr anyway? Instead, she nodded, then cleared her throat. "Is everyone ready?" she called.
Murmurs of assent answered her. The Wallmakers had rehearsed their spells for months; each of them now instinctively knew which particular marks to cast and when. Ghidreth had never designed something of this complexity before, and so much relied on the talent of the Wallmakers involved. Normally an undertaking of this size and scope would have involved hundreds of Charter Mages, but this was different. In this task, they would have the help of two Bright Shiners.
Ghidreth turned to nod at Felio, and the young Wallmaker ducked out of the reservoir and called two names.
There was a moment of absolute silence, then a bright shape floated into the chamber, illuminating the shadows. It was a magnificent bird with shining silver plumage, a long fluid tail drifting behind. Following her was the shadowy figure of a man, impossibly tall, but graceful. His inky-black body was wreathed in vibrant emerald sparks, which twinkled over his cloudy limbs.
The tall figure glided over the water to stand in the middle of the ring of stones, his smoky feet barely brushing the glimmering surface. He acknowledged the Wallmakers with a courteous nod, and they inclined their heads in turn. "Belgaer", some of them murmured in reverent welcome.
The bird soared through the air without moving her wings, leaving a faint trail of silver mist in her wake that shimmered before finally fading. She hovered above Belgaer's head, eerily still, her feathers moving languidly in a non-existent breeze. "Ranna", the Wallmakers greeted.
Then all was silent.
"They await your signal", Tirelle breathed, only her large eyes betraying her nervousness. Ghidreth exchanged an uneasy glance with the Seer, and was surprised when the other woman suddenly gripped her hand encouragingly.
The Wallmaker licked her dry lips, and announced, "Let us begin!"
The gathered Wallmakers raised their hands and pressed them firmly onto the uneven stones. Charter marks blossomed from where their skin contacted the hard surfaces, spreading out like so many ripples on a pond. In the centre of the ring, Ranna and Belgaer opened their mouths and began to sing. Light poured from them both – a silver haze from Ranna and green sparks from Belgaer – which enveloped the circle of stones and the Wallmakers. Charter marks overflowed from the stones, mingling with the pure light of the two Shining Ones, and spilled out through the reservoir.
Ghidreth and Tirelle stumbled back, blasted by the power, until they had splashed up to the steps. Felio pulled them out of the water and they huddled, crouching on the cold staircase. They watched breathlessly until the brightness became too much and they were forced to shield their eyes.
Although she could not see it, Ghidreth could still feel the raw power surging out of Ranna and Belgaer straight into the Wallmakers. She could feel her eighteen friends seizing that power to work spells on the stones, and wondered how they could contain it all. After a few hours, or an eternity, the light faded.
Ghidreth reluctantly opened her eyes, and gasped.
The Wallmakers had vanished.
Ghidreth, Tirelle, and Felio cautiously slipped into the water and warily approached the ring of Stones. The water that lapped gently around their waists was sparkling. Ghidreth cupped some into her hands and was surprised to see Charter marks flowing between her fingers.
"The Stones", Tirelle whispered suddenly. "They are glowing!"
As they slowly drew closer, they could gradually make out the millions of Charter marks that flowed in and over the Stones, dazzling in their depth and complexity. The water closer to the Stones was not cold, nor really even wet. Ghidreth, Tirelle, and Felio were wading through magic – magic absorbed from the Charter Stones.
The little group hesitated at the edge of the Stones. In the heart of the ring, standing on the surface of the water, they could make out the dark outline of a man. Belgaer. The bright green sparks that normally wreathed his long frame had diminished in intensity. On his shoulder sat Ranna. The silver bird had lost some of her radiance, and was slightly smaller than when she had begun the ceremony.
The two Shining Ones looked up at the trio's approach. Ghidreth noticed with a shock that they were slightly translucent now, and flickers of Charter marks from the Stones beyond them were visible through their bodies.
Belgaer noticed her look. "That took more out of me than I'd anticipated", he admitted, booming voice resonating with power and shaking the walls of the reservoir. Ranna gave a light tinkling laugh, and Ghidreth felt momentarily drowsy.
Mustering up their courage, the humans entered the ring. They all jumped at the sudden surge of energy that coursed through their bodies. After her initial feelings of panic, Ghidreth's emotional burdens faded away. At her side Tirelle raised her golden head, and Felio's slumped back straightened.
"The Charter Stones welcome you", Ranna said softly.
Ghidreth reached out with a trembling hand and touched the rough surface of the nearest Stone. Instantly she felt herself falling into the Charter, surrounded by a myriad of golden marks, bathed in warmth and light– She withdrew her hand with a gasp. "They did it", she said shakily. "They made Charter Stones…"
Felio lifted a tentative finger and tested a Stone for himself. When he broke contact seconds later, tears were glistening in his eyes. "Vicara stood here", he said, voice choked with emotion. "When I touched it, she… she said hello."
"What?" Tirelle asked, turning to him. "You heard –?"
"No", Felio struggled to explain. "I… I felt her. Like being touched by light… but it was Vicara's presence. I would know it anywhere."
Ghidreth was silent. She knew that Felio had loved Vicara, and that the bright young woman had loved him in return. But Vicara had been so dedicated to this project, that there had never been any hope for a future between the two young Wallmakers.
Farewells had been made in advance of this day, but Ghidreth had not been prepared for the eighteen Wallmakers to completely vanish. She had expected the task to drain them completely of their powers, and the volunteers had been prepared for death, but nobody had foreseen this.
"They are dead, then?" Ghidreth asked uncertainly.
"No", answered Ranna's melodious voice. "They did not go into Death. They are … transformed, shall we say."
"It is the fate that awaits the Wallmakers", Tirelle said unexpectedly. Ghidreth nearly jumped in shock. Despite the control she had over her composure, she would just never get used to this strange woman spontaneously spouting prophecies left and right. "It is the fate that awaits you", the Clayr continued. The woman's blue eyes were unfocused as if seeing something far off, and there was a note of prophecy in her words. The Seer suddenly blinked, coming out of her vision, and her brow furrowed in confusion.
Shivers involuntarily ran down Ghidreth's spine, and beside her Felio flinched. The Wallmaker idly wondered if Tirelle had any idea that her visions alarmed everybody else. Ghidreth was a Charter Mage, and thus had seen more than most people. But the utter weirdness of having a person unexpectedly make claims about your future was something she would never get used to. Especially if those claims were about the end of your life.
"Stay here for now", Belgaer said, breaking the spell. "Mourn. Recover. And remember!"
That last word slammed into Ghidreth, and she found her mind's eye teeming with memories of those eighteen brave Wallmakers. She stood in the middle of the ring of Charter Stones, waist-deep in magic – and she wept.
The Great Stones had been made, but at what cost?
A/N: Belgaer and Ranna originally intended to put their blood into a few chosen Wallmakers, but the Wallmakers earned their place by talent regardless of birth. The Charter Stones were designed by the Wallmakers, Belgaer, and Ranna, to serve as a receptacle for their powers, and become a centre from which the Charter could be accessed by all Charter mages. Reviews, as always, are welcome.