Chapter 25
They took a break outside the thick of the Sleeping Forest. Shen wanted to keep walking, but he waited as his people took care of toiletries and had a light meal. He stood looking towards the direction of Midelay, TL beside him. It was dark. There was no hint of lights or any advanced guards present. He ‘saw’ his people and a few trees and again saw the world as a stage set. There was a stirring of light that resulted in the world image faltering, in favor of something more solidly physical. Jerica arrived in a Spirit Body that solidified like smoke trapped in a container. She immediately hugged on Shen.
“Forgive my selfishness,” Jerica said. “I am torn.”
“You are in two places,” Shen said. “Literally and metaphorically.”
“Don’t make me think,” Jerica said. “Just hold me.”
As he held her, his other sight returned and they were no longer the only ones in the world. Arne was there. Several Valkyries. Jerica came off him to acknowledge them.
“Sister,” Arne said.
“I will not impede progress,” Jerica said.
“Your light is welcome,” Imly said. “You could be one of us.”
“Maybe one day I will have such wings, but for now, I am content with walking,” Jerica said.
They arrived at Midelay. The majority of the party held back. Imly, Jerica, TL, and Shen continued forwards. They made it to the circle unchallenged. The guard at the circle seemed surprised, but not by them having snuck up on them. Candace was there, in the circle, waiting. It became clear that others were there in the shadows; they had been ready for an attack. Éliane and Talatu were visibly present; Shen overheard Éliane asking ‘how does she always know?’ Shen also recognized Tulia.
“Candace,” Shen said.
“Brother,” Candace said.
“Am I?” Shen asked.
“You expect to attack us with this small group?” Tulia asked.
“May I speak with N’Ma?” Shen asked.
“No,” Tulia said.
“I have a right to address the holder of the Light,” Shen said.
“You have no rights and you are addressing…” Tulia began.
Tulia stopped speaking when Candace flexed her hand, signaling enough. “You are not aware, she is no long among the living?” Candace asked. “I hold the Light here.”
TL put her hand on the back of Shen’s neck. He turned into her and he cried on her shoulder. She embraced him. Imly chewed on her lip. She had heard that Shen was prone to showing emotions, but had not seen anything. Jerica maintained her eye contact with Candace.
“What kind of seer doesn’t know when someone dies?” Tulia asked.
Boa arrived, Arne beside her. A few Valkyries were with her.
“The area is secure,” Boa said.
Shen came off of TL, wiped his face, and held her hand. “You’re violating protocol…”
“We are at war,” Tulia snapped.
“You lost,” Shen said.
The sky became blue. The forest moved. There were suddenly more people present than could be counted for. N’Ma arrived at the circle. She appeared as if she were in her twenties.
“Why are you crying, son?” she asked Shen.
Shen hugged her. She accepted, comforted him, and then turned him around. A lot of eyes were wide. Tulia was fierce looking, but contained. She pointed at N’Ma.
“You no longer speak for the living,” Tulia said.
“Shen, speaks for us,” N’Ma said.
“You have a message for us?” Candace asked.
“I request safe passage to Sinter,” Shen said.
“You’re insane,” Tulia said.
“To do what?” Candace asked.
“I don’t know,” Shen said.
There was a noise from the crowd and everyone looked up. A hot air balloon was descending, too quickly. Tell and Neva were the first out of the basket, to stabilize the balloon, stopping its bouncing drag across the ground. They recruited Midelay guards to weigh down the basket. Lanore was the next out of the basket. Tama last out of the basket. The two of them approached, dusted with freshly fallen snowflakes- suggestive of having passed through clouds. They offered their gestures, their hands trembling, and entered the circle. Tama hugged her brother and cried on his shoulder.
“A lot of tears tonight,” someone commented.
“A family reunion,” N’Ma said. “I did not see you in this.”
“I am sorry, I am late for the ceremony,” Lanore said.
“Until today, the mountains here were impassible,” N’Ma said.
“Mother,” Candace said.
“C’Ma,” mother said, bowing respectfully.
“What are you doing here, with these two?” Tulia asked.
“They are accepted. They have been apprentice to me and had the doors to return not been closed, they would have been raised by now,” Lanore said.
“Why are you here now?” Candace ask. “At no small risk to your Light.”
“I am here to escort my son to Sinter,” Lanore said.
“He will never…” Tulia began.
“We will go, or Sinter will fall,” Lanore said.
Tulia was going to say something but Candace ceased it with a wave of her hand.
“That explains your presence, maybe your apprentices, but not Tama.”
“Don’t go,” Tama said, directly to Shen. “You will die.”
“And that explains Tama’s presence,” Candace said.
“Shen will never set foot in Sinter,” Tulia said.
“I claim the right to have him tried for crimes against humanity,” Lanore said. “He is a necromancer. He is a male and he practices the craft. It is my right as a mother and the matriarch of the community of his origin to see him stand trial there.”
Tulia swallowed. Candace came forwards.
“Mother,” Candace said.
“Shen, they will kill you,” Tama said. “You will suffer before you do.”
Shen nodded. He understood. He didn’t speak.
“Do we have a say in this?” Jerica asked.
“Your presence would likely only expedite the outcome,” Tell said.
“Would they be harmed?” Shen asked.
“No. They would be compelled to speak,” Candace said.
“We go where he goes,” Jerica said.
“I have the authority to grant him passage, given the circumstances and allegations,” Candace said.
“You have the right to ban him,” Éliane said. “Surely that’s preferable.”
“He was banned, now we’re at war,” Talatu said. “There has not been war inside the walls of the Great Ridge since the fall.”
“You dying isn’t going to end the war,” Tama said.
“It will end the war,” N’Ma said. “If he goes to Sinter peacefully, his people will be allowed to remain, peacefully.”
“You don’t know that,” Tama said.
“Child, I have been at this game longer than you,” N’Ma said. “You have not
learned to see past your own fears, or you would have already been raised to Priestess.”
Candace looked to her brother. “What do you want?”
“Now you ask?” Shen asked.
“Stop being stupid,” Candace said. “What do you want?”
“I want to end this war. I want people to have a greater voice in pursuing their self-interest,” Shen said.
“I will not allow you to pass,” Tulia said. She removed a weapon. “If you want to be dead, I will accommodate you here and now.”
She took one step forwards. Candace’s staff began illuminating. An arrow from the dark pierced Tulia’s forehead, dropping her. Her spirit fluoresced, coming up like a swarm of fireflies that illuminated in patterns that painted her form. They were dispersed when they were all called away to their respective trees. More than one staff came to light. There was sudden realization that Boa had only captured a small group, not everyone. The darkness descended and the blue light vanished. The ghosts were gone. All the potential combatants fell to the ground, unconscious. Those in or on the circle remained standing. The forest could sleep anyone at any time- that was the message.
“Like before,” Talatu said.
“I didn’t do this,” Shen said.
“We are war. The trees have sided with Shen. The circle of truce is being enforced,” Tama said.
“Circle truce was violated,” Boa said. “Tulia was killed.”
“She threatened someone in my charge with aggression,” Imly said. “She belongs to the Forest, the trees called her back.”
“I was going stop her,” Candace said.
“I don’t know you. You have refused all civil discourse, hence the war,” Imly said.
“They were functioning under my order to protect me, this violation is on me,” Shen said.
“No it’s not,” Arne said.
“Candace. You saw what happened the last time I went to war. How many men died?” Shen asked.
“You have been charged with use of magic, with necromancy, and for violating the Covenant of the circle,” Candace said. “Éliane, Talatu, and Boa- you will hold him bond and escort him to Sinter. L’Ma, you will carry the weight of the charge, and accompany this group. Your apprentices may go. Tama will remain with me.”
“I want to go,” Tama said.
“No,” Candace said.
“We go with him,” Jerica said.
“No,” Candace said.
“He has the right to be accompanied by friends, and family,” TL reminded her. “We are that.”
“You want to watch him being tortured, executed?” Lanore asked.
“We love him,” TL said. “He will not travel alone.”
“They will not impede the progress, or violate law,” Shen said.
“It is reasonable,” Lanore said. “I will keep them in my Light and bring them back at resolution.” Arne moved to gather with his friends. “Not you.”
“I go with my friend,” Arne said.
“No,” Candace said. “That is final.”
“We will walk with him,” TL said. “Jerica and Imly.”
“And I will walk with them, too,” Tama said.
“You’re not going to Sinter,” Candace and Lanore both said.
“We accept Tama as part of our entourage,” TL said.
“No we don’t,” Jerica said.
“Yes, we do,” Imly said.
“We don’t have consensus,” Imly said.
“We’re not going to have consensus as long as my mother is here,” Tama said.
“Who will stand for my brother? I am a Master. Maybe I didn’t do all the ceremonies, but I have been accepted, and I know my brother. I should be allowed to speak.”
“I know my brother, too. I will speak for him,” Arne said.
“Neither of you will go,” Candace said, to Tama and Arne.
“You have no voice there, Arne” Tama said. “I do.”
“Arne,” Shen said. “Remain here till the others awake, and withdraw back to Shangri-La. That is an order…”
“You can’t order a free man…”
“Exercising a caveat, brother. Today, you are not free. You are in charge of home till I return. That’s it,” Shen said.
Arne pushed past the women and embraced Shen, lifting him off the ground.
There was evidence for the sky growing lighter. “You will be missed.”
“I love you, too,” Shen said.
Arne set him down. He turned to leave the circle and glared at Lanore. She glared back. No words were exchanged. Shen touched Arne’s arm. “She is my mother. You will protect her as you would me. Even after resolution of this.” Arne nodded. And walked on from the circle.
“We accept Tama as Shen’s legal counsel,” TL said.
“I approve,” Candace said.
“You will both go against me?” Lanore asked.
“There will be light served with this darkness,” Tama said.
Daylight broke over the horizon.
“L’Ma, you are charged with bringing this matter to Sinter, being truthful, being fair,” Candace said.
“I have always…”
“No, you have not,” Candace said. “Go.”
Candace turned and left the circle.