The Fenimeldiyaan: Stolen Time - Chapter 6

The negotiations with the Micario family had taken longer than expected.  Anwyn had ended up agreeing to tutor the younger children in addition to helping the family expand their business empire and move up from Second Echelon obscurity to challenge for a place in the First Echelon. 

She was looking forward to seeing Andreas again. She sat in her customary cross-legged meditation position outside their tent in the desert encampment and reached out with her crystal senses. 

Usually it was an easy matter to pick up Andreas’s mind signature, due to the strong bond of love which existed between them, but on this occasion, the trail eluded her.  She could find no trace of his emanations whatsoever. 

Breaking out of her trance, she waited a few minutes before trying again.  After four failed attempts to connect with Andreas, she tried Elsa, Morgan and Gerald in turn, again without success.  She could only conclude that something must have gone wrong with the communications pathways between the Fenian Galaxy and Vordelle.

Sighing, she got up and translocated over to the Vyrdsphere, hoping that one of the Elders there would be able to restore the pathways.

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Gremeldah managed a faint smile for Joseph, having picked up on his intense feelings of pain and guilt.  “Seems we both messed up.  I ought to have known better though.  Ye have the excuse of inexperience to fall back on, but I’ve been a Master Chronomage for nearly ten years now.  Still, Lord Basil be right.  We don’t have the luxury of wallowing in self-pity.  We have a duty to do whatever it takes to fix this”.

She stared up at the castle walls, analysing the layers of strong sorcery wards which had been constructed, both outside and within.  However, her concentration was interrupted by a telepathic transmission.

“Greetings, Gremeldah Dowd.  I apologise for the delay but I be here to help.  I be Ghadry Dubhar from the High Council of Chronomages”.

“Never heard of ye” she replied, her crystal bonds tingling with suspicion and distrust.

Ghadry projected the telepathic equivalent of laughter.  “So how many members of the High Council can ye name?”

Gremeldah almost cursed aloud.  The High Council members were remote, shadowy figures who were only known by code-names.  They did not even reveal their given names to each other.  “Alright, ye got me there.  I suppose ye’ve come to slap me wrist and take away me powers for breaching me vow and teaching Set our secrets?”

“Nothing of the sort” Ghadry assured her.  “Like I said, I be here to help.  Due to Set’s manipulations, I can’t manifest in mortal form at the moment, so I’ll need to share yer body for a while”.

“Bit presumptuous for a first date, don’t ye think?”  Gremeldah could not resist a chance to mock the overbearing High Councillor.

He seemed to find this amusing, for he transmitted more laughter.  “I be a happily married family man, me dear.  In fact, I were looking forward to going on vacation with me beloved wife, but I have to deal with this mess first.  Twill be easier and quicker if ye let me into yer mind, so I can catch up while ye carry on with yer inspection of the castle.  I’d advise keeping me to yerself, for I doubt Lord Basil and King Joseph would understand the concept of us two sharing the same body”.

Gremeldah projected a giggle back at him.  “Aye, ye probably be right.  Anyways, I can sense a magic block inside the castle.  D’ye think that might help us get in there if we latched onto the owner’s mind signature and used him as a translocation conduit?”

She could sense him pondering inside her mind.  It felt like an itch deep within her skull that she could never reach.   “Possibly” he replied.  “But twould be wise to defer to Lord Basil.  I know he be awkward.  I’ve dealt with him afore.  Best way to handle him be to let him think that he be in charge.  Ask his opinion at every turn.  Play the dumb female stereotype if ye have to”.

Swallowing her pride, Gremeldah reported her findings to Basil, along with her suggestion for how to breach the sorcery wards.  She grimaced inwardly at her own words.  “So what d’ye think, me Lord?  Does me idea have merit?”

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Basil considered Gremeldah’s suggestion carefully. “I think it would be wisest, yes,” he agreed after a moment. His golden eyes lingered on the Chronomage briefly, giving her a piercing look that made her feel rather uncomfortable. “As long as we can trust the magic block …”

  

“Even if we can’t, we can just knock him on the head and leave him there,” Joseph said. “Quiet and … non-violent.”

“I appreciate non-violent,” Basil agreed. “Shall we then, Lady Gremeldah?”

Hiding her annoyance with the arrogant elf, she grabbed his arm and Joseph’s. The young king looked at her and gave her a shrug before she closed her eyes. She connected with the mind of the magic block and effected the translocation.

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Terra groaned when he felt more sorcery pulling at him. Couldn’t they all just leave him alone? His pain increased when three people appeared next to him suddenly. He doubled over, gasping for breath, and Basil raised his sword to hit him over the head with the pommel.

Joseph took the elf by surprise. He snatched his wrist and forced the weapon down. “Don’t!” he hissed. “It’s Terra Roland!”

“Who?” Basil questioned, not recognizing the name.

“He helped my sister,” Joseph said off-handedly, not really paying attention. He bent over next to the knight, laying his hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Are you alright, Terra?”

“Joseph,” Terra panted. “I didn’t know it was you. I’m sorry, I tried to protect your sister, but a sorcerer attacked us and took her.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Joseph said, though his heart felt like it was being squeezed with pain at the news of his sister’s imprisonment.

Terra shook his head. “I promised to protect you both and failed. Although I’m not really in any sort of state to be of much help, I promise to do everything I can in getting her back.”

“I failed you as well,” Joseph admitted. “I lost track of Lizzy.”

“Instead of standing around, talking, we really ought to be going,” Basil suggested.

Joseph glared at the elf. “Who elected you king?” he demanded. “I am in charge of this expedition. It’s my sister, my castle, and my country at stake. You are simply hre to help me.”

Basil’s slim eyebrows shot up. “Am I now?” was all he said.

Joseph turned to Gremeldah. “Where to?”

Terra held up a hand, straightening somewhat. “There’s … someone here,” he said.

Basil reacted faster than any of them. “Move, Gremeldah!” he shouted, shoving her to the floor. The door behind her slammed open and a man leapt out, brandishing a grey spike. The weapon that would have struck the Chronomage in the back instead took the shorter elf in the chest. He stood there, impaled, staring at their attacker before swinging his blade. Their enemy toppled to the floor, but the damage had been done. Basil’s sword slipped from his numb fingers and clattered to the floor.

“Basil!” Joseph cried in a barely-restrained voice.

The elf examined his hands, which were slowly turning grey. “Fascinating. Similar to a gorgon’s abilities, but slower. And more painful. A pity that the only man who can break this spell is dead,” he commented. “Not that he ever liked me enough to break it.”

“Can’t we do something?” Terra asked.

Joseph shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. “If I knew how, my father wouldn’t be … he wouldn’t be in the same position,” he whispered.

Basil looked at Gremeldah and smiled. “I know you hate me. I know you are hiding something from me, and yet I took a deadly weapon for you. I don’t even know why. I’ve robbed myself of the chance to see my family and my friends again. Perhaps I’m stupid, but … I felt that you deserved a chance at life. Good-bye, Lady Gremeldah.”

With those words, Basil, Councilman of Colnia, turned to stone.

Joseph swallowed back tears. “Wh-what … what do we do now?” he asked Gremeldah. Terra was barely conscious, sweating, his face pale. He was of little use to them in his current state.

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“Merlin. Merlin Emrys, wake up!” The words were delivered by an unfamiliar voice, and Merlin raised his head, his world a daze of pain. The shadows clung to his arms in a vice grip, cutting off the flow of blood. Set was constantly drawing power from him, sending pain shooting through his body. “Merlin Emrys!”

“I’m awake,” Merlin mumbled, fixing his eyes on the tiny pinprick of light zipping around his head. “Who are you?”

“My name is Apollo Lightbringer — or it was. Your niece sent me.”

“Lana!” Merlin forced his head up. “Where is she?”

“In terrible danger. You must listen to me. Almost the entirety of my power is devoted elsewhere, but I would be unable to heal her in my current state even with all my power. You must listen.”

“I am listening,” Merlin insisted.

“There is a way for me to save your niece. But it must be my past self. He — I — am the only one who can heal the poison Set used on Lana. But Set has imprisoned my past self in a time-lock, along with three of the heroes of Colnia, the Queen of Corttann, and my cousin. If you can free them, I will be able to heal Lana.”

“I won’t be saving anyone in my situation,” Merlin snapped, indicating the web of shadows holding him prisoner.

“You must be rescued before you can rescue,” Apollo replied. The light rested on Merlin’s hand briefly, alleviating some of the pain. “Have patience. And do not let Set break you. I must be going. My power is devoted elsewhere.”

“Wait,” Merlin said, curiosity getting the better of him. “Where did you learn to do … that?” He indicated the little light.

Apollo laughed. “Believe it or not, I learned it from a frail little conjurer over eighteen years ago. Have faith, Merlin.” The light disappeared.

Merlin breathed slowly, striving to calm himself. No matter what, he had to do what the light had told him and save Lana.

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Ilise’s face lit up. “My brother,” she said. “Joseph, he’s here!”

Leanora shrugged. “So?”

  

“I have a plan for us to escape now,” Ilise told her. The princess’s smile faded a moment later. “But one of us will have to remain behind, to distract Set.”

“I will,” Fitz said.

“No, you will not,” Leanora said flatly. “Neither myself nor Ilise can carry Lana. You have to go. I’ll distract Set. You two must escape. Don’t question me, some of us must escape.”

Reluctantly, Fitz caved in, though it was with tremendous guilt. “What do we do?” he asked Ilise.

She didn’t respond. Her hands were illuminated with a golden light as she pressed her fingers against Lana’s neck, pouring her magic into her. “Give it five minutes,” the girl said. “Set will be here. I know he will be.”

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“Sanctimonious piece of —” Gremeldah choked back the Virian swearword and glared at the fallen elf, who had completely turned to stone by this time.  “As if I didn’t feel bad enough already!” 

“Ye don’t have time for this!”  Ghadry’s silent rebuke stalled her tirade and snapped her abruptly back to the stark reality of her situation.  “Aye, I agree, he shouldn’t have guilt-tripped ye.  He were wrong to lay that on ye.  Besides, things ain’t as dire as they seem.  The process can be reversed, but that will have to wait.  I’ll fix him later, ye have me word as a member of the High Council.  For now, ye need to find what remains of a healer named Apollo Lightbringer”.

Gremeldah sighed before giving her silent consent for the High Councillor to take over.  She still fumed inwardly about Basil, but felt a slight relief in allowing Ghadry to think for her.  At least if he messed up, the blame would not fall upon her shoulders.

She forced herself to apologise to the bewildered Joseph.  “Tis one thing to play the hero, but he were out of order making me feel guilty over it. I hope ye understand why I feel such anger towards him.  Anyways, we have to move on”.

“Shouldn’t we say a few words to mark his death?” Joseph enquired.

“No need” Gremeldah assured him.  “He ain’t dead, only transformed.  I can do the same to meself, but now ain’t the time for a practical demonstration.  What’s been done to him can be reversed.  No further harm will come by leaving him there.  Set already knows we be here, so we can’t afford to delay.  Our best hope be in finding a healer named Apollo Lightbringer”.

“I thought he was dead” Joseph remarked.  “At least that’s what I heard.  Tortured by Jezebel and finished off by Morgan Shadowbinder”.

Gremeldah went into teacher mode.  “Remember what I told ye earlier about the multiverse?  There be multiple versions of ourselves in parallel universes.  Tis true to say that one version of Apollo Lightbringer were sent to the Beyond, mayhap even more than one.  But we can find another version of him.  I can track his time-line and mind signature.  As we speak, he be trying to heal one of his friends, another victim of Set’s manipulations”.

Joseph had no idea what to say, but his eyes flicked towards Terra, who had slumped to the ground.  “What about him?  We can’t just leave him here.  He’ll be defenceless against any of Set’s minions”.

“Aye, ye be right” Gremeldah acknowledged.  “We’ll have to carry him.  His magic block will make me all twitchy, but I can live with that.  Ye’ll have to be alert to any danger, for I won’t be able to cast spells or use sorcery to defend against any attackers while I be this close to him”.

“I’ll do my best” Joseph vowed, picking up Basil’s sword, which had fortunately not been turned to stone.

They made reasonable progress, considering that they carried an unconscious man between them.  Ghadry silently gave directions, taking them on a convoluted route along corridors, up and down stairs, through deserted courtyards until they came to a row of unadorned rooms constructed from solid stone. 

A bright light streamed from an open doorway.  Joseph had to shield his eyes from its glaring intensity, but Gremeldah seemed unaffected.  “In here” she urged, already stepping across the threshold, tugging Terra with her.

Joseph followed reluctantly, helping the green-haired Chronomage to deposit Terra in the corner nearest the doorway. 

The light source turned out to be a tiny spark hovering in the middle of the room.  Below it, on the floor, lay a man dressed in leather, with what looked like a sword wound in his partially exposed chest.  Blood pooled on the floor beneath him, seeping into the stone. 

“That be the Lightbringer” Gremeldah stated, pointing towards the little spark.  “I have to lend him some of me energy so that he can finish the healing process”.

As she spoke, her eyes glowed with a bright light, similar to that being emitted by the spark.  Another spark flew out of the centre of her forehead, whizzing across the room and merging with the original one.

Belatedly, Joseph recognised the dead man.  “Uncle Gerald!”

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Joseph knelt beside the body of his uncle, feeling tears prick at his eyes. The man looked younger than Joseph remembered him to be, but the similarities were unmistakable. His hands were still bound in front of him, a tear caught in his grizzled face. “H-how can you ‘finish’ the healing process?” the young king asked. “He’s … he’s dead.”

Gremeldah wasn’t listening, Terra was in no condition to answer, and Gerald was dead. Joseph’s question went unanswered, and the bemused king curled his knees to his chest, staring at his dead uncle.

Abruptly, the spark separated and the original light became the tall, still-glowing form of a healer in white robes. He ran a hand through his blond hair, looking exhausted. “Thank you,” he said to the second spark. “It was touch and go for a while there, but he’ll live now.”

“Excuse me,” Joseph said. “But he’s dead.”

The healer turned to him with the smallest hint of a smile. “Is he?” he replied. “Lay your head on his chest and listen.”

Still utterly confused, Joseph bent down and put his ear to Gerald’s chest. Sure enough, he heard a very faint heartbeat inside and sat up. “But he’s not breathing.”

“No,” the healer agreed. “Not yet. I had an interesting idea that he can only accomplish while on death’s door. Otherwise, Set would prevent him.” The healer examined Joseph. “Are you Joseph Lightshield?”

“I am. Are you Apollo Lightbringer?”

“I am,” was the calm response. “Lady Gremeldah,” he said, turning to the Chronomage with a smile. The smile grew a little. “Ghadry.”

“What?” Joseph said.

“Nothing,” Apollo replied. “Now, I’m afraid Gerald will be in much of the same position as Sir Terra when he wakes up, which presents you with the problem of what to do with both of them.”

“There’s always a problem,” Joseph said, frustration eating at him. “Where are the others? Morgan? Leanora?”

Apollo grimaced. “I’m afraid you can’t count on Morgan for help,” he admitted. “He believes he murdered his greatest friend and has succumbed to Jezebel and Set’s torment. For the time being, he remains entirely under their control.”

“Well, where is he?” Joseph asked.

“Protecting the prison of Merlin Emrys,” Apollo said. He looked to Gremeldah. “Well?” he said, and she had the uncomfortable feeling he was looking inside her with his dark blue eyes. Even as a ghost, he had a commanding presence. “Do you have any ideas?”

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Through hazy thoughts, Gerald thought he heard someone speaking to him. Ignoring it, he just wanted to go back into the darkness of painlessness. But the voice forced him to focus. “Gerald Hunt, listen to me!”

“Aye?” he mumbled in his mind.

“You must listen to me. Reach out with your mind, connect with Anwyn Cesario! She needs a pathway to come to Meldin. Only you can avoid the wards Set has placed to prevent any help coming in from the Inner Circle.”

“Then how d’ye expect me to succeed? I don’t got magic.”

The voice was becoming clearer and more insistent. “Gerald, you’re nearly dead. You must contact Anwyn. Think of your memories with Andreas. Happy, sad, angry … any strong emotions at all. Break through the limited barriers and reach her!”

Pushing aside the annoying voice, Gerald reached out with his mind to Anwyn. He thought about the amount of times Andreas had saved him, their growing friendship, how much he looked up to the man … he thought about his fury and grief when Elsa had been kidnapped by Ursula, his pain when being tortured by the Hindustanis on Thraesh, and lastly, when he had thought one of those men had poisoned and killed Andreas. “Anwyn,” he pleaded. “Hear me!”

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The door of Fitz, Leanora, Ilise, and Lana’s cell slammed open and Set marched in. His shadows lashed out to throw Ilise aside, but the princess stood up and with a cry, blinding light flashed off her. Fitz sprinted past with Lana in his arms and Ilise was right behind him.

As her three friends ran out, Leanora tackled the stunned Set, dragging him to the ground. She pressed her forearm against his throat, pushing down with grim intent. He started giving gasping breaths, and a shadow wrapped around Leanora’s neck, yanking her back ruthlessly. It squeezed around her, choking her, and she coughed and gasped for breath. The shadow hurled her across the room, slamming the thief against the wall. When she hit the wall, she felt something snap and hit the floor in a daze of pain.

Set knelt in front of her, his face twisted with rage. He was obviously cursing her in another, darker language, but she couldn’t interpret what he was saying. Then the shadows wrapped around her, and he started chanting.

When the shadows faded away, Leanora was nowhere to be seen.

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Gremeldah retreated inside herself, feeling bewildered.  So much had happened and she needed time to make sense of it all.  Under normal circumstances, she would never have allowed anyone, not even a High Councillor, to take control of her mind and share her body, but for the time being, she was only too grateful to relinquish responsibility to him. 

Ghadry forced Gremeldah’s lips into a sly grin.  “When the reinforcements get here, we should cause some mischief.  Nothing major, just a few silly tricks.  If we can distract Morgan sufficiently, we may be able to break through the conditioning which Set has imposed upon him”.

Joseph’s mind was in a whirl.  “What reinforcements?  And don’t you think it’s rather irresponsible to play stupid tricks?  The last thing we want is to attract attention to ourselves and anger Set”.

“Ye worry too much”.  Gremeldah/Ghadry patted Joseph on the arm.  “Besides, we want to get Set angry.  Anger leads to loss of control and loss of control leads to mistakes.  We’ll mess with Morgan a bit to start with and see what happens”.

“I really don’t like the sound of this” Joseph protested.  “It’s a terrible plan”.

Gremeldah/Ghadry chuckled.  “And ye’ve got a much better one, eh?”

Joseph blushed and hung his head in shame.

“Ah, I shouldn’t have been so harsh on ye”.  To Joseph’s immense surprise, the green-haired Chronomage enfolded him in a squashy hug.  “These be desperate times, pilgrim, and ordinary methods won’t work on Set”.