Between Darkness and Light Trilogy (49 page)

“What did she mean by that? I swear, if you
tamper with Croi'Solas again…”

“If I what? I've never tampered with
Croi'Solas – I wouldn’t even know how!”

“What do you call making the Spire darken
and rain fall over all of Lumina?”

“When did that happen?”

The Emperor may not like her, but he knows
truth when it is spoken in such an unguarded manner. Exceedingly
grudgingly, he replies, “Perhaps it was not intentional.” The look
Shi'ahn gives him is proof that indeed she has no idea what he is
talking about.

He waves his hand toward the balcony where
he had told me to stand and we take up our positions. Emperor
Augustus watches the battle with hawk’s eyes, and I watch through
the crystal Cailli had reduced to a ring. When the Emperor deems it
appropriate, the land changes to aid our forces. Mountains appear
or disappear, bogs form and dissipate, intense Spirelight strikes
creatures susceptible to such. Croi'Solas draws upon my Spire link
when he performs difficult tasks with it, yet he still seems
regularly on the brink of ordering me to leave. I know Cailli wants
me to practice, but I'm afraid if I take any actions, he will send
me away, so the only thing I practice is watching through the
crystal. As an experiment, I combine sending my thoughts through
the crystal with my Harmony sense, and
hear
/see something
unexpected; some of the attacking forces have somehow circled
around and are entering the great forest! I reach out to Fauna's
mind.

~~~

'Fauna! Enemies are entering your
woods!'

'We have not detected anyone nearby, where
are they?'

I share with her the vision as well as I
can.

'That cannot be! That's…'

Her mental touch is suddenly gone. 'Fauna?
FAUNA!' Something is terribly wrong, I can feel it in my heart.
Without explaining my intent to the Emperor, I will myself to her
side. It doesn't work, as though the connection, though still
there, is too weak. I pour everything I have into the effort, and
hear an exasperated voice at my side, “What do you think you're
doing?” The voice fades to nothingness as I'm engulfed in crystal
fragmented light.

I find myself standing so close to Cernunnos
we're almost touching. He does not turn my way, indeed he can't.
Lightening like bolts of power arc from his antlers toward enemy
forces, sometimes incinerating objects that fly through the air at
us. I cast a shield spell, the best I currently wield, one as
similar to the shielding around Cailli's prison world as I can
create. It allows Cernunnos' attacks outward, but does not allow
anything to cross over to us. I look at Cernunnos more carefully,
and see he stands protectively over Fauna. An arrow pierces her
eye!

“No!” I can't help my scream as I drop down
next to her. What can I do? A brain injury like that could destroy
her – the arrow must not be jostled in any way. She does not
breathe, her heart no longer beats, but I
hear
that her soul
is still present – though her body's hold upon it is weak. Wielding
everything I know of the human body, and my ability to use Harmony
to control the physical world, I
will
her heart to begin
beating again,
will
the blood to flow through her veins and
air to fill her lungs. I take her head gently in my hands and
increase my draw upon the powers of order, pouring strength into
her and stopping the increasing damage to her brain. The arrow is
poisonous, though, it simply must come out. I thank the Shir I
studied the brain so extensively on Shiral – I begin to rebuild it
with Harmony as I slowly, ever so carefully draw the arrow out. I’m
careful to keep my Order infused hands cradling her head, directing
all I can of it's healing power into her. I've lost one friend
recently, I have no intention of losing another so soon. I sense my
shield eventually fail – I have not been maintaining it, and I
can't spare any attention for another. An extraordinary voice
whispers in my mind, like every living thing in the forest raising
it's voice to speak,

'I'll protect us, you bring back my
daughter.'

I renew my efforts, ever so carefully easing
out the accursed arrow while repairing all the damage I can. The
arrow finally falls to the ground, but the poison it held is still
within her, attacking cells with frightening speed. She has lost a
lot of blood and her immune system is too weakened to fight back. I
concentrate on her blood, on the damaged cells and notice something
I should have noticed long ago. She is not entirely… well… fauna.
She has more of the forest about her than I had realized. I don't
know how to clean the poison from her rather unusual blood, there
is only one thing I can think to do. I slit one of her wrists, then
one of mine, hold them together and
will
my blood into her
veins, infusing her with my strength and with the nutrients my
blood carries. When it reaches her heart it becomes stronger, I
increase her heart rate to spread my blood throughout her body as
fast as possible. She begins to glow gently, and the poisons within
her are eradicated. The damaged cells heal at an amazing rate, but
she does not awaken.

“She needs more help than I can give
her.”

'Go, we will prevail in this fight.'

I look up and can't believe what I see – the
attackers are themselves attacked, by the forest itself! I raise my
head up and yell out for the only person I can trust with this.

“Cailli!”

Immediately I'm returned to the observation
balcony and Fauna is taken from my arms. All goes dark.

***

The Emperor catches Fauna out of Shi'ahn's
arms before she hits the floor. Not sparing her a single glance, he
looks to Cailliach as she catches Shi'ahn, “What's going on
here?”

Cailli pauses, assessing the body in the
Emperor's arms. “Fauna has been severely, I would say even fatally
wounded. Shi'ahn appears to have healed her and given her a blood
transfusion. The effect is fading, but it is definitely Shi'ahn's
blood coursing throughout Fauna. Once the coma is broken, she
should be fine – better than before; but Shi'ahn is the one in need
now; she gave too much.”

Lumina cannot afford to have her Avatar
depleted just now, Cailli increases the speed at which she and both
her patients exist, and takes them to her tower. To save time with
Shi'ahn she uses Harmony to increase her blood supply to proper
levels. Fauna merely needs to be awakened from her coma – an easy
task for the Cailliach. Then she gives them a moment alone
together. Fauna sits up before Shi'ahn regains consciousness, and
goes to her side.

***

“
Shi'ahn? Are you
alright?”

I hear my name. It takes unusual effort to
force my eyes open, then my heart floods with joy. “Fauna!” I
launch myself up into her arms. “I'm so glad you're better, I was
so worried!” My mind floods with the thought of losing another
friend so soon after Celeste: devastation.

She sounds surprised, “I'm fine, Shi'ahn,
but I wasn't, was I?” She pulls back and looks deeply into my
eyes.

“No, we nearly lost you.”

“I died, don't deny it. I watched you heal
me as the battle raged around you, watched as you gave me your
blood, I heard you cry out for help when you could not wake me. It
was as if I stood over you, an impartial bystander.”

“I sensed your soul had not yet passed on.
Are you truly all right – did I get everything right? I've never
worked so extensively on restoration before, and, well, you weren't
quite what I had expected.”

She smiles; her laughter like light rain.
“You did very well indeed, my friend.” Her expression sobers, “And
you are right, I am not quite what I appear. You see, how to
explain? Well, Fauna is not my full name. I'm Faunlora, I am both
fauna and flora.”

“But how?”

Cailli interrupts our conversation. “Fauna,
I need to get Shi'ahn back to the Emperor. You two can catch up on
the finer details later.” She hands each of us pouches that smell
wonderful. “Here, start eating, both of you, you need
nourishment.”

Light fills my mind, and I find myself once
again with the Emperor.

He starts in immediately, “What's going on
here? Just moments ago you were unconscious.”

I answer him between mouthfuls; I'm
incredibly hungry. “You know Cailli, she does things in her own
time. The important thing is Fauna is fine.”

“What did you think you were doing, giving
her your blood?”

“I didn't know what else to do! The arrow
that had pierced her eye was poisoned by something I've never
encountered before – It would have killed her, and soon. I did the
only thing I could think of, and it worked.” I wish he'd quit
asking questions. I suspect Fauna would prefer that I don't go into
much detail, perhaps he is susceptible to redirection? “How goes
the battle?”

“Not very well. You were gone for hours, you
know. It would ordinarily be night now, but Cailliach has
apparently suspended the 'night' shielding. The lack of your
presence has disheartened the troops. You should not have left,
Shi'ahn.”

“This from the man who has constantly been
on the verge of ordering me away?” I exhale disgustedly, “I was not
about to allow another friend to die, not while there was any
chance I could do something about it.” I don't bother to hide the
accusation in my eyes.

Cailli appears between us and silently gazes
at the Emperor. They exchange no words, and yet it seems as though
a lifetime of meaning passes between them.

Emperor Augustus breaks the silence. “The
time has finally come, hasn’t it, old woman?”

“It has, Augustus, it has. Time for you to
remind everyone of what a splendid warrior you truly are.” She
reaches out then and touches his arm, and a look of… peaceful
enlightenment spreads across his face.

“Yes, I see that you are right, what Lumina
most needs from me is inspiring leadership, a blaze of glory…”

He turns to me, “Shi'ahn, what the people
need is hope, a physical reminder of what we truly fight for. You
are uniquely qualified to provide them that. Do not worry about
angering me, stand proudly on this balcony where most can see you,
and give them the confidence they so need. Always remember that the
people take strength from us, from our presence and our actions. If
we fail them, the entire realm will fall.” He smiles then, in a
warm, accepting way that he has never shared with me before; then
he takes off his crown. “When you see ways that altering our realm
would aid in the fight, focus your thoughts through Croi'Solas and
will
those changes into reality. Here, try it.” He takes my
hand and places it on the crystal. “Do you see the rocky
outcropping over there?” He lowers his head near mine as he points;
I see it. “Make it a copse of brambles.” Rock to brambles? I don't
know the proper
harmony
here for that, but I'm not supposed
to use Harmony now. I feel his mind guiding me, we mentally touch
the crystal together and I sense a flash much like when he touched
it to my forehead after I gave him my oath. “Think of brambles,
Shi’ahn, form the image in your mind and tell the gem it is your
wish.”

Concentrating on brambles, I send a thought
to Croi'Solas, 'Please?' It transforms!

“Good, you learn quickly. I name you
temporary Guardian of Croi'Solas, the heart of our Realm of Light.
I charge you now, protect Lumina to the best of your abilities.” I
can only nod in shocked acceptance. He places the crown on a small
table and informs the guards of my new duties, adding 'until
further notice', then leaves to join in the battle himself. Cailli
nods in satisfaction and also takes her leave.

In a short while I am joined by Lucian.

“What are you doing here, Lucian?”

“The Emperor sent me of course.”

“And what are your orders this time, stab me
when I least expect it?”

“Hardly. I am to guard you and protect you
from any and all dangers.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?”

“I do, for it is the truth. He has made you
the Guardian of Croi'Solas – if you were to come to harm, the
crystal could be lost. Your safety is now paramount, at least,
until the Emperor reclaims her. Until that time comes you can trust
me implicitly.”

“Ha! I'll never trust-”

Lucian's eyes widen and he dives toward me,
carrying me to the floor. Fire and other powers that remind me
strongly of Chaos explode around us; he casts an extremely powerful
shield. When the fires die out, Lucian gets up. “Stay down!” He
casts a permanent shield around the observation balcony. There had
been one before, a technological one, but someone managed to breach
it. “It should be safe now.” He holds a hand out for me, but I
refuse it and get up on my own. Much of the room has been destroyed
– only the structure itself and the crown remain unscathed. He
continues, “I suggest that you return your concentration to the
battle and keep it there. Step as far forward as possible at first,
so the people can see that you remain unharmed.”

I do so, and what I see is astounding. The
battle has paused as nearly all have turned toward us. I don't know
why, but I levitate myself up to be more visible, and raise my arms
slightly out to my sides. Lucian levitates the crown a couple of
feet above my head, and our forces below shout out
victoriously.

When I return to the floor I turn to Lucian,
and see the crown float back down to its table. “Why did you do
that?”

He smiles, “Look.”

I turn back to the battle, and see our
forces fighting with astoundingly renewed strength.

“You showed our people that even with our
defenses breached, our enemies cannot harm our most sacred relics.
Please, turn back to the battle and do whatever you can in our aid.
I swear I will protect you from any threat you miss.”