Chapter 4: The Sleeper
Despite repeated attempts, Merrin was unable to convince anyone to change Mother Talzin's mind. Though Ilyana continued to heal, the day she would be sent away continued to draw closer. There was no stopping it. Ilyana withdrew, consumed by her thoughts, consumed by the rejection from her clan and the fear of how she would survive. One evening, they snuck away from the village and back to their cave, it would be the last time they would be there together.
"I'm going with you," Merrin said, staring into the crackling fire as they rested against the back wall.
"What?!" Ilyana started, raising her head from where it rested on Merrin's shoulder.
"We will leave together. We can survive together."
"No! You earned your place here. You are too talented, too powerful to give it all up."
"None of that means anything if you are not here with me," Merrin insisted and grabbed her hands. "We will both go and, like you said, we will be together, always."
Ilyana nodded, knowing she could not argue with Merrin when her resolve was this strong, but knew what she had to do: The only way to stop Merrin from leaving was to secure her own place in the clan and there was only one way to achieve that.
They held each other close and till Merrin's breath reached a slow and steady rhythm. In the light of the moon, Ilyana rose, careful not to wake Merrin. She stepped up to the fire that had grown low as the night drew on and pulled from her belt the ceremonial knife her mother had given her. Usually it was only used to prepare ingredients for potions but now she knelt down before the fire and set it on the stone floor of the cave in front of her. Carefully she removed each of her long intricate braids, then gathered her hair in the back. She raised the blade and with one clean swipe cut it all away. Her hair fluttered forward, only reaching as far as her chin. She let the severed remains fall softly to the ground beside her without so much as a glance.
She looked back at Merrin, sleeping peacefully, and chanted in barely more than a whisper to renew the magic that cloaked the cave and protected her sister from the beasts of Dathomir. Her sister. She would earn her place and with it the guarantee they could be together forever.
Merrin awoke with a shiver. The light of fire had gone out and Ilyana's warmth was no longer at her side.
"Ilyana," she called out, jumping to her feet. But the groans, clicks, and whispers of the night's creatures were all that answered her call.
Merrin pulled her robes tight around her shoulders to hold back the cold and started towards the exit when something near the remains of the fire caught her eye. She reached out and grasped the bundle, Ilyana's hair, the intricate silver strands like no other Nightsister. Just then the light of the moon broke out from behind a cloud and glinted off the sharp steel of the blade beside the fire. Merrin knew. She knew Ilyana would never let her leave the clan for her. She would find a way to stay, to earn her place. Fear overtook her as she realized what Ilyana would have to do to convince Mother Talzin.
Merrin dropped the hair and burst out of the cave, running faster than she ever had before. Her bare feet splashing loudly through the marsh and her robes flowing loose behind her. Once again she ran after her sister. A storm, Ilyana had called her but this time not a storm of excitement and expectation but a storm of fear and fury. Fear of losing Ilyana and anger that she might be cast out of their clan afterall.
She rounded a corner and another Nydak lurched out towards her from behind a boulder. It swung its clawed hand at her but she ducked just in time to avoid its attack. Her anger turned to burning rage at the creature that would delay her and she wheeled around to face the beast. With a scream, she released all of her anger and fear upon the creature in a great wall of green fire. The Nydak was thrown back by the force of it and slammed into the boulder with a bone-shattering crash. It slumped down into the marsh and moved no more.
Merrin finally made it back to the village just as lights began to flicker to life in all the windows. An overwhelming rumble had shaken everyone from their sleep. Ilyana stood in front of the pool of iridescent blue water in the center of the main chamber, the light that emanated from it shimmered off her now short silver hair and the hand she held outstretched before her. Her silver robes had been left behind in the cave and now she wore only a black tunic and pants, the image of a dark warrior.
The ground shook just as Merrin drew breath to call out to Ilyana, to plead with her to step away but it was too late. Two great tentacles burst out of the water and slammed into the stony surface blocking her way to Ilyana. Merrin slid to a stop and nearly lost her footing from the concussive force and her damp feet on the smooth stone.
Ilyana turned her gaze to Merrin, dropped her hand and smiled. For the first time, Merrin saw the power she knew dwelt within Ilyana, hidden away in secret chambers. But now she released her control and let the power flow free. It was enough to summon The Sleeper but was it enough to conquer it?
The great tentacles lashed out, momentarily obscuring Ilyana from Merrin's view before curling up and rising into the air again. Merrin took a deep breath and placed all her faith in Ilyana, the healer, the specter, a most powerful Nightsister, her Nightsister. Electricity rushed across Merrin's skin, remnants of Ilyana's touch from the night before and she smiled.
The tentacles slammed down near the edges of the pool and gripped the stone. With an immense heave, The Sleeper drew its great bulk out of the water. The carapace in which it lived for time beyond memory towered over Ilyana and its two curved legs tipped with spear-like talons aimed down at her. A hush fell over the village as the other Nightsisters caught their breath. Mother Talzin watched from afar.
With a great rumble from its maw, The Sleeper lunged forward, thrusting its great bulk at the small being before it, but Ilyana reached up both her hands toward the creature and brought it to a halt. The creature struggled to free itself from her hold and destroy her. It inched forward, pushing against her power so hard that her feet slid back several inches on the wet stone. The tentacles twisted and reached, grasped at her. Then she let out a yell; the ichor poured from her and rolled across the floor toward her foe. The green flames engulfed its great body, contorting its limbs and splaying them out in every direction. Gradually the monster's roar turned into a shriek and it turned its talons on itself. Lashing out against its will and rending its flesh. Pieces of it fell to the ground with a wet slap and with one final shove Ilyana sent The Sleeper back into the water to plunge once again to the unfathomable depths to recover in darkness till the next Nighsister came to test her power.
Ilyana tilted her head back and let out a long sigh of triumph. The village was silent as the Nightsisters looked on in shock. Ilyana, small and delicate, the most gentle of their number, had done what only the most powerful warriors of their clan were able to do.
Slowly the sounds of the night's creatures returned and several Nightsisters stepped forward and gathered into pots the pieces of the Sleeper that had fallen to the floor. Merrin approached, reached out and took Ilyana's hand. As soon as their skin touched Ilyana brought her head back down, stepped into Merrin's arms and kissed her.
"I'm yours now," Ilyana said. "Forever."
Merrin smiled and held Ilyana close.