Stardust Destinies I Variate Facing by Celinka Serre - HTML preview

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Fifteen:

The Prophecy Comes True

 

It felt like an eternity had gone by before Jimmy noticed that the rain had stopped. He cast off his wet hood and looked up into the sky. The clouds, now lighter in colour, parted and let the sunshine through. A sunbeam lit up Niome’s face for a few moments and then the clouds were gone and the sun shone so brightly that everyone had to squint.

A cough drew everyone’s attention back to Niome, who slowly opened her eyes and sat up.

‘You’re awake!’ exclaimed Tharguen.

‘You’re alive!’ exclaimed Meysah.

‘Of course I am,’ said Niome. ‘I guess I passed out when I hit my head.’

‘You hit your head?’ said Vigh. ‘Where?’

‘It doesn’t hurt,’ said Niome. ‘It made me have a funny dream, though. And at the end of my dream I saw Elina, who spoke to me. She gave me a lot of information that will help us a lot.’ She paused, noticing that everyone had tears in their eyes. ‘Why is everyone crying?’

‘Heh, you scared us so much,’ said Tharguen.

Niome tipped her head. ‘I don’t understand.’

‘You were unconscious for many days, Niome, and every day you got worse and worse,’ said Bahvley. ‘We thought you were going to die.’

‘That’s a scary thought,’ said Niome uneasily. ‘I’m happy I didn’t. I’m not ready to die.’

‘I sure hope not,’ said Boreth.

‘Tithil believes this was a test set upon you by Mirauk,’ said Vigh. ‘And I must say, you sure proved your power. We all thought you were dying because of Mirauk’s curse. But it looks like there was no curse.’

‘Elina told me that I was cursed, but in my dream, I broke the curse. I don’t know how I did that, but Elina told me that I should be able to use my magic without losing energy now. I don’t know what that means. Normally it comes with training, but . . . She also said that somehow, I cured my anxiety and I won’t feel the pounding anymore. She mentioned that when Mirauk connected his mind to mine—’

‘So he did torture you,’ said Tharguen. ‘He read your mind.’

‘Yes. It was strangely painful. He threw spells at me, but Elina told me that by doing that, he opened a connection between us that may eventually allow me to acquire certain powers that he has. She told me a lot of other things. Before she left, she said something very odd. She said, “The strong have become the weak.” But I don’t feel weak.’

‘I don’t think she meant that you became weak, Niome,’ said Vigh. ‘If anything, you’ve grown much stronger. I can see it in your face; it is different.’

‘I think she meant Mirauk got weak,’ said Boreth.

‘Mirauk . . . Mirauk!’ Niome’s eyes widened. ‘I must have hit my head harder than I thought, because for a time I’d forgotten about our excursion in Mork. I just knew he was before me and then Elina was before me.’

‘I hardly call that an excursion,’ said Meysah, smiling. ‘But Mirauk did not seek you out, you faced him.’

Niome looked around at the mountains. ‘Wow, I was out a long time.’

‘The prophecy books said that the One would look into Mirauk’s eyes and make him quiver,’ said Bahvley. ‘And that the One would grow very strong. All my life I have hoped for this One to come soon. Now my wish has come true. Niome, you are the One.’

‘Am I? I guess what the Firlanians told me is true, then. I believe that we are the Five.’ Niome rose. ‘I do feel different.’ She looked around at the others, at herself. ‘I am!’ She smiled. ‘I am the One; we are the Five! That’s how I survived, that’s what Elina meant. I don’t feel afraid anymore. I feel . . .’ She smiled.

That night, for the first time in a long time, the company made camp and sat down to rest. They made a large fire and ate what little food they had with such relish that it felt like a feast. Afterwards everyone went to sleep under the stars, caressed by a warm breeze.

Niome woke up in the middle of the night and took a stroll a little way up the mountain, settling on its steep incline to look at the sky. She felt refreshed.

A few minutes later, Tharguen arrived. ‘You couldn’t sleep?’ she asked as he sat down very close to her.

‘I wasn’t sleeping,’ he admitted. ‘ I was watching . . . I was keeping watch.’ He looked up at the sky.

‘It’s a nice night,’ said Niome.

‘Yes, and it’s thanks to you,’ replied Tharguen, dropping his gaze to her face. ‘You brought the weather back to normal. You brought the sunshine back.’

‘I never realised how magical I was,’ said Niome. ‘It’s quite the interesting feeling. One day I’m just a young student arguing with Gorthan about a journey of a few weeks, and the next thing I know, I’m walking out of Mork one hundred and six days later, the most powerful wizardess of all.’ She breathed a short laugh. ‘That’s something.’

‘You have a very special gift,’ said Tharguen.

‘I’m still a little unsure of myself. I don’t quite know how to go about life now.’

Tharguen laughed. ‘The same way you always did. In time you will learn to control and effectively use your power. I’m not the expert on that matter, but you always knew how to enchant someone.’

‘Well, I’m very grateful for my natural abilities and for everything that’s happened to me. I’m very grateful you’re here . . . to protect me.’ They both smiled.

‘You know, I was really frightened before,’ said Tharguen. He looked at the ground. ‘I never doubted your strength, but when you’d almost completely slipped away, I got so scared. I don’t know what I’d have done, had you not survived. It was like I was losing a piece of myself.’ Tharguen looked at Niome. ‘My life stopped then and there, and panic and melancholy invaded my heart, for I thought I was losing you. And that must be the worst thing in the world, to lose the one person you love the most.’

Niome’s expression changed as she looked into Tharguen’s eyes. Tharguen leaned in a little bit and kissed her. She kissed him back fiercely. Tharguen put his hands on her cheeks and then he held her tightly in his arms. The rest of the night was spent lying close together, looking up at the stars.

* * *

Meysah was the first to wake up, feeling bright and refreshed. He stretched mightily and yawned in satisfaction, as though he were sleeping in his own cosy bed instead of a blanket on the grass. He felt so relieved and safe now, even though he was far away from home. Noticing that Niome and Tharguen were absent, he looked around and then up, and saw them lying together on the mountain. ‘Finally!’ he murmured.

The others gradually awoke and got up. By then, Niome and Tharguen had returned. Meysah just couldn’t keep himself from teasing them a little.

‘Well, you sure look rested,’ he said to Niome in an exaggerated tone. ‘Did you sleep well?’

‘Yeah, I did,’ she replied.

‘Uh-huh, I’m sure you did.’ Meysah laughed. Then he lifted an eyebrow at Tharguen and wandered away.

‘Is he feeling okay?’ asked Tharguen.

‘It’s Meysah,’ said Niome, laughing and nodding. ‘He’s always like that.’

The Kikies had set up breakfast. Though it was their custom to be helpful, the Telorians felt like they were being unduly pampered.

‘Well, you are such special Telorians, we feel you deserve to be treated like royalty,’ said Phynd. ‘I have spent many days with the Kiki king in his abode and his hospitality was always comforting and pleasant.’ He glanced at Celor and they seemed to share a telepathic joke of some sort, because they smiled. Still smiling, Phynd turned back to Niome.

‘Perhaps we will become royalty,’ said Niome.

‘And how would you know?’ said Jimmy. ‘It’s one thing to dream; it’s another to see into the future. But if you ask me, it has a very nice ring to it: Jimmesh Hochka, Royal Knight.’ They all laughed.

They finished breakfast while fantasising about their royal futures, and explaining to the Kikies that there had not been a king or queen in Teloria in a long time. The Kikies said that they had a king or queen who ruled alone, with the counsel of many wise Kikies from the ruler’s family. ‘They all work together as equals,’ Phynd said, ‘even though our king is very well served. He can even live his life as a commoner, only making political decisions on behalf of his people every now and then. What determines who becomes the queen or king is their power in magic and telepathy.’

After breakfast, as they were packing up, Boreth went to see Vigh. ‘Niome’s strength has returned quickly and she’s even stronger than before.’

‘Yes, of course,’ said Vigh.

‘You truly believe she’s the One?’ said Boreth.

‘Yes, don’t you?’

‘Oh, yes! At least I hope she is. It’s just that we might be jumping to conclusions. And we don’t know if she’s completely cured from the curse. The prophecy books also speak of—’

‘Yes, I know,’ said Vigh.

‘Until all has come true, we cannot say for sure.’

‘I know,’ said Vigh. ‘And we mustn’t expect too much of her at this point. But let’s not worry about that. Time is all we need now. Let’s wait and see if what is prophesied will come to be.’

They joined the others. ‘I hope everyone is well rested,’ said Vigh. ‘We have many long days ahead of us.’

They set off. At midday they had to pack away their cloaks, it was so hot. That night was also very warm. They only rested a short while, for they didn’t want to risk the Morkans catching up to them.

The next day was another hot day. The Telorians loved the weather. However the Kikies, who came from a country with seasons varying from hot and humid to cool and breezy, were not used to such dry heat.

‘We can no longer continue like this,’ said Mië.

Tithil agreed. ‘I feel like I’m going to melt.’

‘Or burn to a crisp,’ Forthil added.

Phynd explained. ‘We don’t know how to survive in such weather.’

‘But there isn’t anything we can do about it,’ said Niome.

‘Of course not,’ said Phynd. ‘But we can shrink. We will all need to be put in a jar together and kept in the shade.’

‘I have extra room in my bag,’ said Jimmy, ‘but you’re still going to cook.’

‘Oh, no.’ Phynd laughed. ‘We brought a special glass jar from home. Our jars are permanently cool, unless put in the sun. In a dark bag, even a hot bag, we shall stay cool. Bahvley knows about it.’ Bahvley nodded. ‘However, if you need our help, just let us know.’

‘No problem!’ said Niome.

‘Excellent,’ said Phynd.

He took a sparkling glass jar from his pack and opened it. He handed it to Jimmy, who held it as all of the Kikies shrank and flew into it. Jimmy closed the jar and placed it in his bag. ‘Well, I hope they’ll be comfortable,’ he said.

* * *

Two weeks passed and there was no sign of trouble. The mountain track had become rougher and the Telorians had to watch out for falling rocks.

‘I hope no Morkans have followed our trail,’ said Meysah, looking back at the path behind them.

‘If they have, what are we to do?’ asked Jimmy.

‘Why the sudden worry?’ asked Boreth.

‘I don’t know,’ replied Jimmy.

‘It’s because they have been following us,’ said Niome. ‘They’re very far behind, but they’re there. But I sense that there are dragons nearby, and the dragons will take care of things. I’m sure of it.’

‘How would you know?’ asked Meysah.

‘Well, I don’t know,’ Niome admitted. ‘It’s just logical reasoning. They don’t like the Morkans and they seem to have been helping us so far.’

‘Don’t question her abilities,’ whispered Vigh. ‘Same as you don’t question your instincts or inspiration. Never ask why.’ Meysah nodded.

Niome looked up into the sky as a roar reverberated from the mountains around them. A dragon flew overhead, wings beating rapidly. It landed farther down the mountain from them and walked ponderously along the trail.

Meysah gaped at it and then at Niome, then back to the dragon. ‘I-I-I don’t understand.’

‘It’s simple,’ said Jimmy. ‘As Niome said, the dragon is blocking the path against the Morkans.’

‘There must be more to it than that,’ said Meysah.

‘It’s basic reasoning,’ said Jimmy.

Meysah still stood staring. The others had continued up the path and Meysah and Jimmy were the last in line.

‘Come on!’ Jimmy grabbed his arm and dragged him along as he trotted to catch up to the others.

Then Jimmy suddenly stopped, eyes wide, as he realised something. He quickly opened his bag and took out the Kiki jar and opened it. One of them flew out and grew into its normal size. It was Phynd.

‘What is it?’ asked the Kiki.

‘Do you Kikies need anything?’ asked Jimmy.

‘No. We eat and sleep and socialise amongst ourselves. All we need is a weekly update, remember?’

‘Yes, well,’ said Jimmy, ‘I might have forgotten to give you an update last week. Sorry.’

‘Oh, that’s all right,’ said Phynd. ‘Time passes differently for us. We thought only a few days had gone by. Do not worry about it.’

‘Jimmy!’ shouted Meysah. ‘Are you coming?’

‘Yes!’ Jimmy replied. He and Phynd started walking. ‘So two weeks have gone by,’ he said, ‘and not much has happened. A dragon just passed overhead and landed down on the trail behind us.’

‘Is that all?’ asked Phynd.

‘I believe so,’ said Jimmy.

‘All right. I shall see you in a while.’ Phynd shrank and flew back into the jar.

These are complicated beings, Jimmy thought as he replaced the lid and put the jar back in his bag.

The team navigated the rocky path, sometimes having to wait as rolling pebbles became a tumbling cascade of rocks. Other times, they deviated from the path to avoid boulders. Ten more days passed this way, until they came to a fork in the trail.

‘We have to make a decision now,’ said Vigh. ‘We have to decide which way is best for our safety. To our right we have the plain. It may take us too close to the Morkan caves or to the Morkans themselves. On the other hand, it brings us closer to the Dalvarans. Straight ahead, the path climbs steeply. We stay close to the mountain, safe and away from Morkans, but in danger from falling rocks with nowhere to shelter from them. But that route keeps us watched over by the dragons. What does the majority choose?’

‘I certainly prefer the field,’ said Meysah. ‘I’d rather fight my way through than be crushed at the start.’

‘Me too,’ said Boreth.

‘I prefer the path,’ said Tharguen. ‘No more Morkans for me, not for now at least.’

‘I say tumbling rocks are far less dangerous than armies of Morkans,’ said Jimmy.

‘I just have a bad feeling about the mountain,’ said Vigh. ‘Something tells me awful things will come of it.’

‘Far worse things may come from the Morkans,’ said Bahvley. ‘Falling rocks are a little more predictable.’

There was a long pause.

‘Niome,’ said Vigh, ‘so far it’s tied. Your opinion will decide the road we take.’

‘I choose not according to my personal opinion, but by what is best for all of us,’ said Niome. ‘What must happen will happen and we may have the power to change the outcome of it, but we cannot change the outcome of what none of us know of. It is not safe anywhere, but’ —she looked at Vigh here— ‘some of us are due to learn some magical lessons and avoiding them will not help any of us. Another opportunity for such a thing may arise again, but not as easily and perhaps more dangerously. We will deal with whatever lies ahead of us on the mountain.’

Vigh went to see Niome as the others stared up the steep slope. ‘I don’t understand—’

‘You will later,’ she replied.

Niome started up the path. Vigh and the others followed more or less reluctantly.

So far they had been very lucky, but that night an earthquake struck. It began gently, like the rumble of thunder, but then the ground began to vibrate.

‘You want to bet this is Mirauk’s doing?’ Meysah said to Jimmy.

‘No,’ replied Jimmy bluntly. ‘I know it is.’

Vigh turned to Niome. ‘I knew something like this would happen!’

‘So did I,’ said Niome. ‘Somehow I know all that will happen tonight. But you must trust fate.’

‘Trust fate, yes, but if you knew of this, then you could’ve changed it.’

‘Changed it by jumping into far worse dangers? Or changed it by dealing with it and not letting it happen?’

Vigh hesitated for a beat, then blurted in sudden understanding, ‘You can see into the future!’

‘Now that I’ve told you that something will happen, you can change it—and only you.’

‘How? And what will happen?’

‘Look out!’ shouted Tharguen.

A great boulder came crashing down as Tharguen and Bahvley jumped to grab Niome and Vigh. Many boulders followed with a roar and a rattle of pebbly dust. Niome and Tharguen fell to the side. When the dust had settled, everyone was safe and unhurt, except for Vigh and Bahvley—they were nowhere in sight.

‘Quick!’ cried Meysah. ‘We have to do something!’ He ran to the pile of rocks and started kicking and pulling at them, trying to move them.

‘There’s nothing we can do, Meysah,’ said Niome. ‘It’s not up to us to—’

‘But our brother is in there, or under there, and so is my master!’

‘Meysah!’ said Niome. ‘This is something that they must go through. This is a test.’

‘A test!?’ repeated Boreth.

‘How unlucky this is!’ said Tharguen.

‘Luck has nothing to do with this,’ said Niome. ‘It almost never does.’

‘I don’t understand,’ said Jimmy.

‘Luck rarely interferes with the way things happen in life. It is a word we use too often and take too lightly, not knowing the true meaning of it,’ said Niome.

‘And what is the true meaning of it?’ Meysah said through his teeth.

‘It is not explained but understood,’ Niome replied calmly. ‘In time you will understand, but you will never be able to explain it.’

‘What shall we do, then?’ said Boreth before Meysah could argue.

‘Nothing,’ said Niome. ‘There’s no point in worrying, so let’s sit and wait and . . .’ Niome sighed. Tharguen gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

‘All right then,’ said Boreth. ‘You know best, so we shall wait.’

They waited most of the night. Some of them slept; others could not find rest. Niome started to wonder if she had made a mistake, when only she and Boreth were awake.

‘Maybe Vigh was right,’ said Niome. ‘Maybe I could have changed the course of this event. Who knows how long they’ll be in there.’

‘You have a gift, Niome,’ said Boreth. ‘Do not doubt it. Often the initial impulse or feeling is the right one. You have received a new blessing. It is new to you. It is new to us all. In time you will learn to use it well.’

‘You’re right,’ said Niome.

‘I have also noticed that you are growing very wise.’

‘I am not yet used to that, either,’ said Niome.

‘In due time,’ said Boreth. ‘I now counsel you to rest. Wizards need sleep. I shall keep the watch. Sleep, like all the others. You should clear your mind. Maybe meditate as you fall asleep.’

Niome nodded. Then she lay down next to Tharguen and went to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Sixteen:

Regrettable News

 

Vigh lifted himself off the ground in the pitch-blackness. At first he thought it was night, but there were no stars in the sky. He walked forward, hands out, and felt a wall. He walked along it, hand tracing the rocks, all around a small space. He didn’t know how long he had been unconscious. He also thought he was alone. He found his bag and pulled the light-cube out of it. It lit up the tiny area, confirming that it was surrounded on all sides by rocks. Vigh saw Bahvley in a corner. He was lying on his back, one leg stuck under the rocks.

Vigh went to him and tapped his face. ‘Bahvley!’ he said.

‘My leg is stuck,’ Bahvley said faintly. His eyes were still closed. He slowly opened them.

‘Let me help you sit up,’ said Vigh. He placed one hand under Bahvley’s back and took hold of one hand. ‘Come on.’ He propped him up and Bahvley turned at the waist to lean back as best he could. ‘How are you doing?’

‘My head hurts like it’s never hurt before,’ replied Bahvley.

‘What about your leg?’ asked Vigh.

‘It feels numb, but I don’t think it’s been crushed or broken because it doesn’t hurt that much. It could be stuck in the space between two rocks and not directly under one.’

‘Well, at least you can feel it.’ Vigh wiped his forehead with his hand, thinking it was dripping with sweat, but he felt a gash on his forehead and his hand came away covered in blood. Retrieving the Firlanian herbs, he took some for himself and gave some to Bahvley. Then he rose and started pushing and pulling on the rocks to try to move them. Nothing helped.

‘Hey!’ he yelled. ‘Can anyone hear me?’

‘I can,’ Bahvley said matter-of-factly.

‘Well, at least you’re not dying. You have the same sense of humour as Meysah.’

‘Normal. It runs in the family.’

‘Niome is more serious, though.’

‘Oh, that’s just because she’s preoccupied,’ said Bahvley. ‘Wait till we get home; you’ll see the three of us joking around. We must have been quite a bunch as children. I don’t know how our parents put up with us.’

‘Home is so far from here, yet it feels like we’ve been out here for far less time than we actually have,’ said Vigh.

‘Normally it’s the opposite,’ said Bahvley. ‘But I can’t judge, I’ve been away from home longer. Teloria.’ He sighed. ‘We should get out of here before we suffocate.’

‘Yes,’ said Vigh. ‘I don’t think they can hear me on the other side. Before we get out, let me free your leg.’

‘How?’ asked Bahvley.

‘I’ll try to lift the rock for a brief moment, and you’ll pull out. At three. One. Two. Three.’ Vigh heaved and pushed, but the rocks did not budge. He only hurt his hands.

‘It’s not working,’ said Bahvley.

‘I have an idea,’ said Vigh.

He took out his sword and his shield. He squeezed his sword in between the two rocks to create a small space, then he slipped the edge of his shield, face-down, into the gap.

‘You’re going to break your shield!’ said Bahvley.

‘Oh, no, not this shield. This is a special Firlanian shield, made from the third layer of the bark of their trees, if I recall correctly. It doesn’t break, nor does it get scratched or burned.’

Vigh pulled his sword out from under the rocks. ‘I’m going to jump on my shield now,’ said Vigh. ‘If all goes well, it should lift the rock enough for you to get your foot out. You’ve got to be fast, though.’ Bahvley smiled and nodded. ‘One. Two. Three.’

Vigh jumped on the opposite edge, the other side popped up, and Bahvley