Chapter 10: The Nemesis Blade
His name is Elianas.
Torrullin’s sanctuary is invaded by a desperate call throughthe spaces. Someone has stolen the Xenian seer Lowen Dalrish, and he suspectsAgnimus, the draithen who nearly annihilated his world and then vanishedwithout a trace.
It is time for the Animated Spirit to stand forth.
Meanwhile three Valla heirs await the rising of the ValleurThrone; only one will be chosen as Vallorin. When a prophecy is uncovered aboutThree Kingdoms and rumours of an army secretly building to prevent it,Torrullin realises the three heirs to the Throne are in danger, for thewarmongers believe he will carve out three kingdoms, one for each heir.
It is time to deploy Nemesis, the mighty blade forged oftwo, of both darak and lumin.
As activity becomes frenetic in the spaces, the dark man ofTorrullin’s visions and dreams stirs and becomes aware of the newness in theether. He now seeks release from his long incarceration. He knows how to findthe missing seer; more than that, he is the catalyst to releasinglong-suppressed memory.
It is time for Torrullin’s Nemesis to stand forth. His nameis Elianas.
CHAPTER 10
… it’s a shoot of grass … how extraordinary …
~ Tattle
OFTHE ANCIENT RACES four remained.
Oldest was Quilla of the Q’lin’la,singular, but his race came through a rift from another universe and wastherefore not endemic. Oldest of this universe were the Valleur. Once close toextinction, once beyond this reality for survival, they were again many andregarded universally as the most powerful people. Then there were the Senlu ofLuvanor - Grinwallin in particular - and they endured ninety million years ofabeyance to arise anew to a new time, a second chance at life. Declan of theSiric, singular, was between the Valleur and Senlu, but his span of years puthim second only to Quilla. His race was not the oldest in the universe, but hewas second in age.
There was another who held thestatus of an Ancient and he was likely older than the Siric, but he was not ofone race; he was a mixture of messes. His name was Agnimus, part human, partdarkling, part Drinic and part Valleur, and Declan was commanded to find thisstrange and dangerous individual. Agnimus was the instrument of destruction onValaris twenty-five years ago. It forced Torrullin to do something so terriblein defence, he turned his back on his homeworld.
In the aftermath Agnimus escaped toplaces unknown, knowing too much about his past, and the latter made him moredangerous still. That knowledge alone could bite at the Valleur, Valaris,Luvanor, and Torrullin specifically. However, Agnimus made no move or sound inthe intervening years and no trace of his presence was found, and yet, if aname was put to the source of rumour mongering it had to be Agnimus.
If he was not the source, he wouldknow who was.
Nemisin’sWorld
DECLANALIGHTED ON the ridge once the site ofNemisin’s mountain palace, he who was First Father to the Valleur, firstVallorin and first Enchanter. This world had long been dead, a world avoidedfor its killing deserts and extreme heat, and was now made new, a promiseSaska, wife to Torrullin and the previous Lady of Life, made to herself.
It was a promise she kept, forherself, for Torrullin, and because she thought it imperative to the manner inwhich the Valleur were viewed universally. She prevailed upon her successor,the Lady Lily, to bring her renewal talents to bear on a sterile world, andLily, challenged, achieved a wondrous miracle. Xenian scientists helped, aswell as biologists from other worlds, and Nemisin’s world today shone as agreen jewel in space.
Declan ambled to the edge of theridge and peered down.
Once rock, sand and nothingnessshimmered in the heat below; now he stared in awe over a vast green plain,grasses waving in benign temperature, and in the distance the tell-tale glintof a broad watercourse. Massive trees dotted the landscape and there were wildanimals grazing where before there was no life, not even a microscopic bug. Itwould never be jungle, this world, not even a forest, but it was so green ithurt, and the wild expanses of glorious silence beckoned a visitor to peace.
Huge mountain ranges were purpled bydistance and were no longer hot rocks of sterility; they hosted lakes andwaterfall, great birds and scrub a-flower all year. As was the mountain hestood upon. As far as the eye could see there were flowers, low grass andtrickles of fresh, clean water. The cries of eagles, falcons, hawks, owls,ospreys and many others sounded far off, and filled the silence with music.
He stared up. The sky was sapphireblue, the sun a bright disc overhead. It seemed unlikely it could rain here -and had not for thousands of years - yet water there was on the fertile plainsand gathered in the embrace of the mountains. He knew, for Saska told him, thisworld had two seasons, both generally hot; one was dry, the other wet. He nowspied roiling thunderclouds on the horizon and realised it heralded athunderstorm, but perhaps it would not travel this far before releasing itsload. It was not yet the wet season.
The cool mountain abodes werereopened, shored up, excavated where necessary; the entrance lay before Declan.According to Saska, and that was ten years ago, the palace in the mountainsrequired years of labour to restore to former glory, but the attempt was inprogress, and she chose to live on the site of the renovations. Five years ago,she sent Lily away to her other duties, for the planet achieved a state ofself-sustenance, and proceeded to concentrate her energy on the world insidethe mountain. Caballa, he heard, joined her. Perhaps there were others now.
He crossed the ridge, entered theblessed cool and was astonished. He expected darkness and found mural walls, atinkling fountain, and plants healthy in lovely urns. Pebbles shone through thewater of the fountain akin to jewels.
Beyond were more chambers - onecould not call them caverns - and each was as welcoming and attractive. Bridgesspanned canals filled with cold mountain water and the tinkle of liquid blisswas everywhere. Lifelike, painted renditions of creepers vied for space withthe real thing and in every hue of green one could imagine. Dainty rosestumbled from beautiful urns, and daffodils and cornflowers spilled from vergesalongside the canals.
As Declan walked open-mouthed intothe palace that was older than he was, he discovered sunny courtyards, coolsquares, green lawns, bright ponds, more bridges, realised the canals teemedwith tiny, bright fishes, saw more flowers than he had seen in years of visitsto other worlds, and was utterly astounded.
He came to a halt in a large chamberand stared up. Sunlight poured through open domes in the rock, but was filteredby crisscrossing vines and creepers, and tiny birds flitted in and out of thefoliage. The stone underfoot was polished to mirror sheen and the wallsrendered in lifelike landscapes. He wanted to lie in its embrace forever. Atear slid over his pale cheek and his wings quivered with emotion. It was truehaven. Torrullin would find peace here. This was a Throne-room for a god.
“Declan?” Saska’s voice, full ofsurprise and pleasure.
He brought his emotions undercontrol, and smiled. Gods, she was beautiful and, damn, she suited this place.Her bluish hair and emerald eyes blended with the coolness of the haven, like amuse of this world. She wore a trailing, pale blue gown, and was a vision evena blind man could appreciate.
“Saska!” Declan laughed and openedhis arms to her. He surprised even himself, for he was not generally given todisplays of affection.
She laughed and came into his armswithout reservation. They had known each other a long time. “It’s good to seeyou, my friend,” she whispered, squeezing him, and then let go to wipe wetcheeks. “Silly me, crying like a baby.”
Declan swallowed. “It is good to seeyou.” He gestured around, to give both a chance to recover. “You have worked amiracle.”
“I can’t take full credit,” shesmiled. “Not only did I have help, but this place seemed to take itself back towhat it was once attention was bestowed upon it. Caballa and I think it is partof Nemisin’s legacy. And it is beautiful, isn’t it?”
“I do not have words,” Declanmurmured, and focused on her again. “You are more beautiful than I have everseen you, Saska. You are a vision and I believe it is this wondrous place thatgifts …” He blushed and looked away. “I do not know how to properly complimenta woman anymore.”
She laid a cool hand on his burningcheek. “Thank you.”
He smiled. “You belong here.”
A shadow flitted into her eyes, andwas gone. “Thank you.”
“He would see what I see.”
She forced a smile. “One day,perhaps.” Then she was again the Saska who entered into his presence withsurprise and pleasure. She took his hand and tugged. “Come, I must show youeverything!”
Laughing, he allowed himself to beled away. Inside, he called Torrullin the biggest fool in the universe.
“THISPLACE IS AMAZING,” she said as she led Declan around.“There are kitchen areas, communal regions, suites, private gardens, libraries,sport facilities, theatres …” She laughed. “You name it, it’s here! There was alot of debris to clear away at first, but the integrity of the chambers werenot undermined. A shore up here, a new beam there, but nothing we could nothandle. And once we began cleaning out cobwebs and the like and swept awaydust, we found these incredible murals and all manner of containers for plantsand, well, plants we put in! Then we discovered the canal system runningthroughout the complex and it was simple enough to track it back to anunderground supply, which, by the way, fills up regularly and …”
“Whoa!” Declan exclaimed, laughingat her enthusiasm. “Too much detail.”
“Sorry, it’s inspiring,” Saskagrinned. “We haven’t done more than restore what was, of course, and onlybrought a few home comforts for the areas we occupy.” She was wistful. “Thisplace needs people, Declan, lots of them, and people bring and make their ownbeautiful things to fill glorious surroundings. You know?”
“I do.”
“Anyway, it is ready.”
“An outstanding achievement. As amatter of interest, did you uncover anything relating to Nemisin?”
“Yes, we did, and the DragonNeolone.”
“Really?” Declan paused and thencould not help it. “I would like to see that.”
She gave a rueful laugh. “I thoughtas much. This way.”
Saska led him across a sunnycourtyard, through a cool chamber sporting an ornate fireplace, and on into alibrary. There were no books, but the shelves were self-evident. They passedthrough there and many others until she led him into a huge domed cavern. Itexuded the spiritual, and he came to a halt. Everything was of blue stone andthe floor was without seam or join. It was akin to entering a cathedral.
“We call it the Chamber of Biers.”
He saw why. In recesses high andlow, surrounding the entire space, were biers, each slotted neatly intoposition, each of the same blue stone. The ancient Valleur dead, by god.
“We did nothing here,” Saskawhispered. “It was as it is now.”
Declan’s gaze was drawn to thesingle bier resting in the exact centre of the cathedral cavern. “Nemisin?”
“Nemisin,” she confirmed, andfollowed as he wandered over to it.
It was no different from the others.The same incredible blue stone, the same simplicity, the cool sense of history.Declan drew breath as he came to rest beside it. It looked as new now as itmust have then. Saska said not a word, allowing him to find his way to theinscription, and when he found it he inhaled a sharpened breath. He bent overit to be certain, but there was no doubt. First there was an engraved likenessof Nemisin - his face and shoulders - and then came his name - flowing, formalValleur glyphs - and then the epitaph. Below that, another, in a differenthand. It was more roughly done, as if the inscriber hurried in his task.
“Gods,” he muttered. He lifted eyesfull of astonishment to Saska. “Am I seeing right?” She nodded. Declan wasdrawn back to the bier. “I wonder if Torrullin has seen this?”
“I doubt it. The entrances wereblocked.”
“He need not have come in person. Aseer can see backwards also,” the Siric muttered, and did not see her shiver.“Nemisin and Torrullin are like … twins. I wonder if that is why the Valleurtook him to their hearts? An unknown entity, a half-blood, the Vallorin? Theyshould have given him a hard time and yet he was one of them from the firstmoment. Valleur memories, hmm?”
“Probably,” Saska murmured.
“’Here lies Nemisin, First Fatherof the mighty Valleur, Vallorin, father, healer, enchanter, creator of theGolden Throne. May our beloved rest in eternal peace.’” Declan looked up.“These dates make no sense.”
“How long do you think he wasinterred here?” Saska pointed out.
The Siric blanched. “Gods, that isold.”
Saska quoted, “’Year 792 to 4999,Epoch of the Dancing Suns’. He was over four thousand years old when hedied.”
“The Epoch of the Dancing Suns islegendary and refers to the time when Time was yet to be counted,” Declanwhispered.
Saska gave a laugh. “The Valleur,Masters of the Universe.”
“Deservedly so,” Declan muttered.“And this rough scribble?”
“We suspect Neolone.”
He bent over it, intrigued. “’Herelies the man of power who gave power to his descendants in a mighty symbiosis.Revere his name, as you will revere the One to come.’” Declan whistled. Itwas signed with a stylised ‘N’. It could only be the Dragon Neolone, who was insymbiosis with Nemisin and then moved on to the son upon this father’s death,until he reached Torrullin, the One. Neolone returned here to inscribe this forfuture generations. “I wonder what the Valleur made of this particular codicil?”
“Ask Torrullin the seer,” Saskamuttered. Declan looked up. “Sorry. This place gives me the creeps. Can we go?”Saska muttered.
The Siric nodded. She sighed andleft immediately, with Declan trailing out more slowly.
“ISCABALLA WITH YOU?” he asked ten minutes later. Hegaped at every new and incredible sight.
“She comes and goes, but she is hereat present.” Saska was silent a few paces. “Do you think he knows we are here?”
“He knows.”
“Ah.” It was a pained sound.
“Saska …”
“It’s all right. Tell me, how isLowen?”
She just put him smack in themiddle. “Lowen is missing.”
Saska came to a dead stop. “She lefthim?”
Declan stared at his feet, hishands, arguing with himself. He should say nothing, but he liked and loved thiswoman; Saska was once a Guardian, as he was, and was a friend. He looked up.
“They were never really together. Ifthey spent six months in each other’s company in the past twenty-five years, Iwould be surprised.”
“That’s not good.”
“Very strange.”
“No, I meant it doesn’t bode wellfor … reconciliation.”
The Siric was at a loss. “I amsorry?”
“Gods, Declan, it means he hasn’tgot her out of his system, don’t you see that?”
He opened his mouth. Closed it.
“So, she did leave him?”
“Yes.”
“Good for her.” Saska grimaced.
“About ten years ago.”
“What?” Saska snapped, and thenpaled. “Ten years … and nothing? Not a darkened doorway, for pity’s sake?” Shegave a wry snort. “What did I tell you? She’s not yet in his past.”
Now he did see what she meant; itexplained much. “She is missing, Saska, not just gone from him. Really missing.The entire Kaval is mobilised to find her. That is why I am here.”
“The entire Kaval? How … caring … ofhim.”
He understood her anger, but choseto ignore it. “She is lost to Time. We suspect she was either coerced or fellaccidentally through a portal that took her back, but how far back, we do notknow.”
“He can do the time thing.”
“Where does he start? And when doeshe go back to?”
Saska drew breath. “Oh.”
“Exactly. And at the same time, wehave heard disturbing rumours concerning Sanctuary, the Kaval and Torrullin. Itappears folk out there hear tales of a growing force on Sanctuary, one thataims to carve out three kingdoms in the universe, one for each Valla heir.Torrullin believes the two are linked. Lowen vanished because she knowssomething about these rumours.”
“It wasn’t an accident, hervanishing.”
Declan straightened. “Damn me … no.”
“I may want to scratch her eyes out,but I want to. I wish her no other harm. She must be petrifiedsomewhere.” Saska frowned. “How could I help? I’m isolated here … ah, it’sCaballa you seek.”
“No, it’s both of you.”
Saska shrugged. “Still don’t see howI can help, and what is your mission exactly?”
Declan gave a grimace. “I am to findAgnimus.”
“You’re joking!”
“I wish that were so.”
“Agnimus? Not only has he completelydisappeared, but how can he possibly help?”
“He is an Ancient. Torrullinprobably reckons he may know something about time shifts.”
“Or is behind it; I see.”
“There is that.”
“I know nothing of Agnimus’ whereabouts.”
“But maybe you found something hereto point the way. Agnimus is of Nemisin’s recalcitrance, and it may be hiddenin here.”
Saska shook her head and startedwalking again. “Nothing on darklings, nothing on vengeful essences and nothingon Nemisin’s enchantments either. This place is wholesome, except for the deadand their biers.”
Declan sighed. “It was worth a try.”
“Caballa may have seen something inher visions.”
“That is my hope, yes.”
Saska continued walking and bothwere now blind to the beautiful surroundings. “Three kingdoms? Is that whatfolk say? How stupid can they be?”
“Tristan is already a respectedfigure and Teroux is so Golden he is god-like to strangers. Tianoman isvolatile and shows signs of being a great ruler, if purely because he has aknack for shaking things up. Three Vallas, and only one may rule? What of theother two? Surely, they would desire rulership? They have been raised up toexpect it. You and I know lines will be drawn, but others cannot trust it.Thus, rumour feels like truth.”
She nodded. “If a force is suspectedon Sanctuary, someone - like bloody Agnimus - may prepare a countering army.”
“Chaim investigates the possibilityas we speak.”
“The Kaval, then, are not alllooking for Lowen.”
“It is connected. All intelligencewill form a picture Torrullin will use to determine an entrance time.” Silence.“Saska?”
She sighed. “It occurred to me howeasy it would be for the two of them to stay lost out there.”
“Torrullin has made promises heintends to keep. He will be back.”
“Then I wish she stays lost,” Saskamuttered. She threw her hands in the air. “Ignore that. He’ll never return tome if she remains missing and I don’t wish that fate on her.”
They walked on in silence.
EVENTUALLYTHEY ENTERED a chamber with the look of afarmhouse kitchen, one used frequently by the aromas. A large central workspaceheld dishes and fresh vegetables. A woodstove further back had a boiling pot ofsomething extraordinarily aromatic - a meat stew of some kind, said Declan’snose, and his stomach rumbled. Copper pots and pans hung from hooks, as didbundles of herbs. A large basin and counter contained all manner of cleancrockery and cutlery. It was a working kitchen, and welcomed him like aprodigal son.
Saska grinned at his expression.“Caballa’s special and there’s bound to be enough.”
“Thank you, Lady Goddess.”
“She’s probably through there.”Saska pointed out a sunny herb garden beyond the kitchen and beyond that asitting room beckoned with comfort.
Declan frowned, squinting. “Ithought it was just the two of you.” He could see far more than one form movingin the sitting room.
“Initially, yes, but others havecome. Lily sent a Minean girl who thinks she may be the future Lady and thereis … well, come meet them.”
He followed her through the herbgarden and into the chamber beyond. It was large and there were islands ofarmchairs. Tall plants in beautiful containers, bright rugs on the stone floor,a massive fireplace, and books. And a scattering of people, mostly women.Declan saw Caballa first, and she looked up from a book and smiled.
“Declan!” She rose to embrace him inwelcome.
He returned her clasp with a laugh.Caballa was another beautiful woman, a Golden in every way. She and Torrullinwere close once and he suspected they slept together, but she and Saska got onfamously. Perhaps he had it wrong.
Saska performed introductions and ofthe women only the Minean stuck in memory, because he could not ignore herdark, whiteless eyes. Iris was her name. There were three men, and heremembered them, for they looked each other over, assessing threat.
One was from Yltri, troll-like asYltri males were. He was old, no threat, and his name was Gorin. The other wasyounger, but marginally so, a refugee from Lax. The man’s name slipped hisgrasp. The third intrigued him. The man was in the prime of his life with longfair hair and blue eyes. He seemed familiar. The man claimed to be a historian,specialising in ancient cultures, and that was interesting. He had to be sureto pick the man’s brain before he left. Now, what was his name? Ah, Sabian,that was it, from …
“Where do you hail from, Sabian?”
“I was born on Xen, a toddler onBeacon, had a stint on Fortani, spent long years on Titania and met Igor hereon Lax, helped him get out of there. We both ended up staying, but I am sure tobe moving on soon. Still much to discover out there.”
Educated, experienced, and spentlong years on Titania? Titania had the largest known library in the entireuniverse. “You studied at the library?”
Sabian smiled. “I did. Are you afternuggets of information?”
“I am.”
Sabian inclined his head. “I amhappy to share.”
“After we eat,” Saska said. “Declanis hungry, can’t you hear his stomach?”
Everyone laughed, and Caballa hookedher arm through Declan’s and drew him back into the herb garden. Saska grinnedand passed them on the way to the kitchen.
“IASSUME THIS IS no idle visit?” Caballa asked,taking him further from listening ears.
“Lowen is missing, a time shift, anda confrontation brews out there. I need your help.”
“Agnimus,” she murmured.
“How did you know?”
“I saw you come and saw what youwere after.”
“You are good.”
She smiled. “I know. We will talklater, all right?”
“I have only a week to find him,Caballa.”
“But you need to eat, so we eat andthen we talk, and then you can collar the sexy Sabian.”
“Sexy?” Declan grimaced.
“Very. We all have our sights set onhim.” She laughed at the disbelief in his eyes. “We are isolated, not dead, andhe is harmless.”
“Yes, well …” and Declan allowedhimself to be pulled towards the kitchen.
