Elaina J. Davidson's Blog, page 111

Lore Worlds 4

 

Collages: I see something purple

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Remeant & Forinsecal

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Neolone & Phet

 

To the turning world

 

Collages: I see something gold

Lore Worlds 3

 

Chapter 10: AVIOR: The Mythical World

 

Followingon directly from

AVAELYN:THE ENSHROUDED WORLD:

 

TheVallas go to war with each other.

Avaelynreturns to Reaume, no longer enshrouded … but soon another world drawsattention, for it is there that the great battle will be fought.

 

Avioris veiled.

By myth.

By destruction.

By invertedsacred sites.

 

On Valaris,four strangers to the realm prepare to face Torrullin and Elianas, Tristan andAlusin, and they have a tale that raises terrible alarm. On Akhavar, thereality of the true enemy surfaces. The Path of Shades must be reopened … andold foes therefore step into the arena. A vengeful Timekeeper, an ancientVallorin with a bone between his teeth, and a wife seeking to undo her husband.

Theplight of Avior’s children is discovered, and all fight to save them from themonsters flourishing beneath the shroud created by myth. From dragons todarklings, the field is strewn with horror.

How toend their reign?

Allare called into battle, from the Valleur, Kaval and Guardians to mysterioussorcerers gathered on the volcanic world of Danaan, but is Valla pitted againstValla that causes shudders in the ether.

 

Nomatter what, Torrullin will not stand aside, not until every child is safe.

CHAPTER10

 

It’sthe little things. So precious.

~Tattle’s scribe ~

 

 

Valaris

The Well ofCrystal Sound

TARLINN sat with his back to the Wellwall, nibbling on the food Teighlar, as Enchanter, had created for them, andtold the story of the light beings who had sung here, infusing the water withcrystal song until it rose on gossamer wings to pierce the space warp that hadsurrounded Valaris, thereby finding their way to freedom. He revealed the lightbeings were what the Syllvan became when those great trees passed beyonddeath’s threshold, becoming thus one with the fabric of Reaume. They spread theseeds that led to the birth of the Dryads in Arianne, which in the fullness ofyears led to new Syllvan. A circle of life.

“Torrullinfought hard to save the Syllvan, if you recall, but they are never truly gone.They are all around us,” he finished off.

“Thisis how they know so much,” Teighlar murmured. “They are everywhere.”

“Indeed.The Thinnings, too, have a similar circle. From tadpoles, to shapeshiftingbeings, to dragonflies, although not all dragonflies are Thinnings, thedragonflies sowing the spores that lead to tadpoles, and of course, theircircle is on a far smaller scale.”

Teighlargrunted. “Man, the Thinnings. Thundor in Grinwallin, a tiny man with a massiveheart. Have they been seen in recent years?”

“Theyare with us still, but haven’t made themselves known.”

Dawn’slight gradually infused the Great Forest with grey tinges, causing the birds tostart their daily songs. Listening, the Emperor murmured, “Little lightbeings.”

“Oh,yes,” Tarlinn smiled.

“Hopefullysomeone will come soon to release us from here. Truthfully, though, the peacehere has soothed much of my inner knots.”

“Likewise,”Tarlinn responded. He eyed the man with him. “I must tell you something, and Imust because I need to gauge your reaction now before setting certain theoriesinto practise.”

Aheavy-lidded blue stare settled on him. “Then speak.”

Tarlinngrimaced, and said not a word.

“Ah,hard, is it? Start with the simple stuff.”

“Simple?There’s nothing simple about my life, Emperor. Fine, this then. Falling throughGrinwallin’s Abyss has gifted me wholeness. Let’s start with that. I am now, atlast, a true man, not merely an embodiment of the Throne. As the Throne’screation and indwelling brought my slivers into one, thus has that void gifteda concept true form.”

“Inoticed, yes.”

“Iam no longer able to enter the Throne; I am separate, and that means a new lifeawaits me, more than that of a brother-in-arms to Elixir. Choices lie beforeme. Where to make my home, for instance, what to do with these hands and thesepowers I command, and who to love.”

“Ah,we’re reaching the crux.”

“Yes,and her name is Alik.”

Teighlarspat a grape out, and nearly choked. “My daughter? You have approached my daughter?”

Palmsup in a gesture of surrender, Tarlinn said, “I have not approached her, but Idream about …”

“What?”

“Fuck,this is why I’m gauging you now,” Tarlinn moaned. “Emperor, Alik tells me in adream that I am not alone, and asks me to follow, for where she is leading meto is true home, the kind the heart rejoices in no matter where it is. She issearching also and …”

Teighlarstared at him, unmoving, unblinking.

“…I think she is as lonely as I am. Not alone, for we have those we love aroundus, but lonely as in a missing connection to the one that makes life worthliving.”

Teighlarblinked, and reluctantly admitted, “True, yes, and I mentioned something alongthese lines to her recently. But are you the one for her?”

“Idon’t yet know, but I am prompted to try, and I need you to know that before Ido approach her.”

Suckingat his cheeks, Teighlar stared into the lightening trees. “Both have longevity,and both are sort of … weird. It may be a disaster, the two of you together,but it may also be a future that will gift happiness. I’m not saying I like itand if you hurt her, I’ll unman you. Still, who am I to stand in the way ofhappiness?” He then rested his gaze back on the man with him. “For fuck’s sake,just don’t approach her where I can see it, alright?”

Fightinga beaming smile about to erupt onto his face, Tarlinn nodded. “Thank you.”

“Canyou father children?” Teighlar demanded.

“Afterthe Void, yes.”

TheEmperor threw his hands up. “Lovely. Potentially we’ll end up with ahalf-Valleur on the Senlu throne. Man, won’t that just tickle Torrullin - he’lltease me to kingdom come.”

Thethreatening smile burst out, and Tarlinn laughed. “I can see that!”

“It’snot funny …” but the Senlu chuckled long.

 

Cityof Galilan

AIRELLE Praden woke to birdsong, and layin her small bed listening to the glorious sounds. Every day she woke up andspent a few minutes just appreciating her freedom. Her mother told her about‘appreciating’ and she liked the word. It said so much. She appreciated everyday away from those horrible cells.

Andthen she started repeating her list, softly so no one could hear. The names ofthose who were taken from her care there, like Stuiee and Benjamin and Henryand Dino and Rosy, and so many more. She would remember them, always, for onlymemory remained. Timare, when she told him about her list, when he visited,asked her to tell him so that he could write it down. She asked why, and hetold her about closure. The parents of those children needed the closure, andhe told her what that meant. Not a word she liked, but she understood it, andtold him every name she could remember, and not only from her cell, names ofothers she had heard and knew were taken also.

Timarecame a lot, and she appreciated that. He was there; he knew. He often criedwith her. That’s why she told him about her list. He told her what they weredoing in the valley Torrke, and she liked that so many were now helping otherchildren and would go on helping them. When she was old enough, she would go tothe Keep and help them as well. She did not want to happen to other children ashad happened to her. No way.

“Airelle,you up?” her mother called up from downstairs.

Shesmelled oatmeal, and smiled. No hunger anymore, and no loneliness, no hopelessness.Her mother and her father were with her, her grandfather came as often asTimare did, and always they laughed. She got up and put her slippers on.“Coming!”

Oneday soon she would believe it was real.

 

Akhavar

City of Kalgaia

KARYDOR returned with Lunik, Sianora,Ashar and Zane to Kalgaia. While Ashar went ahead making lists in the space sheand Sianora would share and Zane went traipsing for the perfect location forhis library, and Lunik and Sianora walked to the terraces to investigate the livingspaces there, Karydor entered the Danae Guild Hall, walking with due reverenceupon the shining black tiles that led to the internal dome. Nostalgia bit athim, but so did anticipation.

Hestood at the podium upon the mirror circle and simply inhaled the atmosphere,and then he began. Speaking aloud to the listening silence, he strategized howto structure the classes, the intake of students, rosters for teachingdifferent subjects, how many teachers they would need, which events would suitlearning, how many they could accommodate, how to put the word out …

…and loved every minute of it.

Yes,he had come home. At last.

 

Sanctuary

Mariner Island

GABRYL strode across the bridge from thespaceport to the island that was about sanctuary. Healing for both the mind andthe body, a place to start afresh. Graceful and now old buildings greeted him,all white with mullioned windows, terracotta tiled roofs, window boxesflowering profusely despite autumn’s chill, dainty wrought iron balconies, oldfashioned lamps everywhere, the ways between cobbled and sporting gloriousshrubbery, many trees throwing shade in the morning light, vivid in theirautumn regalia, and he halted to simply look. It was pretty and welcoming, andwholesome. The first fear inside him dissipated.

Itwasn’t Grinwallin, but here he could function.

Enteringa sprawling building marked as ‘Reception’ via a carved wooden plaque over themain door, he discovered an uncluttered space, more terracotta on the floor,wicker baskets and healthy palm trees, colourful beanbags, a set of shelvesladen with reading material, and a counter behind which three women workedindustriously. Again, it felt old-fashioned, and that suited his temperament. Asecond fear vanished.

Noairs here, and therefore no need for pretence.

Heapproached, and a woman looked up. When she smiled, dimples appeared in hercheeks. She was pretty, and he liked her freckles and curly fair hair. He likedeven more her friendly blue eyes.

“MayI help you?”

“Iam Gabryl Diluvan and …”

Sheinterrupted him by clapping her hands. “You’re here! We’ve been expecting you.Oh, welcome, welcome! I’m Siobhan and that’s Fran and over there’s Almira. Ooo,come, let me show you around!” She rounded the counter, and beckoned him tofollow her outside.

“You’vebeen expecting me. Who told you I was coming?” he asked.

“Why,Torrullin Valla, of course. He sent a letter with the dragon seal on.” She puta hand to her mouth. “We heard about the dragon mark, never expected toactually see it! Oh my, I’m so excited. We definitely need someone to take careof us here. Doctors and nurses are so busy, they can’t organise a thing.”

Smiling,Gabryl followed the chatty young woman as she took him on a tour of the islandand the facilities. He soon saw what she meant; some disrepair, somestreamlining required. It needed a firm hand, someone able to achieve thosetasks health professionals had no time for, nor should they, for their talentswere needed elsewhere. His final fear evaporated into the ether. He feltneeded. He felt purposeful.

Andwasn’t Siobhan ever so pretty?

 

The Dome of theKaval

KILA was eyeing him, and Belun fumed.He and Prima has just returned from meeting Delilah Romaris on Lincoln, andhere she was, eyeing him.

Whenthe woman abruptly stood up from where she sat at the marble slab, and came hisway, he almost chose to hightail it to his ogive. There was something new inher tawny eyes. She marched right up to him - and suddenly Fuma, Prima andGalarth, currently also present in the Dome, ceased talking - took his faceinto her hands, and kissed him. About to jerk away with accusation on his lips,he reconsidered, feeling the funny warmth that crept into his gut, the tinglingin his toes and fingers. When she kissed him again, he thought to hell withwhat anyone thought, and hauled her in to deepen the connection.

Applauseand whistles erupted in the Dome.

Sheepishly,Belun lifted his head.

“Abouttime, Centuar,” Kila murmured. “Do it again. I like it.”

Heliked it, too. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his own. Man, hewould never live this down, but so what?

 

Eurue

The Keeper’sPalace

HAVING seen the villa on Sanctuary wherehe would live when away from duties on Mariner Island, Thibis and thesettlements beyond the lake, Gabryl went to Eurue. The Syllvan had told him heneeded to see this through, dealing with Eurue, before he could accept anunburdened future. This day, knowing that Sanctuary called to him, he chose todo exactly that. Time to lay old ghosts in their caskets.

Hewalked over a different bridge now, one that led directly to the Keeper’sPalace, and here the sun beat down. Summer reigned on Eurue. He heard cicadas,he heard the rustle of leaves losing moisture, he heard the faraway calls offolk at the market in the city behind him, and he heard Savier Algheri singingoff-key somewhere to the left, the man’s voice even now unforgotten. How manytimes hadn’t Savier stood over his sarcophagus and spoken to him. Thank Aaruthat part of his long existence was now over, for both of them. Veering left,he soon came upon the atrium, and entered, for the door was open to allow theheat to somewhat deal with the humidity within.

“Savier!”

Thesinging stopped, and a white head of hair peered from behind a vine twirlingaround a dead tree trunk up ahead, no doubt rescued from the forest for thevine to have something to grow upon. “Gabryl? Is that you?”

“Yes.Am I disturbing you?”

“Notat all.”

Gabrylwalked towards where the man had again vanished, and found him at a workbenchfilled with pots, soil and various gardening implements. Alusin had mentionedhow much his brother enjoyed getting his hands dirty, and now Gabryl smiled.The Keeper was a man who hankered after the simple things. Such a man he coulddeal with.

“Cleaningup,” Savier murmured. “I won’t be shaking hands.” He grinned and held aloftdirt encrusted fingers. “How are you, Gabryl?”

“Finallyfine,” he responded.

“So,I’m your final burden to set aside?”

“Somethinglike that.”

“Gladto hear it. Let me wash my hands and then we can have tea in the palace. Muchcooler there. Drakan is phaffing around somewhere.”

“I’dlike that.” The way Savier hesitated over ‘Drakan’ revealed that somethingbrewed between the two men. Gabryl did not remark on it - early days for them,after all - but he did smile inwardly. As he suspected when he heard Torrullintold Drakan to pay a visit to Eurue, his ancient birth world - Torrullin hadseen this connection might end up as something. “Is Vian available?”

“Doit all at once?” Savier asked, grinning. “Good idea. Less painful. I’ll ask himto come.” He washed his hands, dried them, and preceded Gabryl to the opendoor. Once he had carefully closed it, saying something about too much dry airnot being optimum, he ambled across the lawn, explaining how Eurue had grownsince the troubles, and about a haven here also, and when Gabryl revealed hewas taking up the reins on Sanctuary, Savier grew animated and bent his earwith all sorts of ideas.

Bythe time they entered the palace proper, Gabryl realised he had already laidhis ghosts to rest, and had no need of a tea with Drakan and Vian in attendanceto confirm it, but the ideas bouncing his way had him mightily intrigued. Theycould work together, he mused, and create sanctuaries on opposite ends of theuniverse, and said as much.

Savierslapped his back. “Then let’s talk, my friend.”

Friend.Indeed. Who would have expected that? “Will we lace the tea?”

Grinning,Savier crowed, “Absolutely!”

“Thenlet’s talk,” Gabryl laughed.

 

Akhavar

Linard

TEROUX wandered the halls of the abode,casually studying the frescoes, wall hangings, the flowing canals, the brightflowers in beautiful urns, and knew here he did not wish to remain. Roux Islandnow called to him. He’d transferred - along with Jonas - Skritt, Saxon andO’Leary - the bodyguard - into Delilah Romanis’ care on Lincoln, and now wishedto go home. If they were about to enter a mighty field of battle, he needed torestore himself where he felt most at peace. And he wouldn’t mind seeing acertain someone known as Naemi.

Tianomanwaited where the corridor forked for the royal suite. “You want to go home,don’t you?”

Terouxnodded. “Come with me.”

“Ican’t, not after everything that transpired, but in a few days, when it’squieter?”

“Welcomeanytime, cousin.”

“MaybeI’ll meet Naemi.”

Terouxsmiled. “Maybe.”

Theyembraced briefly, and then Teroux was gone.

 

Luvanor

Tunin Continent

Bay of the Moon

ECHAYN squatted on the beach, siftingsand through his fingers and staring over the moonlit crescent of water beforehim. Waves lapped gently and the night was otherwise silent.

Thiswas a good place to begin his discovery of Luvanor. Senluar could wait untilthe spaces were not as frenetic, but the rest of this glorious world begged forhis attention. He would now become a wanderer, sleep where he found a bed or acushion of leaves, eat when someone offered a meal or pick from a tree. Maybetry his hand at fishing? How long since he had this kind of unencumberedfreedom?

Standing,he walked inland, seeing the lights of a farmhouse. Perhaps there was a hayloft …

AVIOR

Gotta try this ...

 

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