Sunday, December 31, 2023
HOUSE of VALLA: Escape into elsewhere!
A Golden bloodline through the Ages. Indeed, for the Valleur
are also known as the Golden, the race of Master Builders ruled by the mighty
House of Valla. From then to now, into the future and back, the Vallas
transform not only Time but also alter the dynamics for all civilisations.
Nemisin is First Father, or so he believes. Vannis is known
as the last Vallorin … until Torrullin Valla steps forth. He changes
everything; the House of Valla will never be the same as Torrullin battles
darklings and dragons, a Darak Or and a Warlock, witches and soul takers, a
Timekeeper and the evil lurking in his own family.
House of Valla brings together 17 volumes in
the Vallas’ history. Prepare for the long haul, for this is a mighty tale …
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Sunday, December 17, 2023
Chapter 10: ECHO: Autumn of the Dragon
*spoiler alert*
Chapter 10 gives quite a bit away!
TIME PLAYS TRICKS
Knowledge
is a powerful tool and also a burden.
~ Scroll of
Wisdom ~
THE NEW DAY brought with it rain,
torrents of it, so much that Kelby muttered about volcanoes snuffing forever.
The water found every gap, running in rivulets under clothes. Within minutes of
its beginning, all were thoroughly drenched and utterly dispirited.
Not
bothering with a warm drink or food, they headed for the trees, hoping the
canopy would offer some relief. It did, but it also heralded a different kind
of tension. The band waiting in the forest was not small, and all were armed.
Only Moira smiled something akin to welcome.
“Thought
she said no real weapons,” Ilan grumbled from the rear.
Oreun
had taken to wing as they vanished into the trees and could not rebut. Echo
pressed his lips together and approached the woman. “You expecting us to give
you trouble?” he asked, flicking a wrist at the nearest man, this one a
dark-skinned muscle statue, hefting a mace able to slay a giant.
“Precaution
only,” she said. “We know what you can do.”
“Then
you must know even your fastest bowman will be slower than I am.”
“True,
but what about your men? Can they defend themselves?”
She
had a point, and wasn’t it his wet state causing his bad mood, not the
situation under the trees. That, and his simmering anger towards a dragonne
keeping secrets. “Lead on.”
Inclining
her head, she did just that, heading deeper into the forest. The men and women
with her encircled Echo and the seamen. He said not a word, simply picking up
the pace to match hers. Walking might at least create warmth. An intriguing
mixture of people, he noted, the result of many generations. Light and dark
skins, eye colour ranged through the usual spectrum, excluding the yellow of
Valleur, hair from fair to black, tall and average height, slim build to that
one with his bulging biceps. Once they were Senlu and Airolan, today they were
something new, much like humankind elsewhere with their range of features.
Moira
soon fell back after indicating to someone to take the lead. She moved into
step next to him. “You’re dissecting us.”
“Merely
observing.”
“Valleur
tend to regard others as lesser because they don’t have race traits.”
He
huffed a laugh. “I think that’s your judgement, not mine.”
“But
it is true that Valleur are golden haired and eyed.”
“For
the most part, yes. Here on Luvanor that has changed somewhat.”
“Only
somewhat. Because of the human influx at one stage.”
“Hmm,
one could say you have human ancestors in your mix also. Senlu are largely
red-haired and blue eyed, and it seems the Airolan were similar, and yet I see
far more than that.”
She
shrugged. “Might be. Does it matter?”
“Not
to me.”
A
sigh sounded. “You may be right. The judgement is mine.”
Echo
gave her a skew smile. “The Valleur criticize themselves, too.”
The
trees, he realised, had become thicker, larger, with more undergrowth
prevalent. The evergreens now hosted orange and yellow foliaged boles, proving
autumn was indeed the season. Varied birdsong abounded, obvious even over the
drumming rain – the latter had mercifully lessened due to the thickened growth.
They had clearly entered an older section, and he noticed they followed a
narrow path, one well-trodden, forcing them into two abreast. This route was
used frequently, probably for the fish in the lake. Also, it grew darker.
“Mountain
shadow,” Moira offered.
He
bit the inside of his cheek. She read his thoughts, or she was well-versed in
body language and facial expressions. He carefully kept his expression neutral
… only to hear her chuckle. Stopping, he folded his arms.
“I’m
merely putting myself in your shoes,” she chortled, halting as well. “Right
now, you’re wondering if I can read your thoughts. I can’t. I simply saw you
frown at the trees as if speculating where the light went.”
“You
read people well.”
She
grimaced. “People watching. There’s not much to do here by way of
entertainment. Especially in winter.”
The
others stepped around them and went on. Watching that, Echo murmured, “You have
status. They say nothing.”
“Seems
you read people well, too.”
Shaking
his head, he grunted, “Do you think you can give me a straight answer?”
“My
parents are Arkwell’s current Pillars, which makes me de facto mouthpiece
everywhere else.”
Pillars?
Interesting choice. Echo said as much.
“When
you see the town, you’ll understand why. Pillars abound,” Moira laughed. “Come.
If we keep this pace, we can reach Lillivale by nightfall.” She strode on,
throwing over her shoulder, “More ruins to tell more of our story.”
LILLIVALE, when they reached it, possessed
another tower, although not as sprawling or tall as Malaya’s Folly. It reminded
Echo of a space gantry, one where nature had reclaimed the structure. He
pointed that out to Alain now keeping him company.
“This
was to keep an eye out for fires,” the man responded. “The launch platform for
the ships was to the east where the land is flat. Most of that is gone; an
earthquake swallowed the buildings and broke the plateau. Marshland now.”
The
edifice had been constructed on high terrain. Below, to the south, glints on
water revealed another lake … and … Echo squinted in the growing dark. “Is that
a wall?”
Alain
nodded. “Water break when there was far more of it in the old days. Boats used
to anchor in the calm behind it.” He pointed out various buildings and jetties
above the subsided water line. “Folk came here to have fun, sail, you know,
drink. We still use Lillivale to break our journey when the fish swim.”
“Yes,
Echo, guess what? You’ll be sleeping dry tonight,” Moira said as she
approached. “The cottages are in good repair. This remains a site for keeping
the fire watch, so there’s always four residents on a rotational basis.”
“Good
news,” he murmured.
Rolling
her eyes, she told Alain to lead the seamen to a cottage, and then took Echo’s
arm. “Come with me.”
Allowing
her to tug him in her wake, noting a row of forest hued cottages on his right
overlooking the lake, he wondered where Oreun had got to, and sent the thought
into the ether. I shall be with you in the morning, was the reply. And
no more. She shut him out without even a waft of apology. Why? Had Oreun chosen
to allow the humanoids to connect first before becoming involved … or was she
about some other secretive thing? His simmering anger became a strengthening
glow of fury, but he schooled his face. Had to behave right now.
“Ooo,
you’re clamping emotion down,” Moira said upon looking back. She slowed to walk
next to him, hooking her arm through his. “What’s got you so mad? Don’t deny
it. Your face doesn’t tell the tale, but your body does.” She briefly squeezed
his upper arm.
“Oreun,”
he said reluctantly.
“Ah.
Keeper of Secrets, that one.”
The
overgrown tower came into view. At ground level there was a deck serving as a
viewing platform, currently unoccupied, and was that a telescope? Echo said not
a word, leaving it up to his guide to inform him. She, in fact, led him to the
device, gestured. Shrugging, he put his eye to the contraption … and reared
back.
“What
the hell?” he blurted.
“Technology
and magic,” she murmured. “Look again.”
Warily,
he did as bid. The land lit for him like to the noonday, to show every curve
and dip, all of it in various shades of green and amber. The gadget employed
the night vision principle, clearly, but the hues were a spell, had to be.
Ingenious. And it meant these people were versed in sorcery. Huffing, he used
the opportunity to gaze far, and saw in the distance a large light signature.
“That’s
Arkwell.”
Ah.
Swinging the device, he noted other tiny points of light. Villages, no doubt.
He also saw an ominous shadow … “Mount Vassyn, I assume.”
“Indeed.”
“What
is it you wish for me to discover with my own eyes?” he bit out. “A clue will
help.”
Laughing
under her breath, Moira said, “South and west, ground level.”
At first,
he missed it, but on carefully shifting the eyepiece, well, there it was,
except … what in all gods’ names was it? A circle of rotating light, sparking
akin to electricity … oh. Oh. He reared up. “A portal?”
“Right
first time,” Moira whispered. “And now you know why we came to meet you, Echayn
Valla.”
“Does
Oreun know of this?”
“Of
course.”
Bloody
hell. Fucking, bloody hell. “Oreun!” he hollered. “Get your arse here
right now!”
Mere
moments later a rainbow skittered in the air nearby, and then the dragonne
landed in a flap of wings below the platform. She snorted a fire stream his
way. Watch your manners!
“Fuck
manners,” he snarled, vaulting over the railing to stride towards her. “You
want my help, you start talking now.”
By
the time he stood before the massive creature, all in Lillivale knew something
was afoot, for they gathered in a semi-circle, including his men. Moira
remained on the platform, leaning on her forearms.
“Where
the fuck does that portal lead to?” Echo demanded.
“The
Kallanon realm.”
Eyes
narrowing, he whispered, “That’s how Neolone came to this universe?”
“No,
he employed a rift the Q’lin’la created, one subsequently sealed. The portal
here came much later, when the Kallanon uncovered the One prophecy and needed
insight. They brought Neolone home as you have heard, but he did not
know. He wasn’t lying about that. I was tasked with keeping the portal safe …”
“Because
they found you when it opened. This is why you yet live.”
“The
other reason is true also. I wasn’t lying about that.”
“Why
does it remain open?” he demanded.
She
inhaled a massive breath to release it as steam. “How do you think Nefilim came
to your aid recently? It is the swiftest way to reach …”
“Torrullin.”
“The
One, after all, not so? He is important to the Kallanon.”
Scrubbing
at his face, Echo muttered, “And so a world sentience creates havoc here for
reasons as stated, but also because, by god, one must with all one is
fucking keep a portal from common view.”
“Just
so.”
“You
bloody evicted the Senlu! You did the same to the Airolan. Why, pray tell, have
you between the two of you allowed these people to live here? Are they
not a danger to your bloody tear in the fucking fabric?”
“Yes.”
He
stared at her, and then twisted his head to peer up at Moira, saying, “You will
be thrown off Senluar soon.”
“Which
is why we need you,” she said quietly.
“Do
you trust this dragonne?”
“We
do. Oreun told us the day would come. The closer we are to magical transport,
the more dangerous we are to this secret.”
Transport
ability. Really. He swung back to the dragonne. “You dampen transport. You keep
them back …”
“To
save them, Echo.”
“Yes,
fine, I understand that, but you will lift the veil now. I am going down
to that portal forthwith.”
She
stared at him.
He
glared at her.
“It
is lifted,” she eventually said.
Without
further ado, Echo vacated the space he occupied. A thought swirled in the
either, one he waved aside and then forgot about. Why was it that some of the
gathered had looked at him as if he was insane … as if he spoke to himself, not
the massive creature answering his questions?
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ALONE, he squatted in shale and damp
river sand. Water surrounded the portal, evidence of another lake. It meant,
given the level had dropped exponentially since ancient time, the portal was
once underwater, probably why no one knew of it. Senlu records certainly didn’t
mention it. Man, Teighlar would have bent his ear had he known of its
existence. Torrullin would have investigated already. His forte, after
all.
A
means for the Kallanon to enter Reaume. Clever.
A
means, thus, for others to enter the Kallanon realm? Could it be done? Echo
yanked at his hair in frustration. Only Torrullin could answer that question.
Fuck. Fuck, fuck.
Oreun
landed lightly nearby. “I have made oaths I cannot simply undo, Echo.”
All
his anger bled away. He knew how it was to speak words of forever promise, and
how keeping them bowed one. “I understand.”
“Thank
you.”
He
stood. “But now we need deal with this. It cannot be left unattended. You won’t
be watching as closely as you have until now …”
“The
Pillars of Arkwell watch also.”
“Glad
to hear you have help, but they are not enough. The Kallanon are a force Reaume
cannot deal with. Should some idiot decide to dive into that thing and wake
them to a potential threat of invasion, they will act.”
“They
will go to Lord Elixir first for clarity.”
Throwing
his hands up, he growled, “You’re saying he needs to know. Did you not say he
is too much for this misadventure?”
“He
needs to know, Echo, but he doesn’t need to come here.”
“For
Aaru’s sake, the instant I tell him, is also the instant he makes an
appearance. This shit is what Torrullin does best. A bloody Walker of Realms,
after all.”
“Therefore,
the last person who should stand on the edge of this portal. Torrullin will
enter, and what will that do to the Kallanon?”
Again,
he yanked at his hair, pulling a handful free of the tie in the nape of his
neck. “Fine. What do you suggest?”
“Karydor.”
Hmm.
Yes, that could work. Tell Karydor, who would then impress on his son to stay
put, that he, Echo, had it in hand. But … “I’m not calling Karydor into this
mess. I will go to …”
“Leave
Senluar now, and Rein will obliterate all sentient life here.”
His
anger returned, full-blown. “What the fuck is wrong with everyone? And, damn
it, I can’t properly communicate the nuances to Karydor across the spaces.
It’ll take days to make him understand.”
Oreun
lowered her head. “Write to him. I shall see it delivered.”
Right.
Good idea. Logical. He huffed. “Fine.” Waving a hand, he summarily vanished,
and did not hear the dragonne’s displeased grunt. Arriving back on the platform
where Moira still stood, he said, “I need writing materials. Can you help?”
Reining
in her astonishment, she nodded. “At the Watch. They keep records of fire
sighting. Come with me.”
Saturday, December 16, 2023
Seasons Greetings from Torrullin Valla
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Friday, December 15, 2023
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