The Fenimeldiyaan: Displaced Time - Chapter 10
“River, can ye hear me?
Tis Andreas”. The telepathic
transmission jolted River out of her melancholy musings. “Sorry I had to rush off, but the Chronomages
ain’t exactly the most sympathetic of people.
I couldn’t leave Morgan alone with them.
I hope ye understand and don’t think too badly of me”.
As on many previous occasions, the Spy Master seemed to have
picked up on her concerns. “I’m not sure
what to think anymore. Everything’s all
messed up and we’re trapped here”. She
knew that she sounded ungrateful but she no longer cared.
“Ah, River, me dear”.
Andreas sounded genuinely regretful.
“Ye should know I’ll never abandon ye.
Tis why I be talking to ye now.
Did Apollo manage to get that collar off ye yet?”
“I took it off myself” she replied. “After Morgan killed the Doctor, it stopped
working. But it makes no
difference. We still can’t get out, not
even with our full powers restored”.
“Aye, I know” he admitted.
“Ye won’t be able to until the Chronomages lift the time-lock from the
warehouse facility. And they be taking
their time about that. Tis a joke but
not an especially amusing one. I be
doing me best to speed things along and I’ve discovered an unexpected source of
help. It might take a few more days but
we’ll get ye all out. I’ll contact ye
again soon. Wind turns green and the
Goddess smiles. Everything will be the
right size again, River. Ye can depend
on it”.
----------------------------------
Anwyn acknowledged Andreas’s message and broke from her
trance. She had left Elsa and Gerald
alone in the tent and gone off to meditate.
The sand trailed over her skin in an attempt to comfort her. She could not help thinking about Selonicus
and the grandmother she had never met.
A shadow fell over her and she looked up at a young pregnant
Sartorian woman. Although she did not
recognise the woman, there was no doubt as to the identity of the child she
carried. Her mother’s energy signature
came through strong, emanating from the young woman’s womb.
“Sand and tree recognise ye” Gharia stated. “Though ye be unknown to us. How can this be?”
Anwyn got on her knees in front of her grandmother. “Apologies for intruding on Ohrivaal
territory. I be Zysareh Mehdezwar and I
came here looking for a couple of travellers who had been sheltering with
us. They wandered off and I were sent by
our Patriarch to track them down and bring them back to Mehdezwar lands”.
“Blessings of the desert be upon ye, Zysareh Mehdezwar”
Gharia intoned. “Ye speak of the man
named Gerald Hunt? Sand and tree
recognise him too. He has been on
Ohrivaal territory afore. Tis strange to
fathom”.
“Aye, I don’t understand it meself” Anwyn admitted. “The desert recognised the Hunts at our
encampment too. Tis why our Patriarch
allowed them to stay with us. Anyways,
Gerald got separated from his wife during their wanderings. I found her first and reunited them. I figured they deserved a little time alone
afore I take them back”.
Gharia smiled and stroked her belly. “The wife be with child too. I felt it the moment ye arrived. All three of ye be welcome to stay as long as
ye like. I be Gharia Ohrivaal, daughter
of our Patriarch”.
“Honoured to meet ye, Gharia Ohrivaal”. Anwyn stood and gave the traditional
Sartorian greeting — slapping
palms with Gharia and then grabbing her elbows.
Gharia returned the gesture.
Anwyn waited until Gharia had gone, then returned to the
tent where Gerald and Elsa lay. “We’d
best get going. Ye can finish catching
up back at the Don”.
With great reluctance, Elsa and Gerald broke from their hug
and emerged from the tent. They held
hands with Anwyn and soon the desert melted away, replaced by the stark
whiteness of the infirmary at the Donovan Institute.
Elaine greeted them joyfully, relieved to see them again.
Remyn insisted on examining them both, pronouncing them fit
after a long and thorough scan.
“Thanks for the rescue, Anwyn” Gerald said, holding Elsa in
his arms on the infirmary bed. “What
will ye do about Veerna Vold? Though I
don’t care much for the woman, ye can’t leave her there on Mondias. She deserves to go back home same as we do”.
“Who’s Veerna Vold?” Elsa demanded.
Gerald sighed. “A
fellow prisoner from the camp on Mondias.
School, they called it, but their ideas of education be barbaric to say
the least. Tis nothing more than slavery
and torture. Anyways, this Veerna seems
intent on causing trouble and making things worse for herself. Last I knew, she were going out on sabotage
missions with a bunch of revolutionaries, blowing up Cyad military bases”.
“Tis where ye met Selonicus, right?” Anwyn questioned. “Twas hard enough for me lying to Gharia and
now I be faced with having to do the same to Sel. I know we have to get Veerna back to her
homeworld, but I ain’t sure if I can deal with seeing Sel again”. She dabbed at her eyes. “So many memories. He were so desperate to prove himself worthy
of Pa’s trust that he took insane risks and one of those risks got him killed. I need to be alone for a while. I’ve got some serious thinking to do”.
------------------------------------
After Andreas’s presence had departed from River’s mind, the
little girl burst into tears. She was unable to take back the things she’d said
to him, but she regretted them terribly. Now that he’d gone, she knew how much
she’d missed him. All she wanted was for him to come back.
After several minutes of crying, she became aware of the fact
that someone was sitting beside her. Rubbing the tears from her cheeks, she saw
Apollo leaning against the wall beside her, staring off at nothing. The others
were laying on the floor, apparently sleeping. “Can I help you?” River
transmitted to him, a tiny bit anxiously.
Apollo smiled slightly at her, though his own eyes were red.
“I think a better question is if you need any help, Queen River,” he told her
quietly. “Are you alright?”
Since mentally transmitting to him would take far too much
effort, River produced her book and started writing in it. It took her a few
minutes to explain everything, from Yozev’s offer to fix her voice and his
words about the Inner Circle, to Andreas conversing with her only a few minutes
before. Apollo read silently, his eyes scanning back and forth while River
watched him with a vague sense of desperation.
Finally, he gave her a smile and slipped his arm over her
shoulder. “You don’t have to feel bad,” he said quietly. “Andreas knows that
everybody has doubts about everything. After the kind of week you’ve had — from
the thing with Set to everything that’s been going on with Yozev — who could
blame you for having doubts? But that doesn’t mean that you should let them
control you, River. Andreas loves you like his own daughter. You can rely on
him. He would never do anything that would hurt you. If I know him, he’ll have
Morgan back safely by next week. In the meantime, looks like we’ll be spending
some quality time together, doesn’t it?”
River looked up at him. “I’m sorry that happened,” she
projected to him.
Apollo stared down at his lap. “I am too,” he said quietly.
“I only hope they have mercy on him. They don’t know Morgan the way I do. If I
hadn’t been beside Yozev, I don’t think he would’ve reacted like that. He is a
good person, I know that better than anyone. It’s just … he has more to fight
against than a lot of people. He does his best. If he were to be punished for
that …” He let his voice trail off.
River leaned against him, rubbing his arm. “They’ll let him
go,” she transmitted. “They have to. I know they will. Andreas will convince
them.”
Apollo smiled down at her. “I hope you’re right.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elaine watched Anwyn go off before any of them could say
anything to her. Gerald could understand her pain — he’d experienced the same
thing when he’d met his son, Fitz, and his daughter, Leanora. Hopefully they
would be alright …
Elaine tugged on his sleeve. “Gerald,” she said. “Elsa. Did
Anwyn say anything about Daren and the others?”
Elsa and Gerald both grimaced. They’d been briefly filled in
by Anwyn before their arrival. “Daren be trapped in a time-lock with Apollo and
River, along with two others,” Gerald said. “Apparently, Morgan lost control
and changed time a tiny bit.”
“A tiny bit?” Elaine’s eyebrow shot up in a disbelieving
way. “What did he do?”
“He … killed the man who had been holding Apollo prisoner,”
Elsa admitted.
Elaine bit her lip. “So Daren is trapped?”
“Until they decide what to do with Morgan,” Elsa explained.
Elaine raised her eyes to Gerald, sensing that he would tell
her the truth more than Elsa would. “What will happen if they decide to do
something bad to Morgan?” she asked. “Why are they keeping Daren and the others
trapped in the time-lock?”
Gerald grimaced. “I dunno, Elaine. Honest. I wish I could
help ye.”
Elaine forced a smile. “You two go and enjoy yourselves,”
she said. “Go on.”
Gerald pulled Elsa off, and Elaine leaned against the wall,
staring at nothing. “Daren,” she whispered. “Stay safe.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veerna stood in her room at the rebel base, examining the
satchel she would be taking with her. It had everything she needed in it. She
stared down at the communicator in her hand. A voice from the door surprised
her. “Veerna?”
The Voldinian turned, the communicator in her hand, looking
at Celeste without a word. His wide eyes settled on the object in her hand.
“What be that?” Celeste asked before he could stop himself.
Veerna tossed it to him carelessly. “I don’t need it
anymore. I’m leaving, Les.”
“Leaving?” Celeste’s jaw dropped. “And going where? What be
this?”
“A Cyad communicator,” she said. “I was a traitor, Les. But
don’t worry, I didn’t give them too much. Just enough for them to keep offering
me my chance at freedom. I’m done now. Neither of you can get me what I want,
so I’m going to get it myself. Tell the others whatever you want. I’m outta
here.”
She tossed the satchel over her shoulder and strode past
Celeste. On an impulse, she turned and kissed him. “Goodbye, Les,” she said
with a wink, before walking down the corridor.
--------------------------------
Vedat stopped the truck outside the old abandoned warehouse.
He gave a grim nod to Haluq and Fhadre Ozgur. “This be the place. Let’s see if we can catch the Doctor
unawares, eh? He ain’t the only one who
can put people to sleep”.
The priest grinned and stroked Vedat’s arm. “A man like that should never be allowed to
cause such widespread misery. I’ll be
happy to put him out of commission. I’d
prefer to do it permanently of course, but I suppose we have to work within the
law. Me Order could do without Cyad Law
Enforcers sniffing around and asking awkward questions”.
“No guards, me Lord” Haluq observed, gesturing towards the
main entrance. “This Doctor must be very
confident or very foolish”.
“A bit of both, I’d imagine” Fhadre Ozgur remarked. “Tis often the way with such men. They ain’t as powerful as they’d like to
believe”.
The three men got out of the truck and walked slowly towards
the huge double doors at the front of the warehouse. The priest went in front, scanning for
sorcery wards.
He frowned. “There be
wards here, but not of the usual kind. They be in a state of constant flux. Fifty layers of fluid-time equations. Twould indicate Chronomancy at work”.
A swathe of grey mist loomed in front of them, resolving
itself into a vague human shape. Within
the mist, symbols flashed and equations scrolled, constantly changing. “Correct”.
A flat emotionless voice emanated from the supposed head of the
figure. “This facility be under control
of the Sacred Circle of Chronomages. Tis
none of your concern, gentlemen, so I suggest you leave”.
The three Varagans bowed their heads. Fhadre Ozgur addressed the shadowy
figure. “I beg to differ, Honoured
Chronomage. The owner of this facility,
one Doctor Yozev Kandlin, has stolen some property belonging to Lord Vedat
Degurmin here, namely two slaves recently purchased at auction. Their names be …”
“Apollo Lightbringer and Lady Rachel Andric” the Chronomage
finished. “Aye, we be aware of the
activities of Doctor Kandlin. Unfortunately,
Lord Degurmin won’t be able to reclaim his property. Everyone inside has been killed, including
the Doctor himself. We be in the process
of investigating but it seems likely that a piece of the Doctor’s equipment
malfunctioned, sending out deadly emissions”.
“Inriamorum” Fhadre Ozgur intoned, bowing his head
again. Vedat and Haluq followed suit.
The Chronomage spoke again.
“Lord Degurmin, you may apply to the High Council of Elders if you wish
to claim financial compensation for your loss.
There be nothing else we can do for you”.
“Tisn’t about the money”.
Vedat spoke in a rasping whisper, the words catching in his throat. “They were good people and valued members of
me household. They deserved better than
what Doctor Kandlin had in mind for them”.
He inclined his head to the Chronomage.
“We’ll be on our way. Fhadre
Ozgur will arrange a memorial service for all the poor souls who perished
here”.
The three Varagans returned to where they had parked the
truck and drove away.
----------------------------
Celeste burned with shame, watching Veerna walking away. He had no choice but to let her go, for she
was not a prisoner. His suspicions about
her had been proved correct, but he took no pleasure in that. Instead he felt like the biggest fool, having
been played with finesse by the exotic pale-skinned alien woman. Sighing, he turned away from the gate and
marched back into the main part of the compound. Dwelling on his mistakes would serve no-one,
least of all himself.
“She’s gone, hasn’t she?”
Selonicus’s words did not sound like an accusation but Celeste felt
guilty all the same.
“Aye, Sel”. He handed
Selonicus the Cyad communication device.
“Turns out she’s been in contact with the Cyad right from the
get-go. We’ve been set up. She said she were going it alone, but I’ve no
reason to believe her”.
Selonicus gave a weary smile and patted Celeste on the
shoulder. “You mustn’t blame yourself,
Les. She played us all. Me and Maas most of all. We were the ones who rescued her. She had supposedly been wired up to one of
those engines of torture for many hours before Maas managed to get to the
Punishment Block and work his magic. Yet
she showed absolutely no signs of genuine trauma. Consummate acting skills and a few bruises,
nothing more”.
“So we’ll be shutting up shop here then?” Celeste asked,
already knowing the answer.
“Aye” Selonicus affirmed.
“We’ve no way of knowing how much Veerna has told the Cyad. Abandoning the base will mean great upheaval
and will severely disrupt our plans, but tis by far the safest option. You know what to do, Les. Get your team to one of the emergency
rendezvous points and wait for my signal”.
Celeste nodded and hurried away.
------------------------------
Alone in the darkness of one of the small prayer chambers
within the inner sanctum of the Donovan Institute, Anwyn wept. Memories of Selonicus overwhelmed her, going
way back to her early childhood when he had begun teaching her crystal
theory. Then came her teenage years. She had developed a crush on him so intense
that it felt like knives stabbing her heart at the mere thought of his
sparkling eyes and the mismatched clothing which her friends had loved to
criticise. She recalled their two happy
years of marriage, culminating in the birth of her son, Loro, on the very night
when Selonicus had been killed by the Elders at the Elzhin enclave, the place
where he had spent his childhood and adolescence.
She wiped away her tears and reached out for Andreas,
needing the comfort. He responded
immediately. “Anni, me love, I can feel
yer pain. What be troubling ye so?”
She related her encounter with Gharia in the desert,
followed by the dilemma regarding the rescue of Veerna Vold. “I don’t think I could face meeting a version
of Sel who won’t know me. I realise that
we can’t leave Veerna on Mondias. She
has to be returned to Voldinia. I should
go but I wish I didn’t have to”.
“Ye won’t have to” Andreas assured her. “I promise ye that. When I be done with the Chronomages, meself
and Jude will go. From what I know of
this Veerna Vold, she be a most determined and resourceful young woman. A survivor.
She can manage on Mondias for a few more days”.
“Ye be the best, Al”. She used her pet name for him, taken from his
middle name of Alano. “Thank ye so
much”.
He projected a grin.
“All part of the service, me Lady.
Anything else I can do for ye?”
Thoughts of Elaine flashed into her mind. “Daren” she mentioned. “Elaine be worried about him. Could ye help me with the communication
pathways? I doubt I’d be able to get
around the Chronomage wards like ye can”.
“Consider it done, me love”.
He projected the necessary equations into her mind.
---------------------------------
Elaine sat in one of the huge libraries, pretending to read
a book of ancient Vordellan legends which one of the librarians had picked out
for her. She looked up, seeing Anwyn
standing nearby, tears glistening on her face.
“Anwyn, I thought you needed to be alone. Has something happened?”
Anwyn dragged a chair over and sat next to Elaine. “Andreas happened”. She gave a slight smile. “Would ye like to speak to Daren?”
Elaine put the book down.
“I’d love to! I miss him so
much! I suppose it means another mind
merge though?”
“Tis the only way” Anwyn confirmed. “Andreas has given me the pathways but I need
yer connection with Daren to help me enforce them”.
Elaine nodded her consent and the two women merged
minds. She could see Daren sitting
alone, lost in his own thoughts. The
Andric siblings huddled together, occasionally murmuring to one another. Apollo and River seemed to be having a
telepathic conversation.
Using Anwyn’s powers, she called out to her husband. “Daren!
It’s me, Elaine! Can you hear
me?”
--------------------------------
One of the misty robed figures materialised in the temporal
prison, startling Morgan.
“I suppose you’ve come to take me away to be executed” he
commented in a gloomy tone.
“Sorry to disappoint you” the figure spoke. “No, in fact I’ve been negotiating on your
behalf. I made a recommendation to the
Elders and they have retired for private deliberations”. He gave a soft chuckle. “That means they’ve gone off for something to
eat and a bit of a nap. They’ll probably
spend another day or so around the conference table but they’ll agree to my
proposal in the end”.
“What proposal?” Morgan
stared at the shadowy figure. “Will my
powers be removed or will I have to wear a restraining collar for the rest of
my life?”
“Nothing like that, I assure you”. The figure laid a misty hand on Morgan’s
shoulder. “You’ll have to stay at the
Donovan Institute for appearance’s sake but there will be no punishment. You’ll retain full use of your powers and
after a week or so, I’ll pronounce you fit to return to your homeland. In future, tis best if you try not to attract
any further attention from the Chronomages.
They might not be so receptive to my efforts if you end up in their
custody another time”.
“What about the others?” Morgan asked. “What will happen to them?”
“Once the time-lines on Yttria have been restored to their
rightful course, Daren Lightshield, Apollo Lightbringer, Queen River Meer and the
Andrics will be returned to their rightful places and times. Everything will be as it should be. The right size as Andreas be fond of saying”.
“Andreas”. Morgan
gulped. “Will he still be my friend? Can he forgive me for losing control like
that?”
“He spoke most eloquently in your defence at the first
meeting of the Elders” the figure stated.
“That should tell you all you need to know. The Inner Circle does not abandon those under
its protection. I realise the waiting
chafes at you, but please be patient a while longer”.
The mist dissolved, leaving Morgan alone again.
--------------------------------
Daren sat bolt upright, startling the Andrics out of their
conversation. Both stared at him blankly for a moment as he tried to remain
calm. “Elaine!” he said. “I can hear you!”
Elaine couldn’t help but giggle. “Just think the thoughts,
Daren. You don’t have to say them.”
Although it felt undeniably uncomfortable, Daren nodded
before sending his thoughts to her. “Are you alright? Is Elsa alright? I’ve
been worried.”
“We’re both fine, and we got Gerald back,” Elaine assured
him. “So don’t worry about that. I’ve been worried about you. The time-lock …
the thing with Morgan … what happened, Daren?”
Daren pursed his lips uncomfortably. “I’m not sure,” he
admitted. “It happened too quickly. I think it might’ve had something to do
with Apollo and River. The three of them are connected, and Morgan’s been
separated from them for a few days. It has something to do with that. And …” He
hesitated.
He should have known better than to think he could hide
anything from his wife. Her telepathic voice was suspicious. “And what?”
“And I think when Set and Jezebel died, Morgan absorbed
their dark wizard abilities as well,” Daren said, sending the message all in a
rush in the hopes that she wouldn’t understand. “Cora told me that they all
shared power. The less there are, the more powerful the ones remaining will be.
That just leaves Morgan … and you know. Dante.”
“Do you think he’ll have more relapses?” Elaine sounded
tense.
“Once I let Apollo know, probably not,” Daren assured her.
“As long as we keep him away from Dante, he should be safe enough.” As long as
the Chronomages released them all, which he thought but didn’t say.
“Daren …” Elaine was hesitating. “Daren, you’ve got to make
sure they release you. You have to.”
“Of course I do,” Daren replied, confused. “And … I mean …
I’m sure they will. Why? What’s the matter? Are you alright?” he added with a
note of anxiety.
Elaine sent the telepathic equivalent of a laugh, though it
sounded strained and vaguely hysterical. “Daren, I’m with child again.”
It took Daren several seconds to process that. “E-Elaine!
You mean …?”
“Joseph is going to have a sibling.” Then he really did feel
her crying, and he didn’t know why.
Daren couldn’t help it; he laughed, out loud, and Ewan
looked at him with a weird expression. Apollo was smiling slightly.
“Everything’s going to be alright, Elaine, trust me. I’ll get back to you, I
promise. Even if they tried to stop me, nothing could keep me from your side.
Understand?”
Elaine was still crying. It was likely she would keep going
for a long time. “Daren, I-I’m …”
“Listen,” Daren said. “I love you, Elaine. Nothing’s ever going
to change that. And I’ll be back soon. Tell Gerald and Elsa I’ll see them soon,
alright? I love you.” He wondered if she would respond, but it was like she’d
left his head. He leaned back, leaning his head against the wall, but with a
foolish smile on his face. Elaine was with child again. He would have a second
child. If the future was to be believed, a girl. Nothing else seemed to matter
in that moment. “I love you,” he whispered, the sound lost, but its meaning
clear.
Across from him, Ewan had his arm around Rachel. “I’m glad
you’re okay, sis,” he whispered to her.
She managed a small, trembling smile at him. “You know this
can’t stay like this, right? You’ve got to … go back.”
Ewan grimaced. “Don’t mention that. Just enjoy the time we
have here.”
“But …”
“Hey, they froze time,” Ewan said, brushing her hair away
from her face. “We’ve just got to take advantage of what we’ve been given. And
did you really think I’d let you stay a slave for long? I couldn’t stay in
Final Death, not when I knew what had happened. Merlin told me, I had to come
for you.”
Tears spilled down Rachel’s cheeks. “Why are you making me
say goodbye again?” she asked hoarsely.
“It’s not permanent —”
“It tears The Story apart, bit by bit, every time Merlin
goes into Final Death, and you know it,” she accused him. “We can’t keep
risking it!”
Ewan kissed her forehead. “Then let’s just enjoy the time we
have,” he said. “Okay?”
Rachel nodded, still crying. She leaned her head against his
shoulder and did her best to stifle her tears. “I’ve missed you, Ewan,” she
said in a whisper.
Ewan nodded, turning his head slightly so she wouldn’t see
the tears on his own cheeks. “I missed you too, Rach.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elsa and Gerald sat on a bench together at the Don, Elsa
leaning her head on Gerald’s shoulder. He smiled down at her, particularly when
he saw she was fast asleep. “I can imagine what ye went through,” he whispered,
kissing the top of her head tenderly. He had experienced his own worries when
Elsa had been kidnapped by Ursula for her unborn child. Relief was the only
word to express his feelings at them both being together again.
Gently, he adjusted his arm over her, and she slid further
against him, obviously exhausted. “Ah, me dear,” he murmured. “This is what we
should be doing. Enjoying each other’s company, peacefully. This be the life.”
He leaned back and stared at the sky.
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