Michael Sullivan - Avempartha

The beast shrieked in mortal fear and confusion.

It turned, recoiling, but it was already too late. The sword penetrated all the way to the hilt. The essence that was the Gilarabrywn and the forces that bound it shattered. With the snapping of the bonds that held it fast, the world reclaimed the energy in a sudden violent outburst. The eruption of force threw Thrace and Tomas to the ground. The shock wave continued down the hill, radiating out in all directions, beyond the burnt desolation to the forest launching flocks of birds into the night.

Dazed, Tomas staggered to his feet and approached the small slender figure of Thrace Wood at the center of a cleared depression where the great Gilarabrywn once was. He walked forward in awe and fell prostrate on his knees before the girl.

“Your Imperial Majesty,” was all he said.

The sun rose brightly over the Nidwalden River. The clouds had moved off and by midmorning the sky was clear and the air cooler than it had been. A light wind skimmed across the surface of the river, raising ripples, while the sun cast a brilliant gold face upon the water. A fish jumped above the surface and fell back with a plop. Overhead, birds sang morning songs and cicadas droned.

Royce and Arista stood on the bank of the river ringing water out of their clothes. Esrahaddon waited.

“Nice robe,” the princess said.

The wizard only smiled.

Arista shivered as she looked out across the river. The trees on the far bank looked different than on their side, a different species perhaps. Arista thought they appeared prouder, straighter with fewer lower branches, and longer trunks. While the trees were impressive, there was no evidence of civilization.

“How do we know they are over there?” Arista asked.

“The elves?” Esrahaddon questioned.

“I mean, no one has seen an elf-” she glanced at Royce, “A pure blood elf-in centuries, right?”

“They are there. Thousands of them by now I should think. Tribes of the old names, with bloodlines that can be traced to the dawn of time. The Miralyith, masters of The Art, Asendwayr the hunters, Nilyndd the crafters, Eiliwin the architects, Umalyn the spiritualists, Gwydry the shipwrights, and Instarya the warriors. They are all still there, a congress of nations.”

“Do they have cities? Like we do?”

“Perhaps, but probably not like ours. There is a legend of a sacred place called Estramnadon. It is the holiest place in elven culture…at least that we humans know of. Estramnadon is said to be over there, deep in the forests. Some think it is their capital city and seat of their monarch, others speculate it is the sacred grove where the first tree-the tree planted by Muriel herself-still grows and is cared for by the Children of Ferrol. No one knows for certain. No human is likely ever to know, as the elves do not suffer the trespasses of others.”

“Really?” the princess looked at the thief with a playful smirk. “Perhaps if I knew that before I might have guessed Royce’s heritage sooner.”

Royce ignored the comment and turned to the wizard. “Can I assume you will not be returning to the village?”

Esrahaddon shook his head. “I need to leave before Luis Guy and his pack of hounds track me down. Besides, I have an heir to talk to and plans to make.”

“Then this is goodbye. I need to get back.”

“Remember to keep silent about what you saw in the tower-both of you.”

“Funny, I expected the heir and his guardian to be unknown farm boys from some place-well-like this I suppose. Someone I never heard of.”

“Life has a way of surprising you, doesn’t it?” Esrahaddon said.

Royce nodded and started to head off.

“Royce,” Esrahaddon said softly stopping him. “We know that what happened last night wasn’t pleasant. You should prepare yourself for what you’re going to find.”

“You think Hadrian’s dead,” Royce said flatly.

“I would expect so. If he is, at least know that his death may have been the sacrifice that saved our world from destruction. And while that may not comfort you, I think we both know that it would have pleased Hadrian.”

Royce thought a moment, nodded, then entered the trees and disappeared.

“He’s definitely elvish,” Arista said shaking her head and sitting down opposite Esrahaddon. “I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. You’ve grown a beard I see.”

“You just noticed?”

“I noticed before, been kinda busy until now.”

“I can’t really shave, can I? It wasn’t a problem while I was in Gutaria, but now-does it look alright?”

“You have some grey coming in.”

“I ought to. I am nine hundred years old.”

She watched the wizard staring across the river.

“You really should practice your art. You did well in there.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can’t do it, not the way you taught me. I can do most of the things Arcadius demonstrated, but it’s a bit impossible to learn hand magic from a man without hands.”

“You boiled water, and you made the prison guard sneeze. Remember?”

“Yes, I’m a veritable sorceress, aren’t I?” she said sarcastically.

He sighed. “What about the rain? Have you worked on that incantation any more?”

“No, and I’m not going to. I am the Ambassador of Melengar now. I’ve put all that behind me. Given time, they may even forget I was tried for witchcraft.”

“I see,” the wizard said, disappointed.

The princess shivered in the morning chill and tried to run her fingers through her hair but caught them in tangles. Stains and wrinkles dotted her dress. “I’m a mess, aren’t I?”

The wizard said nothing. He appeared to be thinking.

“So,” she began, “what will you do when you find the heir?”

Esrahaddon only stared at her.

“Is it a secret?”

“Why don’t you ask me what you really want to know, Arista?”

She sat trying to look naпve and offered a slight smile, “I don’t understand.”

“You aren’t sitting here shivering in a wet dress making small talk with me for nothing. You have an agenda.”

“An agenda?” she asked, not at all convincingly even for her own tastes. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“You want to know if what the church told you about your father’s death is true or not. You think I used you as a pawn. You are wondering if I tricked you into being an unwitting accomplice to your own father’s death.”

The act was over. She stared stunned at the wizard’s bluntness, barely breathing. She did not speak, but slowly nodded her head.

“I suspected they might come after you because they are having trouble following me.”

“Did you?” She asked finding her voice. “Did you orchestrate my father’s death?”

Esrahaddon let the silence hang between them a moment, then at last replied.

“Yes, Arista. I did.”

At first, the princess did not say a word. It did not seem possible that she heard him correctly. Slowly her head began to shake back and forth in disbelief.

“How…” she started to say, “How could you do that?”

“Nothing I, nor anyone else says, can explain that to you-not now at least. Perhaps someday you’ll understand.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. She brushed them away and glared at the wizard.

“Before you judge me completely, as I know you will, remember one thing. Right now, the Church of Nyphron is trying to persuade you that I am a demon, the very Apostle of Uberlin. You are likely thinking they are right. Before you damn me forever and run into the embrace of the patriarch, ask yourself these questions. Who approved your entrance into the University of Sheridan? Who talked your disapproving father into letting you attend? How did you learn about me? How was it that you found your way to a hidden prison that only a handful of people knew existed? Why were you taught to use a gemstone lock and isn’t it interesting that the very gem you used on your door was the same as the signet ring that unlocked the prison entrance? And how was it that a young girl, princess or not, was allowed to enter Gutaria Prison and leave unmolested, not once, not twice, but repeatedly for months without her activities ever being questioned or reported back to her father the king?”