Original: To Fire It Shall Return

Chapter 16

The moon was a beacon that lit Illyanna's blonde hair with a chill fire as she walked along the dusty road. She didn't dare Teleport in order to speed her progress; the feeling of one of her kind was too close to risk overshooting it. Why would a Grey Sorceress be so far from the safety of a city in the dead of night, anyway? Illyanna was only there because the rage and sorrow she had felt at the death of one of her people had forced her out, compelled to wander.

She scanned the dense line of trees to either side of her, searching for the woman she knew was near. There was a rustling of the bushes and a cougar stepped out in front of her. The huge cat stood on the pavement before the terrified Illyanna and growled low in its throat. Then the tawny fur began to ripple, flowing, transforming the cat into a tall woman.

Her bronzed skin glimmered in the moonlight and her golden hair swelled from her head in waves almost to her feet. Even her eyes were golden, slitted like the cat.

"Who are you?" she hissed, taking an uncertain, but menacing step toward Illyanna. She stood her ground, smiling at the woman who was clad only in rags that barely covered her body.

"My name is Illyanna, and I am like you, born with an ability. What's your name?" she asked gently. The woman's eyes narrowed.

"I am called Lalest," she said shortly. Suspiciously, she continued. "Have I met you before? I do not remember your name, yet you seem familiar to me."

"No, we have not met before, but we do have a connection deeper than blood."

"And what connection is that?"

Illyanna was taken aback. "Surely you feel it."

"Yes," Lalest waved impatiently, "but what does it mean? Why is it there?"

"Because we are unique, you and I and all our sisters, and must pull together for our own protection. We are gathering together, to ensure that we can live the lives we choose, rather than those Anata would choose for us. You are the sixth I have found. Will you join us?" Lalest was still for a moment, considering. Then she nodded.

"Yes, it will be good not to be alone." Illyanna took the girl's hand.

"Very well. I am going to use my power now to send you to a place where you'll be safe. Don't worry, our sisters will meet you there." A moment later, she was gone.

Illyanna stood still for a moment, drinking in the silence and peace of the night. That was almost all of the Grey Sorceresses within reach. There were a few left to the East, but they were so far away, Illyanna knew she would never find them. All that remained was to go to the Adult-school for the last of them.

Lelahn awoke the next morning and leapt to her feet in panic as she registered that Alainna and Kelden were gone. She stared around wildly until she noticed the bundle of blankets out on the sand. Two blonde heads protruded from the coverings, though it was almost impossible to tell where Alainna's hair ended and Kelden's began.

She looked away, trying to push down the wave of disgust she felt as they emerged from their communal resting place. She was happy for them, of course, but Kelden's body, naked and firm, reminded her too much of times best forgotten.

She forced herself to smile as the now-clothed pair returned to camp hand-in-hand. As they began walking toward the rotting dock, Lelahn whispered to Alainna.

"I'm happy for you." The worried look on the Sorceresses face smoothed out into a smile.

"I'm glad. I was afraid there would be too many… memories."

"No," Lelahn assured her emphatically, "I'm fine. I'm over all of that."

The moment they reached the dock, they saw it.

Amid the slowly sinking relics and rotting bits of wood that was no longer recognizable as anything human-made, was a ship. It was not large, though it seemed to have a cabin below. There was no trace of rot in the wood and the metal ornamentation and edging was free of rust and shone brightly in the morning sun.

"Velistria must have kept this one in good condition in case she ever traveled," Kelden said incredulously, running an appreciative hand over the smooth paneling.

"That's amazing. I would have thought she never traveled," mused Lelahn.

"What do we know about the poor woman?" said Alainna. "She was obviously intelligent, if deluded, perhaps this was simply a safety measure."

"In any case," said Kelden, leaping aboard, "we're off."

Ferris regarded the tiny wooden vessel with a terror that he was certain was written all over his face. He stepped in gingerly, not wanting to be left behind by his wife and daughter, who were already sitting primly in the boat. Their guide, the man that Renah had terrified the night before, had volunteered his services to atone for his behavior. He gave Ferris an impatient glance before hopping, birdlike, into the craft. He took up a pair of oars in his talon-like hands and untied the rope holding them to the rickety, disused dock. As he began rowing away, Norath spoke up sharply, her voice, as always, providing an anchor of stability for Ferris' beating heart.

"We aren't crossing the Great Ocean in this?" she said incredulously. The man looked up from his work, never interrupting the motion of his arms. His black eyes cut through Norath's displeasure like an eagle's cry.

"No. I'm taking you to the Storehouse of the Ages." Ferris turned around to see an island ahead, its rocky crags shrouded in the morning mist. He caught his breath, this place was the stuff of legend in Garothan, could it be that he, Ferris, was about to witness the relics that his ancestors had left behind, thousands of years before?

Lelahn sat on the gently rocking deck of the boat, idly twirling a white flower between her fingers and trying to decide what to do with it. She couldn't remember where she'd gotten it. It had simply appeared in a pocket, slightly crushed but perfectly healthy, as if by magic. She raised her other hand and began plucking the soft, white petals, allowing each of them to be caught by the salty wind and carried away.

"He loves me… he loves me not," she muttered as she pulled at each petal. She stopped her industrious project and smiled faintly. She didn't even know whom she was doing it for. No one.

She flung the desecrated daisy into the Ocean and turned as she heard a laugh from behind her.

"Bored?" asked Kelden, his hand draped easily over the wheel, as if he had done this before. Lelahn marveled that he hid his inexperience so well, for he had been obviously nervous at first.

"No," she answered imperiously, not knowing what she was, if not bored. Kelden glanced up, squinting into the sun.

"Well, be that as it may, you certainly won't be bored pretty soon."

"Why not?"

Kelden pointed at some ominous dark clouds ahead. "It's going to storm soon."

Lelahn looked at the clouds. "How do you know? Those clouds could be moving away from us." Kelden stroked Karim once, lightly.

"I know."

Karanis met Koldar as he descended from the tower where he kept his vision-pool. She was fuming.

"What is it darling?" he asked easily when he saw the frown creasing her flawless face.

"I can't live with that mortal anymore," she stated unequivocally. Koldar smiled patiently.

"What did Lokkar do this time?"

"Nothing," Karanis admitted, "but he hates me. He hates all of us. When he heard about what happened in Lacuna, he smiled. He's a sadistic bastard, and he's just leeching off your generosity until you finally get rid of him." Koldar frowned impatiently.

"He saved my life, Karanis. I sincerely doubt if he wishes you harm." He ran his fingers through her long hair. "He knows I love you. And he could never hurt you."

"I know that, but every time I see him, he looks at me - I don't know-" Karanis stumbled to a halt, realizing that she had no specific grievance that would persuade Koldar. Finally she just shrugged. "He just bothers me. We shouldn't have mortals around, pretending to be wizards. It's wrong."

"I agree," Koldar said, with a hint of sarcasm. "Fortunately, we don't." Karanis glared at the Wizard as he continued harshly. "Now, until you actually have something important to say, don't say anything."

Karanis' mouth twisted with anger as he pushed past her and strode away. "Damn you," she muttered, not knowing exactly whom she was cursing.

Lokkar heard Karanis' final angry, frustrated words and smiled. Still standing in the small alcove near to where the lovers had had their argument, he examined his situation. His little… miscalculation had not endangered his safety. Koldar was still grateful to him for saving his life, so he was still secure.

Karanis did seem determined, however, to convince Koldar, and eventually she would wear him down. Lokkar had no illusions anymore; he was a mortal in a wizard's keep, and at any moment, his time could run out. He would have to begin making plans for that eventuality, so that it wouldn't take him by surprise.

It wouldn't do to spend 20 years building up one's power only to be killed before one could make use of it, after all.

The tiny wooden boat rode up onto the rocky beach with an audible crunch and their guide - named Narsil, as they had found - leapt out, pulling the craft further onto shore before the sea could reclaim it. Once they were safely on dry land, Norath and Renah stepped out, followed by Ferris a moment later. A hill rose up in front of them, hiding the rest of the island from view. Renah turned to Narsil with a smile.

"Thank you, sir. The White Sorceress will hear of your willingness to aid us," she said. He nodded, trying unsuccessfully to hide his relief with brusqueness. A man, casually clothed in a long robe appeared at the top of the hill, arms outstretched in greeting.

"Welcome to the Storehouse!" he called out. His balding head was tanned, so the white hair stood out shiningly against his skull. A slight bulge at the waist bespoke a vestigial arm or something similar, but otherwise he seemed utterly normal. His face was lit up with a jovial smile as he puffed down the steep slope towards them. Narsil spoke impatiently.

"He'll help you with whatever you want."

"Yes, thank you," said Renah graciously. Before he could get into his boat and leave, the man approaching them called out again.

"My name is Thoran. It's wonderful to see you all. You can go Narsil, they're in capable hands." Narsil grunted and pushed off, paddling away without further comment. By this time, Thoran had reached them.

"Are you the Keeper of the Storehouse?" asked Ferris breathlessly, reddening under his fur.

"That I am. That I am. And who are you?"

Norath stepped forward, extending a hand. "My name is Norath. This is my husband, Ferris, and my daughter, Renah." Thoran shook Norath's hand, nodded to Ferris and then kissed Renah's hand gently, saying quietly;

"Surely a Normal so fine is not the daughter of a badlander?"

"And why would that be? I am a foundling, it's true, and I am a sorceress. But the reason why I am not my parent's child by blood is due to the accident of their infertility, not any imperfection on their part," she said haughtily. Thoran sputtered apologetically, but she cut him off with a wave of the hand. "Now, we need to cross the Ocean, and you must help us. Is that possible?" She waited impatiently for the man to regain his composure.

"Of course. Of course. Follow me," he said, beginning to struggle up the slope again. At the top of the hill was an impressive stone building, roughly cube-shaped. Inside were rooms upon rooms, all full of rusting, moldering objects. There were sheaves of rotting paper, pieces of broken metal and glass, and even more unidentifiable things, made of materials that hadn't been used in centuries.

"Do you know what all these things are?" asked Norath incredulously.

"Actually, we hardly know anything. Most of it doesn't work anyway." We have an index, but no one can read it anymore. A white wizard might be able to translate it, but we don't dare let the Normals know all of this exists. They'd take it away from us," he said, shooting a glance at Renah, who ignored it. They were coming up to a small door. He opened the door and began to descend the stairs beyond. "Everything of importance is downstairs." As they reached the bottom, lights came up with a hum, revealing a cavernous room. Machines, some with wheels, some without, lined the walls. A huge door that lifted up into the ceiling dominated the far wall.

"What is this place?" asked Renah.

"The ancestors, thousands of years ago, built this place to preserve their technology. I suppose something pretty terrible must have happened to necessitate it, don't you think? Maybe the same thing that created the Badlands."

"The Badlands created?" Ferris said incredulously.

"Well, of course. You don't think it's natural that babies be born with deformities do you? Why do you think we call them Normals?" Thoran jerked a thumb at Renah, who narrowed her eyes. "Because they're normal, and we're not. It couldn't always have been like that."

"I suppose," said Ferris.

"Now then," Thoran said, clapping his hands. "Let's find you a ship."

Less than half an hour later, the three of them were speeding along, inches above the water's surface. The ancient vehicle was in perfect working order and gleamed in the sunlight. It seemed to use jets of air to keep it above the water, and they had been assured that it would work on land as well. To the north, they could see dark clouds and lightening.

"We'd better not get caught in that!" warned Ferris.

"Don't worry," Norath replied as she punched controls. "I'll give it a wide berth."

Lelahn and Kelden huddled, shivering and wet in the tiny cabin. All that Lelahn could concentrate on, with the rocking and crashing of the boat, was the spectacular image of Alainna at the wheel. She had stood in the rain, her hair dripping gold, staring into the black sky for some hint of daylight. She had finally created a dome of ice around her, which shone like crystal in the lightning flashes. She'd looked like a vengeful angel, daring the storm to best her.

"Are you sure she'll be all right out there?" she asked Kelden.

"Oh, sure she will," he said confidently, but she saw the shadow of doubt in his eyes. The wind howled. To distract herself, she finally said desperately.

"Tell me about yourself, Kelden. We've known each other for seven years, and I hardly know anything about you." He looked surprised for a moment, then he understood. She wanted to destract herself, a sentiment which Kelden sympathized with.

"Well," he began, "I was an only child, born in Koranna. My mother was very influential in the Anatan mortal government. That was one of the reasons why I never had any siblings. My parents always told me that they didn't have time to take care of another son. Of course, that was three-hundred years ago, so it was long before you were born." As he spoke, the wind slowly quieted, until finally Alainna opened the hatch.

"It's all right now. The sun's coming out."

"Thank goodness," said Kelden. He emerged, blinking in the bright sunlight, and planted a kiss on Alainna's mouth.

"I'm glad you're okay."

"Of course I'm okay. It's just water. There's nothing really dangerous out here," she replied, smiling.

The Black Wizard watched the sun come out in the pool with unconcealed relief. The Ocean storms could be deadly, especially to such a small craft. He didn't want to have to send the Soldiers after them.

Suddenly he noticed something on the edge of his vision pool.

"Damn." He muttered. He picked up a small black box and extended the rod at the top. It was a relic, salvaged from the basement of the Guildhall, and was one of the few things found there that still worked. He didn't know what it was, only that he could use it to contact its counterpart, which was now sitting in the lead Soldier's pocket. He spoke into it, instructing the Soldiers to draw closer to the Sorceress' boat. They may be needed after all.

Dorrana watched the sun in Alainna's viewing pool come out from behind the clouds and breathed a sigh of relief. She had never seen the Ocean in person, only in the pool as she watched Alainna's progress. Life in the White Guild had been uneventful lately, for which Dorrana was grateful. It gave her a chance to use the viewing pool to keep tabs on Alainna. She didn't dare send her Familiar after her, but she wanted to keep an eye on the White Sorceress anyway.

One thing that had been unusual was Illyanna's disappearance. Everyone figured that Isak knew where she was, but he was being uncommonly closemouthed about it. Dorrana didn't care where she was, or what she was doing, but she did wish she was around. Without her powers, the lack of Horses was felt keenly throughout Anata. It was almost impossible to do anything - which had probably been Koldar's intention in stealing them. She silently wished that Illyanna would return, and that Alainna would finish what she was doing and come home - safe.

The clouds broke up and disappeared within minutes, revealing the sun in a clear blue sky. The sun beat down as a blazing ball of heat, baking the water from their clothes and hair. Lelahn took her turn at the wheel as Kelden and Alainna stood in the bow of the boat, looking over the water. Kelden's arm wrapped itself comfortingly around Alainna's waist as he drew her closer towards him.

"I was worried about you in that storm." Alainna looked up at him, mischief sparkling in her eyes.

"You shouldn't have been. Just because we've had sex, doesn't mean I can't take care of myself." Kelden reddened. He opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted by Lelahn's startled shout. They turned to see the girl pointing to the south.

"Look! What's that?" There was a dot on the horizon, moving rapidly towards them. What looked like a head rose on a slender neck out of the water, like a giant snake.

"Hold on," said Alainna as she closed her eyes. She muttered under her breath, invoking a Divining. Behind her eyelids, an amorphous vision coalesced. Finally, she opened her eyes again.

"What is it?" asked Kelden urgently.

"It's some sort of Badlands water-dweller. It has wandered into more northern waters recently." She paused. "It's hungry."

The monster cut through the water noiselessly, despite its immense size. Its head towered ten feet above them, and the rest of the body extended almost a mile behind it, undulating in and out of the water. Water dripped from razor-sharp scales. As it came alongside the boat, it opened its mouth, letting out a roar that shook the ship and forced Alainna to clap her hands to her ears.

"There's no way we can fight something that big!" cried Kelden. As he spoke, the monster bit down on the stern of the ship, crushing the fragile wood between its jaws. Under the weight of the monster, the boat tipped and began flooding with water. Lelahn slipped and began sliding towards the rear. Alainna sent out an energy strand from her fingertips, grasping her around the waist and pulling her towards them. She picked herself up, dripping and gasping with fear.

"Thanks," she managed. The monster continued to chew on the boat, oblivious to their presence. Suddenly Sharra exploded from the cabin. She flew around the monster's head, screaming and diving at its eyes. It roared, snapping at the minuscule irritation it sensed. The boat nearly capsized as its weight left it and it shot upright. Alainna, Kelden, and Lelahn grabbed desperately for solid handholds as the ship bucked wildly.

"Damnit!" Kelden yelled over the sound of the monster's frustration. "Get Sharra away from there!" Even as he spoke, the raven disengaged and flew towards them, landing on Alainna's shoulder with a stubborn squawk. Before the monster could recover, Kelden lit its tail on fire, hoping that would convince it to leave. It had the opposite effect: the monster shrieked and plunged its tail into the water before the fire could do any real damage. Then it seemed, for the first time, to notice. From its tremendous height, it oriented on the humans, huddling in the bow of the ship.

Before it could attack, Kelden felt the back of his tunic grasped by strong hands and his feet left the heaving deck. He grasped for purchase and felt Horseflesh under his hands. He hauled himself up and found himself sitting behind a Dark Knight. Somewhere, far away, he could hear Lelahn scream in terror, a sound that was quickly and suddenly cut off. He looked down to see the monster dive through the centre of the ship, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Then it was far behind them as the phalanx of Horses sped to the east.

"Where are you taking us?" Kelden asked. To his surprise, the Knight answered him. His voice floated up, oddly clear and childlike, out of the depths of his armour.

"To the Master. You are safe now." Despite the youthfulness of the voice, there was a dead, unemotional quality to it. The Knight ignored all of Kelden's extortions to speak further, and finally he fell silent. He watched the ocean slip past underneath him and waited.

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