The Fenimeldiyaan: Stolen Time - Chapter 4

Terra and Ilise kept running, though he wasn’t sure what they were running from. The girl kept dragging him along with a surprising amount of endurance for a princess. He suspected that she was used to running for her life.

The two of them came to an abrupt stop, and Terra bumped into her back. Seeing a figure blocking their path, Terra pulled his lance from his back and stepped in front of Ilise. To his surprise, it was a young man, younger than Terra himself. Yet even standing near him felt draining to Terra, like he was standing next to a sorcery ward. “Who are you?” he demanded.

The young man gave a small smile, pushing up the sleeves of his robes. “I am Merlin Emrys. Are you Ilise Lightshield?” he addressed Ilise.

She hid a little bit more behind Terra and chose not to answer. “If you even think about laying a hand on her, I’ll hurt you, child or not,” Terra warned.

Merlin laughed. “Child? Knight, I’m hundreds of years old. And unfortunately, I’ve sworn an oath to protect someone very dear to me. Forgive me.” He unleashed a powerful blast of magic that hit Terra head-on. Normally, such a thing wouldn’t have affected him, but for some reason, it hit and it hurt. He was sent flying backwards and tried to grab Ilise.

He slammed into the wall behind him and hit the ground. “Oww,” he groaned. “I-Ilise, run!”

But the girl didn’t make it two paces. The sorcerer cast an immobilising spell on her and scooped her into his arms. There was an unmistakable look of sadness on his face. “I am sorry,” he whispered before disappearing from sight.

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Once Merlin had delivered his prisoner to Set, he slipped through the halls until he found the mental signature he was searching for. It was in a locked room he had no difficulty bypassing and found a young woman inside, her green curls of hair spread out around the pillow as she slept.

Judging from her aura, she was being continuously drained by Set and kept under a sleeping spell. Merlin was a skilled enough sorcerer to switch the inexperienced Set’s spell to himself before laying his hand on the Chronomage’s forehead. “Wake up,” he told her, reaching in her mind. “I need your help to save my niece!”

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Andreas held the crystal tightly and used his enhanced senses to connect with it.  The message embedded in the crystal was disturbing to say the least.  It mentioned a demon named Set who had been the instigator of the troubles in Vordelle and the neighbouring countries.  Set’s latest plan was to abduct the Lightshield children.  In addition, Merlin made a desperate plea for help in rescuing his niece, Lana-a-Dale, who had also been captured at the behest of Set.  He broke the connection, shook his head and contorted his face in a grimace.

Recognising the look on Andreas’s face, Morgan sighed.  “More bad news?”

“Aye, plenty of it” the Spy Master confirmed.  He went on to relate what he had learned from the embedded message.  “I’d lay odds that this Set be responsible for messing with the time-lines, abducting Leanora’s brother, turning Gerald into stone and most of the other terrible events over the past eighteen years”.

“All in a day’s work, eh?” Gerald joked.  “So what should we do?”

“Tis too much to tackle all at once” Andreas advised.  “At the moment, I be cut off from the Fenian Galaxy, so I don’t have the luxury of calling upon me wife or any other Ascended Masters to help us with the time distortion.  Tis just us until I can find out what be causing the block and get around it.  So let’s stick to the original plan and find yer son”.

Gerald nodded.  “Can’t argue with that.  I suppose ye’ll be telling me next that there be all manner of sorcery wards around the castle to stop us getting in”.

Andreas gave one of his trademark grins.  “There be wards, aye, but as to whether they’ll stop us getting in, we won’t know until we try”.  He turned to Morgan.  “Let’s combine our powers and do a sweep of the castle and its grounds”.

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Gremeldah writhed in agony, trying to eject the unwelcome visitor from her mind.  However, in her severely weakened state, she could do little more than the telepathic equivalent of tickling him. 

After a few minutes, she could feel her energies being renewed and some of her powers returning.  She gave a bitter chuckle.  “Ye must be desperate if ye be coming to me for help with a rescue”.

“Well, I’m sure you’re familiar with the old saying” Merlin projected.  “Desperate times call for desperate measures”.

“Aye, and I’ve never cared for it” she replied.  “Tis one of those things that people say to make themselves sound braver or stronger than they truly be.  Anyways, if ye be wanting me help, ye’ll have to break me outa here first.  In case ye haven’t noticed, I be a prisoner.  Over to ye, gallant rescuer!”

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Leanora looked up at her father, concern in her eyes. “Why would this demon want my brother?” she asked, trying to hide the distinctive trembling of her voice.

  

Gerald squeezed her shoulder. “I know Set. We fought him before, when I first met yer mum,” he said. “Set were easily the most evil of the dark wizards. Whereas the others preferred brute force or torture, he manipulated everyone, including his own dark wizard compatriots. He and Jezebel were the only ones to escape.”

“But what’s that … that got to do with me and Fitz?” she asked. “We’ve got nothing to do with the dark wizards or anything else.”

Morgan squirmed uncomfortably. “I’m not sure why he would want you, Leanora,” he admitted. “But your brother, Fitz, has demons’ blood in him. It would be remarkably easy to transform him into one.”

Gerald’s grip around Leanora’s shoulders increased. “A demon?” he breathed, his free hand going to his throat. The handprint’s fingertip was just visible.

Morgan nodded reluctantly. “Yes. A demon.” He shifted from foot to foot, obviously not pleased with the course of the conversation. “The mark of the demons that is on your father’s neck is also on your brother’s. It has the potential to turn him into one. Also … you remember that Apollo is —” He hesitated. “Gone. He’s gone. And Cora was the other Chosen One of the Lightshield. When she died, the full amount of power went to Apollo. And when he died …”

“It would’ve gone to his children,” Gerald surmised.

Morgan gave him an annoyed look. “Apollo never married. No children. Same for me. When Apollo died, the power went to Daren and Elaine’s two children. Joseph and Ilise Lightshield.”

“Elaine had another child?” Gerald seemed easily side-tracked as he tried to wrap his head around the new world he’d found himself in.

Morgan had little patience for his interruptions. He went to speak when another voice spoke over both of them. “She did.” They all turned to see a young man with curly blond hair standing behind them, a sword at his side, and a girl with raven hair a little behind him. “And who are you two?”

Gerald’s eyes went wide. “Joseph?” he said.

“Joseph,” Morgan confirmed.

The young man eyed them carefully, but the girl spoke. “That crystal,” she said, pointing to the one still in Andreas’s hand. “I’d know that anywhere. A woman gave that to Merlin Emrys a while ago, when …” Her voice trailed off as an invisible force ploughed into her.

A moment later, Olivia Drenlin flickered into sight, apparently invisible before. Her arms were wrapped around the girl’s sides, and she didn’t seem inclined to let go. For her part, the older girl blinked in a confused way. “Queen River?” she said.

“Her daughter.” Morgan relaxed somewhat. “You’re a Drenlin, aren’t you?”

She nodded. “Lizzy Drenlin. Who’re you people?”

“Morgan Shadowbinder,” he said. “Leanora Silvereye, Gerald Hunt, Andreas Cesario, and Olivia Drenlin, River Meer’s daughter.”

It looked like Morgan had slapped her. “River marries a Drenlin?” she said.

“Let’s focus,” Morgan said impatiently. “Joseph, you’re welcome to join us. But where’s your sister?”

Joseph bit his lip hard. “I don’t know. I lost track of her and a knight of Corttann earlier.”

Morgan swore violently. “Set must have taken her prisoner. Alright, Andreas, let’s combine our powers and see what we can see.” They both closed their eyes and silence reigned.

Gerald, watching them, reflected that he still hated when they did that, even though Morgan was eighteen years older. It drove him insane that he couldn’t help. Instead, he kept his hand on Leanora, praying that, wherever Elsa was, that she would still be safe. It didn’t seem like Set would have left her behind if he’d dragged Gerald into the future with him.

Morgan’s eyes flew open. “Daren’s here,” he reported.

“And someone be coming,” Andreas added.

Before any of them could react to that, Lizzy gave a piercing scream as shadows wrapped around her and Olivia, dragging them into the air. Gerald felt the shadowy ropes wrap around himself and Leanora, yanking them both away from the group. Joseph and Morgan were still free, but the shadows seemed to be burning Morgan, and he was unable to break free from them as they swirled around him. They tried to encircle Joseph, but they didn’t seem able to touch him.

From the midst of the shadows, a woman in a black cloak emerged with a sickly smile. Gerald, held helpless above the ground with Leanora’s arms wrapped around him, snarled out the woman’s name. “Jezebel!”

Morgan gave an inhuman growl, flames licking at his fingertips. But the shadows seemed to hold him in a cage, and the fire dissipated. “You monster!” he yelled. “Murderer!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jezebel said innocently, the shadows around her like the legs of a spider. “Oh, wait. Do you mean little Lightbringer’s death? It was far too easy to use the same weapon on him that your parents did on his, you know. Did he die slowly and painfully?” She took in Morgan’s stricken and tear-stained face, and her mouth formed a mock O of horror. “Oh no. Did you kill him to put him out of his misery? How terrible that must have been for you.” She laughed.

Gerald struggled, a cold fury sweeping over him. Morgan had failed to get into the particulars of Apollo’s death. It was no wonder he’d lost his mind after Apollo’s death.

Morgan had killed his cousin himself.

Jezebel evidently lost interest in Morgan and turned her black eyes on Andreas. “I’ve heard so much about you,” she said in an almost-flirtatious voice. “So … I have a question for you. If you’re so wonderful, will you fight me for your friends’ freedom? Or surrender to avoid them from dying?” To prove her point, she wrapped a shadow around Gerald’s neck and gave it a squeeze. He choked and gagged.

“Father!” Leanora cried, squirming desperately to try and free herself.

Jezebel loosened the shadow just a tiny bit. “Surrender or fight, Cesario. Just know that if you fight, the girl’s brother will perish.”

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Merlin smirked at the girl’s sarcasm. Even with Set’s spell sapping his strength instead of the girl’s, he knew how to get her out. The wards were around her, and as a result, when he switched them to himself, they left her.

He still had some energy left. He reached out and laid a hand on the girl’s arm. “I honestly hope that you can help me,” he projected to her. “At the very least, tell the boy you’ll be with what’s going on. He should be able to help. Good luck.” Channelling all his leftover magic, he translocated her beyond the castle and to a particular alleyway. Then, feeling ill from Set’s draining of his powers, he breathed a quick prayer for Lana’s protection and slumped onto the bed, falling asleep.

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Basil nearly jumped out of his skin when a green-haired girl suddenly appeared in the alleyway with him. She looked confused and exhausted. Moving swiftly, the elf jumped gracefully to his feet and grabbed her arm, lowering her gently to the ground. “Easy, there,” he soothed her. “I’m not going to hurt you.” It was obvious that someone had done her harm, magically-speaking. “My name is Basil. I suspect you’ve got some kind of a story to tell, hmm?”

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Andreas directed a hasty glance towards his companions, then bowed low before Jezebel, remaining on his knees for several minutes.  When he stood up again, he looked her straight in the eyes and gave an odd little smile.  “Twould seem that me reputation precedes me.  To a Carpathian, reputation be everything.  It takes a lifetime to build up, yet it can be destroyed in an instant.  Also, we never hesitate to seize any advantage when it be presented to us.  Tis in fact where the name came from.  The ancient word ‘Caarpai’ means ‘to seize or grab hold of’.  In the early days of the Movement, twas used by others as a derogatory term to describe us.  After a while, the families took that insult and adopted it as a term of honour, turning it into something positive”.

He paused and grinned at her.  “So tis me nature to ally meself with the most powerful people, the ones who can be of assistance to me.  Thus, I offer me services to ye and Set as a spy and assassin.  What d’ye say to that?”

In the midst of his lengthy speech to Jezebel, he sent a short telepathic translation to Morgan and Gerald.

Before Jezebel could reply, Morgan launched two fireballs at Andreas, yelling “Turncoat!  How could you do this to us?  What about your promise to Leanora and Gerald?”

Andreas crumpled to the ground, writhing in agony.

Morgan turned to Gerald and Leanora.  “See what I mean?  Trusting someone … relying on someone … always leads to being disappointed and let down”.

He threw more fireballs at Andreas, setting him on fire.  In a matter of minutes, he was reduced to a pile of ash.

Taking advantage of the surprise attack, Joseph slunk away, hoping that no-one would notice him.

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Gremeldah stared at Basil for a few moments before speaking.  “I didn’t come to tell stories.  I were sent here by a sorcerer called Merlin Emrys.  He wants me to rescue his daughter and he says ye’ll be able to help”.

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Leanora cried out when Morgan hurled the fireballs at Andreas, burning the man to ashes. She buried her face in Gerald’s chest, sobbing. He held her, his own heart feeling like it was in his throat. Even though he knew some kind of trick was being played, he wasn’t sure that it had occurred the way Andreas had expected it to. He also didn’t know if Morgan’s fury was part of the “plan”.

Jezebel scowled, her eyes narrowed at Morgan. Without even disturbing the shadows wrapped around her four prisoners, she strode up to Morgan’s cage and leaned closer. “I’m not pleased with you, Shadowbinder,” she said in a low voice. “Not pleased. At all. Although Set may be happy that Cesario is dead, I could have used him to my advantage.”

“By having him kill Set?” Gerald guessed. “Ye dark wizards all be the same! Ye never change! It always be for yerselves in the end.”

Jezebel teasingly squeezed the shadows, cutting off his breath. This time, she gave little indication of wanting to let him go. “Come now, dear. It’s not just us dark wizards that stab each other in the back, hmm? Didn’t you learn anything from your Carpathian friend? Nobody can be trusted. Not your precious Silvereye, not your best friend, nobody. Do you know what happened to you and Elsa, here in the future? Yes, you disappeared without a trace. But you only did so after you murdered your own wife.”

“Lies!” Gerald shouted, squirming again.

“Oh, really?” she said. “You got into a fight. You’d been drinking and she was trying to be logical with you. The argument itself is of little consequence. You had been walking on the docks, preparing to return home to Vordelle from Corttann. Elsa tried to cross you, probably to tell you to stop drinking. And do you know what you did?”

“I didn’t do nothing,” Gerald said. “Ye be lying. Stop trying to make it seem like I were the one who killed her!”

“You need proof, do you?” she said, and one of the shadows pierced Gerald’s forehead.

He saw it clearly from behind himself and Elsa. Elsa was evidently pleading with him, her silver eyes wide with horror and desperation. He could hear her panicked cries. Oddly enough, he heard nothing from himself. Whatever Elsa was saying, though, he couldn’t quite make out.

Future Gerald’s arm lifted and Gerald saw a rock in his hand. His throat constricted as Elsa made no move to avoid it, her eyes on her husband as he smashed the rock into her forehead. She collapsed to the dock, and with obvious disdain, the future Gerald used the toe of his boot to push her into the water.

She slipped beneath the waves and didn’t come back up again.

Gerald jerked free from the shadow in his forehead, sobbing without tears. “It can’t be,” he cried. “It can’t be!”

Jezebel was evidently enjoying his misery. “It is,” she said. “Sorry, dear. But you can’t trust anyone, can you?” Gerald gave no reply, too wrapped up in his own misery. Leanora was staring at him in horror and betrayal, and he hardly noticed. Those images just kept going through his mind. There had to be something wrong with them. Jezebel couldn’t have been telling the truth.

Satisfied that she had broken Gerald, Jezebel turned back to Morgan. “Until Set is ready to see you, little pet, let’s enjoy some dark memories of your own, hmm?” One of her shadows entered his head and his eyes turned black. He started thrashing around, but there was no escaping it. “Enjoy the memory of killing your cousin repeatedly, dear,” she told him.

“Leave them alone!” Lizzy shouted.

She turned to the Corttannian girl, bringing both her and Olivia down to face her. “Bold words, little Drenlin,” Jezebel commented. “But your family is dead as well. Terra killed you when you sided with the Colnians. Jake was murdered by Vordellans along with Queen River. And Kitty died from the grief of losing both of you after your other brother disappeared. How easily families are torn apart.”

Lizzy clenched her fists, but Olivia’s voice appeared in her mind. “Don’t listen to her, Aunt Lizzy. Nothing happened to any of you. You all just vanished a week ago. None of you died, I swear!”

Jezebel scowled at Olivia. “Ruin my fun, hmm?” she snapped. “Fine, then. Time for all of you to go and see Lord Set. Enjoy your stay at Zor.” The shadows covered all of them, and when they dissipated, they had all disappeared.