Scream in the woods

The King's Challenge (ILFIN OF ARC) #359

TKC 359

We land on an ice field and it is beyond cold. Our uniforms, despite the sensors built in to guard the body in every condition, cannot long function for this and help us withstand such temperature.

Enris sends me a skew grin. “We will be quick, I promise.”

I have to take him at his word. Shrugging, I lead the way down the ramp. At the bottom, already sliding on the ice, Enris and I perforce find ourselves waiting for Coltern. Iniri has his ear, demanding answers. Why here, what are you to do, and why can I not come with you, and so forth. Coltern’s answers are monosyllabic, and eventually he tells her to stay put and descends the walkway in irritation to join us. The last I see is Commander Gennerin slapping the gadget that closes the shuttle.

The three of us head for the heights. By the sands, it is quite a walk and I doubt ‘walk’ is what we will be doing. More like a struggle for every step. How I wish for the warm sands of the west; cold has never been my friend. Coltern does not seem too bothered, but the man in previous times spent much of his soldier’s career in the badlands where it is ever cold. Lucky him.

Enris now leads and I follow my prince in silence. Curiosity is fine, but this is also stupidity. We can die out here.

Soon we are climbing, rock slick underfoot. Looking up, I see the peak swathed in dark vapour; this is beyond foolish and I say that, not caring for this situation in the least.

“Relax, Mirlin,” Enris throws over his shoulder, “there is a level area ahead. High enough for us, I believe.”

“Thank the stars,” Coltern mutters behind me. “This is crazy.”

Grinning to myself, I go on. Knowing Coltern is as affected helps me bear the cold. Brothers-in-ice, so to speak. I laugh out loud as that thought comes to me.

“What’s so funny?” Coltern asks in a surly tone.

“You!” I laugh again.

A few paces later our ‘path’ curls onto a level slab of rock. It is wet, but not as slick. Snowflakes swirl around us, although none find purchase on the stone we stand on. Thank the sands for small mercies. A swift gust, however, threatens to dislodge us. If a storm descends now, we will be lost.

“Hurry it up, will you?” Coltern snaps, and I can kiss him for saying so.

Shaking his head, Enris merely sends his focus outward. I understand that he is now gathering a sense of the spaces Massin’s souls inhabited before the orb removed them from the land of the living. Technically, they are not dead and will be reborn in the fullness of time, but most did not deserve to leave life as swiftly as they did either. Enris seeks now to restore, and I wonder how he will do it.

As Soul Keeper, I am able to set aside death for a time and I am able to find souls across mighty distances – amongst other nuances – but restoring a physical form to a soul is beyond me. Enris is more powerful than I had thought; he has Ilfinay Makar’s gift if he is able to do this.

I thus watch him closely. Coltern does as well, but the General is more concerned about the man’s physical wellbeing in this dangerously extreme position, while I desire to discover the how of this reversal.

Enris places a hand over his heart. “Call them, my sister,” he whispers.

What? Sister? My head jerks around, but there is no other with us. I am then cold inside as well as outside. This being is therefore inside Enris. Who, by stars and sands, shares his body? I glance at Coltern to see how grim that man is. Coltern knows; Coltern is scared.

Swallowing, I kneel. If a host is about to visit us here, I need to be ready. A Soul Keeper, after all, is able to gift form to an ethereal being, when the soul presents itself in its ghostly form, if the ethereal deserves it. While I cannot summon a soul and gift it a body, I am able to create from the ethereal presence a solid form. Gennerin possesses a similar gift, but his requires touch and his gift is for a single ethereal at a time. Mine is encompassing, although I have never put it to the test. I must root myself now or the consequences will toss us from this mountainside.

“Hold onto something, Coltern,” I mutter in warning.

He glances at me and immediately moves to tether himself to a jutting rock. Moving then to stand behind Enris, he loops the free end of his rope around the Makar’s waist.

Not a moment too soon, too.

As Enris throws his arms wide a host indeed appears around us, hovering, dancing, twisting, and shifting in and out of focus, layer upon layer. There must by many thousands and all plead for life.

The demands upon the current buffet us as if a mighty storm has unleashed.

Banana and Goldfish

Writers and their Mugs

The King's Challenge (ILFIN OF ARC) #358

Part XII

THE SOUL KEEPER

TKC 358

Enris suggests the highest peak there is on Massin for the reversal of souls after consulting with me. As yet I have no idea how he intends to achieve this, for he says little. I catch him glancing frequently in General Coltern’s direction as if to check that man also says as little; less, in real terms. Clearly Coltern knows what Enris is up to.

Mirlin, the westerner from Massin, is known to those gathered in this wrecked space beside an equally damaged shuttle, but Mirlin the Soul Keeper is an unknown. My magic frightens them and they therefore tend not to share. Iniri Makar is particularly wary of me. She has been since our first meeting in Normur, before either of us knew much about the other, and that has continued despite my aid in keeping her in this reality beyond her expected expiration.

Fools. I am able to read them. I may not hear their thoughts, but I read their emotions and most of the time that is enough to tell me what their actions will be also. Kay Laremer, my childhood friend on this world, was ever emotional and that is how I convinced him to lead marchers from the west to Arc. Manuel also, but that is now of a time and place beyond restoration. It is time to focus on the present.

Enris, however, has thrown a shield around his inner being. I cannot read him at all. Coltern, on the other hand, is filled with disquiet … and guilt. Why? Unfortunately, in this instance, none of his emotions clarify the actions to come. All I do know is that Coltern will be with us on that high peak.

I am still amazed that the Delver was able to tell Ilfin from Glonu while my soul abilities revealed absolutely nothing. Ilfin and Glonu, I now understand, are not so different, for the ability to see them will have been mine from the outset.

Now there is a mighty secret in play. Yes, I am agog.

The shuttle summoned from orbit lands in the open terrain beyond our spurious forest covering and King Linus instantly moves in that direction with Gennerin beside him. The soldier Ross brings in the rear. The youth intrigues me; Ross fades into the background without effort and it sometimes requires concerted effort to include him. This soldier possesses a formidable talent, one Enris Makar should hark to and employ when he is king.

We board the shuttle and take to the skies.

Looking down through a porthole, I notice how quiet Massin is now, from Arc, across the plains and into the highlands. Only animals still move around on the ground and flocks of birds’ wing through the air; no people anywhere.

Coltern murmurs something and the shuttle swings to the east. We fly over Normur soon after. The city is much reduced, given the collapse of the plateau after the deluge, and the marshlands have been wiped clean of most signs of habitation. Only the ramshackle building Damin, as the Marsh Devil, lived in still stands upon its lonely outcrop.

There is no sight of even a single man, woman or child. This continent is indeed empty.

Siri remarks that the wet season still holds sway and she is correct. Inside Arc the weather was mostly dry; rain continues to plummet upon the plateau. Mighty rivers froth on their journey from on high to tumble in wild abandon over the edge of the cliffs.

We head due north into dark clouds, sleet and terrible wind, the kind of weather able to kill.

I look away to gaze at Enris. “Prince, this is not the best idea.”

“And yet it must be done. These uniforms will protect us.” Enris leans forward, elbows on knees. “You, me and Coltern. The others will wait in a more protected place and remain in the shuttle.

“What are we going to do?”

“Bring the dead back to life, my friend.”

“How?”

“The how I will keep to myself,” Enris mutters and turns to the pilot to give instructions.

I am more agog than ever.

Review: 21 Shades of Night

I have not yet read all of these, but if Night Hawk by JE Taylor is anything to go by, this is a fantastic collection!

Here is my review for Night Hawk and I'll post more once I have read more :)

21 Shades of Night

Logically or Magically

TKC Collage (Coltern 2)

Coltern's POV comes to an end here and we will move onto the final part of this challenge and see it from the Soul Keeper's viewpoint :)

Only 9 episodes to go!

(the final episodes may end up a bit longer than the 300 words per day; there are loose ends, after all!)

The King's Challenge (ILFIN OF ARC) #356 and #357

TKC 356 and 357

There is no time left for Massin as a civilisation. Despite the gift of Iniri’s life, celebration of it must be set aside. The greatest celebration is already ours; she is alive. Iniri survived the Warrior in the orb.

Another celebration becomes ours when King Linus stands arms akimbo before us outside the ship. “I look forward to walking you down the aisle, my daughter, and I look forward to greeting you as my new son, General Coltern.”

Well, that says it all. My smile is massive and Iniri embraces her father with tears flowing. It is enough. We have life and we have a future, and now Massin is priority.

Linus swings to the pilot. “What word from orbit?”

The man – I discovered his name is Benin when Iniri accepted words of relief from him earlier – stands at the head of the ramp. He has just left the console inside the shuttle. “Massin is empty of all soldiers, equipment and craft, both Glonu and Ilfin. The vessels in space are stationary. All interaction has ceased, but the Glonu refuse to leave without their Empress.”

Enris’ lips tighten briefly, but he says not a word.

“Tell them to summon the Glonu generals to a meeting. We will decide on terms there,” Linus states and swings to his son. “Enris, we need to halt the orb’s progress or we go exactly nowhere from here.”

Again Enris’ lips tighten, but this time he responds. “I have already summoned it. the orb is retreating as we speak.”

“How far did it get?” I ask.

“Beyond Alarn to the east and beyond Orlean in the west.”

“Everyone, in other words,” Siri whispers.

Enris shrugs. “On this continent, yes. Wider Massin is untouched, but they had nothing to do with this war anyway.”

“There were innocents here as well!”

“We know, Siri,” I soothe her. “We will do what we can to return life to them.”

“How?” she demands.

I glance at Enris, who stares stoically at me. Shrugging, I face my sister. “We have a plan. Once the orb is back to its usual size, we will act on it.”

She stares at me. “Damin, am I going to lose you?”

Touching her face, I murmur, “Damin is gone, but Coltern intends to remain here on Massin. You will not lose me.”

“Or me,” Iniri says. “I am not leaving either.”

Enris’ gaze flicks from me to his sister, but we ignore him. He, of course, has no choice but to return to Makaran and that choice is about more than his promise to a dead sister no one knows exists.

Linus Makar smacks his palms together. “I will return to Makaran to place Enris on the throne and then I intend to retire to this backwater bliss.”

Iniri gapes at him. “Really?”

He grins at her. “Indeed.”

“No, wait. Father, I …” Enris stumbles over his words in his shock.

“Enris, your time has arrived,” Linus says firmly. “Have no fear; we will have fair time together first as we accustom our people to their new king.”

Enris swipes a hand over his face. “What if I want to marry Leffandir?”

Father and son ogle each other, before Linus murmurs, “If you love and trust her, you have my blessing.”

Enris looks away. “Love her? Yes. Trust her? No.”

Mirlin steps in. “A choice you will have to make at the meeting with the Glonu, my lord.”

“No, she must decide,” Enris mutters, walking away. Mirlin, after a moment, trails after him. Ever has Mirlin been in Enris’ proximity; that has not changed, I see.

A wail fills the air, high-pitched and overwhelming.

Enris halts immediately to raise his arm on high. A moment later a small green sphere smacks into the palm of his hand. Closing his fingers around it, he shoves it into a pocket and goes on walking.

The orb is back to normal, Massin is empty and there is no more danger.

“Summon a shuttle!” Gennerin barks out.

Buying a book is ...

The King's Challenge (ILFIN OF ARC) #353 #354 and #355

TKC 353 354 and 355

I am unaware of the return journey, other than the blurred foliage that accompanies my race through the forest. The silence is absolute; not even my pounding footsteps upon leaves and twigs offer up a sound. Enris is a ghost beside me, matching me pace for pace. This means I am running as fast as a Warrior; my fear for Iniri has lent wings to my feet.

When we attain the shuttle’s position, there is no one there. I come a dead stop, my head jerking side to side.

“I bloody told them to stay here,” Enris states.

“In the shuttle,” I gasp out, and hurtle towards the twisted ramp.

Indeed they are inside. King Linus sits on the metal floor with Iniri’s head on his lap. Siri massages Iniri’s feet, and she is pale with the effort of not revealing her fear. Kay sits head in hands behind Siri, while Ross and the pilot are in whispered conversation at the controls. Commander Gennerin stares out of a cracked window, his weapon at the ready.

Mirlin has both Iniri’s hands in his, concentrating fiercely. His gaze is fixed upon her face and his lips move soundlessly.

My heart nearly comes to a dead stop as well.

Linus looks up first, his attention immediately moving to Enris behind me. One eyebrow lifts in question.

Enris does not respond to that; he instantly shifts by me to kneel beside his sister. “How long?” he asks quietly, speaking to Mirlin.

“Ten minutes now,” the Soul Keeper murmurs. He does not deviate from his focus on Iniri.

“Keep the chant going,” Enris says as he positions himself to reach more easily for Iniri’s face. “Father, maintain contact at all times as well.”

Linus simply nods and tightens his hold on Iniri’s shoulders.

“Siri, you need to let go,” Enris continues. “This requires Makaran souls.”

I blink and look at my Massinian sister as she swallows and shuffles aside. Kay lowers his hands to reach out to her. I swallow as well; I realise I am beyond pleased that Siri has someone in her life who will always take care of her. Siri and Kay cannot be my focus now, though; I shift my attention back to the woman who holds my heart in her keeping.

“Coltern,” Enris prompts. “Take Siri’s place.”

I do so. I kneel at Iniri’s feet and lift them into my hands. So cold; too cold. Dread moves through me, and fear, terrible fear.

“Be positive!” Enris snaps at me. “Give her fear and you will kill her.”

Rage takes the place of fear. “You can read me now?”

“Yes, because we are all connected.” Enris gestures with a lifted chin at the circle of hands upon a dying woman. “Now shut up and focus.”

I swallow rage and astonishment and I do as he suggests.

Enris places his hands upon Iniri’s cheeks, fingers splayed. Breath whistles from him; he has realised how cold she is, as I have. Leaning in, he places his forehead upon hers and closes his eyes.

No one moves then. Time and place freezes into a cocoon of immovability.

Then Enris speaks. His words are ancient, the words of a space beyond spaces, of time before, of places eternal and forever beyond reach. He speaks the tongue of his legendary grandfather, Ilfinay Makar.

We hear the words, but no one is able to translate even one syllable. It is as gibberish to us and yet I am certain every hair in the back of every neck present spikes to attention. Mine does, painfully. Gooseflesh races over every micron of my skin.

Iniri convulses.

Mirlin erupts into loud chant.

Linus Makar starts to hum an eerie melody that threatens to snap every spiked hair on body at the roots.

Suddenly the triskelion image shivers into being, causing me to blink rapidly. Swiftly I understand; I am touching Iniri while she is unguarded. I see her soul. And this is my part in this ritual. I must call her, talk to her, return her soul to awareness of this present.

Shutting out the actions of the others, I call to my reason for living.

Iniri.

Silence greets my summons.

I love you, Iniri.

C-c-colter-n?

Jubilation floods my every cell. I am here, my love. I am waiting for you. Come back to me.

Where am I? It is so dark.

Return to the light, Iniri. Follow my voice. Feel Enris’ hands on you. Hear the words and music also.

I h-hea-r …

She convulses again and then arches her back from the floor. A loud gasp fills the metal space as she inhales a massive breath of air.

Then she is coughing and shuddering. Together her father and her brother lift her into a seated position. I notice that Mirlin hangs onto her hands with everything he is, his face strained and ashen. It is not over, despite this animation.

Enris grips her face again and shouts words into her mouth.

Coltern?

By the stars, ice and flame races across my scalp simultaneously. I am here! Iniri, follow my voice!

Her head snaps back and she screams.

I clamber over her legs and shove both Enris and Mirlin off her. Gripping her to me, I whisper in her ear, “We are real, my love. Do you feel it?”

Again her head snaps backward … and then those glorious orbs, one emerald, the other sapphire, impale me. “I feel it,” she says hoarsely.

Iniri collapses into my embrace then, sobbing, clutching at me. Tears run freely over my cheeks as I hold her. Utter gratitude fills my being. To the day I die I will honour Enris, Linus and Mirlin with all I am for returning to me my heart and my soul.

Steak and Lava