The Paladins of Naretia

Chapter 27

  Chaos erupted and within minutes, a legion of elves with drawn bows, surrounded Sudia. As the closest person to the turning elf, Aramus had drawn his weapon too and readied himself for an attack. With little warning she spread her claws wide and took a swipe at Aramus, catching him across his face as he ducked. Ol?rin saw black blood pour from the cut on his cheek as he backed away from the shifting, writhing form of Sudia. Whatever motivated her in the midst of the agonising, bloating of muscles and bones, it seemed to have focused all of her viciousness on Aramus as she swung at him time, and time again. The young man ducked and dived away from her attacks, only barely avoiding the talons that came for his neck. Forearm length claws ricocheted off his sword, but they did not break against the sharpened metal.

  Panicked, Ol?rin rummaged through his hat and produced his staff, but there were too many elves in the way to take aim. He only occasionally caught glimpses of the battle between the silvery heads that stood in front of him.

  "Out of my way," he heard Aria shout.

  Beside him he watched the young queen, now armed with her golden sword, try to push past the elves. But they refused to move, and both he and Aria were kept out of reach at the point of many arrows.

  "This is not your concern," one of them hissed at her. "She is an elf and will be dealt with by elves only."

  "Well, what are you waiting for then? Kill her," Aria screamed, panic and concern clearly audible in her voice as it reached pitches Ol?rin had never heard before.

  Not a single arrow was let fly as Sudia and Aramus fought. A wide swing of his sword clipped Sudia's right ear and Ol?rin was horrified to see part of it now missing. Grey blood ran down the side of her deforming face, bleeding into the white linen clothes that stretched across her bulging form. Through the row of newly protruded sharp teeth, she howled with pain and cupped her ear with her hand.

  "Mirathall, please," Ol?rin said to the Elder, who was contently observing the fight beside him. "Whatever it is you need to do, please do it quickly before she hurts Aramus."

  "We must see if she is capable of reasonable thought," Mirathall replied, keeping her eyes fixed on the battle. "If her mind is still intact, then there is a chance we can save her. But if she should turn and fight her own people, despite being out numbered, then she is without reason and is lost to us. At that time, and only then, she will be killed. As of yet she seems to be only attacking Aramus. Perhaps there is a reason behind her actions?"

  Panic rose up in Ol?rin's chest as he watched Sudia's powerful arm strike Aramus across his head, sending him careening into the ancient tree. Aramus tried to stand up again, but his legs went from under him and he crumpled to the floor.

  "The only reason she's attacking him is because she must be under the influence of Dantet," Ol?rin shouted at Mirathall. It was the first time in nearly two hundred years that he had raised his voice to the point where it hurt his throat, and Mirathall seemed taken aback by it. "His father wants him dead and she is merely following his orders. I will not allow you to risk his life for a hypothesis."

  Ol?rin's voice must have been louder than he thought because the nearest elves all turned to face him, as did their arrows. The fear he felt for his young friend, and the anger at the elves moronic need to weigh everything until all that remained was a neat bundle of black and white, saw him raise his staff and forcibly part the sea of elves in front of him. The elves didn't like to be defied and arrows zipped through the air in his direction. Ol?rin misdirected them all with a wave of his staff. Silver-haired warriors came after him and Aria with swords drawn, but they too found themselves sailing through the air in the same direction as the arrows.

  "Do not harm her," Ol?rin called after Aria as she charged through the parted elves.

  Sudia, by now, had Aramus's neck in her broad hand, pinning him against the tree and was choking the life from him. With his weapon knocked from his hands, the young man grappled at her powerful grip to free himself, to no avail. Not even the vigorous flapping of his powerful wings could loosen her hold.

  Ol?rin could see his face turning an alarming shade of purple, but was unable to help him as his concentration, and staff, held in place the elves who ventured forward to stop Aria from interrupting the battle. Aria raised the hilt of her sword and hit the back of Sudia's leg. Sudia's knee buckled and came crashing to the ground. With another severe blow from the butt of Aria's sword across Sudia's startled face, she cried out and released Aramus from her grip.

  Aramus fell to the ground and arched his back as he gasped for air, holding his neck. Aria rushed to his side while keeping her sword trained on Sudia. The monster that had once been their escort, lunged at them: Her teeth were gritted and her talons poised to strike. But before she could reach them, Ol?rin pointed his staff at her and power surged through his body as the full force of the magic Edwina had bestowed upon it, met with the enraged orc. Sudia stopped, motionless, speechless, her neck only a few inches from the tip of Aria's sword.

  "You have no right to interfere with elf matters," Mirathall hissed at Ol?rin as she joined him at the edge of the circle.

  "And you have no right to be so flippant with another's life," Ol?rin replied, keeping Sudia firmly stuck in her place.

  It was an age-old argument that had raged between the wizards and the elves, one that Ol?rin knew would not resolve itself today. The wizards despised the emotionless judgment of the elves that saw them take a life when it suited their reasoning. The elves, in turn, thought the wizards weak and lacking in true devotion for the Goddess by allowing an unbalance to thrive.

  Mirathall's silver eyes rested on Ol?rin and he could see the fury behind them. If it wasn't for Thalia pulling gently at her white robes to whisper into her ear, Ol?rin was sure that her anger would have burnt a whole into his skull, if it could. He was thankful that the Goddess Edwina had seen fit to not give them that ability too.

  With Aria's help, Aramus stood again, and Ol?rin breathed a sigh of relief. Dark bruises wrapped themselves around the young man's throat, but he was alive and recovering quickly enough to walk under his own steam after a few moments. Taking wary glances at the frozen orc who continued to stare at him with the promise of vengeance, Aramus made his way toward Ol?rin.

  "Aramus," Mirathall said, as the little girl skipped away behind the taller elves again. "Tell me what has happened here?"

  "I don't know," he replied, his voice strained and gruff as he rubbed his neck. "One minute I was handing her a drink, and the next? well, you saw."

  "But I did not," she said, narrowing her silver eyes. "In fact, no one saw. When the Geminum came to us I'd wager that everyone's eyes were on it, and not on you. Therefore you are the only one who could know how this happened. But the timing of it all makes me wonder if it was coincidences, or convenience, which saw it happen when it did."

  "I don't like what you are implying, Mirathall," Ol?rin said, struggling to keep the beast that was once Sudia in place as she tried to break free from his restraints and come at Aramus again.

  "There is no implication here, merely questions that need answering. And, so far, I am not satisfied that I have heard the truth."

  "I've told you already, I really don't know what happened," Aramus said, raising his hands defensively.

  "Look!" one of the elves standing behind Ol?rin shouted, pointing at Aramus's hand.

  There, on the tip of his first finger, was a cut that couldn't have been caused by his battle, or by Sudia's large claws. It was too small for that, and, although it was mostly healed, the dried black blood was still a visible incrimination.

  "You have poisoned her on purpose. That is why she was attacking only you," Mirathall hissed, grabbing a bow from the nearest elf and aiming an arrow at Aramus's head.

  "No, no, I didn't. I don't remember cutting myself. I swear. Perhaps some of my blood got into the drink when I handed it to her, but if it did, it was an accident."

  Aramus backed away as the elven community took
aim at him. Aria stepped between Mirathall and Aramus, her sword drawn and a determined look upon her face.

  "I have more cause to mistrust Aramus than any of you. I should be the last person in Naretia to come to his defence, but I do believe him. I can feel his fear, and I believe that he is telling the truth," she said, lifting the chain around her neck. "As devastating as it might be for Sudia, I'm sure this was an accident."

  Ol?rin knew only too well that fear was not an omission of guilt. The truth was that even he wasn't convinced of Aramus's innocence, and was not able to speak in his defence, unlike Aria. But the young queen's protection might have had more to do with her fears for her brother, or perhaps some underlining affections she may have for Aramus, rather than the truth. Either way, Mirathall was right about something. The coming of the Geminum was indeed a convenient time for underhanded deeds to take place.

  Slowly Mirathall lowered her bow and the elves behind her followed suit.

  "Though I do not entirely believe you, Aramus, Thalia has once again shown wisdom beyond her years. As she has said, there are too many powers at play to know the real truth of it all. Therefore, we must do what is least likely to bring about the prophecy and to cause harm to the people of Naretia," Mirathall said, gesturing for the elves behind her to take Sudia before turning to Ol?rin. "It would be a long and complicated matter for me to cure an elf who had accidentally consumed meat. But with the potency of Aramus's dark blood, this is no ordinary turning. I fear it is beyond my abilities, and I would ask that we put aside our differences for now, so that you might help me cleanse Sudia of this infection."

  The elves secured Sudia with countless vines and Ol?rin released her from his spell. Once again the quietness of the forest was shattered with Sudia's monstrous screams as she writhed against her restraints.

  "I will do everything within my power," Ol?rin replied.

  Before following Mirathall out of the hollow, Ol?rin turned to Aramus and Aria. He grabbed the young man's hand roughly and pulled it closer to his face. The cut on his finger was almost healed, but even still, it looked like a clean cut as though it had been made with a sharp blade.

  "You are sure you had nothing to do with this?" Ol?rin demanded of him in a low voice so that Mirathall wouldn't hear.

  Aramus snatched back his hand and stared at Ol?rin for a long time. His lips pursed into a thin line and his eyebrows furrowed. The moonlight, which found its way into the elves meeting place, illuminated the look of betrayal in his amber eyes, so much so, that Ol?rin couldn't have missed it. Neither could he have missed the fact that his chest rose and fell tersely with the offence of his words.

  "You don't believe me?" he said quietly. "I knew you would think me a monster when you heard of my crimes in Lothangard. Now you can see why I didn't want to tell you. I am guilty by the mere fact that I am me, aren't I?"

  "That's not what I meant, Aramus."

  "It is very clear what you meant," Aramus said, walking to the back of the now empty hollow and turning his back on Aria and Ol?rin. "Go, just go and leave me be, wizard."

  "Aramus," Aria said, reaching a sympathetic hand out to him.

  "No, just leave me here. The elves won't want me around Sudia in any event, not after this. Just go and help her. I'll be fine."

  Aria ignored Aramus and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

  "Please, Aria," he said, resting his hand upon hers for a moment. Aramus's tone softened a little when he said her name and he let out a long sigh. "They may yet turn on Ol?rin if he can't heal her. I can fly away at any time, but the old man might need your sword. Go with him."

  After a slight hesitation, Aria nodded and reluctantly slid her hand away from Aramus's shoulder. Ol?rin felt the weight of guilt in his chest as he left the hollow with Aria. 'Am I wrong to suspect him? Would I have blindly believed him if I hadn't known about the murders he committed in Lothangard?' There was no way to know for sure. But despite the disappointment or hurt Aramus felt toward him for his doubts, the young man had still cared enough to make sure that Aria was there to protect him.

  The vines brought them to a large cave just outside the city of Rhidwynn. Within the cavern was all manner of herbs, potions, and healing tools, resting on makeshift shelves. Enormous barrels filled with well-cared-for poisonous snakes, leaches, and vernaks (a small creature whose bite contained a powerful tranquiliser), lined the walls. An acrid smell overwhelmed Ol?rin's nose as he entered, but his nose was soon distracted by what his eyes saw.

  In the centre of the cave, illuminated by oil fires on six stone pedestals, four metal spikes protruded from the stone floor. Secured into the thick metal hoop on top was a chain and manacle. This was where Sudia was tied, and she didn't appear to be pleased about it; her screams echoed loudly in the small cave.

  Ol?rin hung behind the elves as they began their healing rituals, content to only be an onlooker until he was called for. Five elves sat around the orc, including Mirathall, holding hands and singing a tune that raised the hairs on the back of Ol?rin's neck. The language they used was not elvish, nor was it any other language that the old wizard knew how to speak, but he recognised the tune instantly. It was Dantet's song. A melody that lured darkness toward the singer, and the sound of it turned Ol?rin's blood cold.

  For hours they sang dark words. Sudia writhed as the lyrics hit her misshapen ears, and her powerful arms tugged against the chains that held her to the ground. Her black eyes scanned the room and found Ol?rin's shining staff. She hissed and spat at the staff, and when that didn't work, her long, black tongue shot out of her mouth trying to reach it.

  Ol?rin was transfixed on the scene. He couldn't take his eyes off the darkness that was spreading into the whites of her eyes, the pulsating veins that traversed her face, or the pointed tongue that was trying to reach him.

  "What are they doing?" Aria whispered beside him.

  Ol?rin jumped at the sound of her voice. He had almost forgotten that she was there.

  "The song is an ancient and dark siren's song, one from the harpies I would imagine," he replied. "That, along with various herbs and a leech or two, can halt the darkness's march inside an elf, and usually see them cured? in a few days."

  "A few days? But we don't have that long," Aria said. "Bernard will be here tomorrow. If he's as good as his word, he'll flatten the forest and start an all-out war between the elves and the dwarfs. Besides, I don't think it's wise to keep Aramus here much longer."

  Amidst the screams, Ol?rin turned to Aria and studied her features.

  "Am I mistaken," Ol?rin said with an impish grin, "or is that a hint of concern for our winged friend I hear in your voice?"

  "What? I think you must be going deaf in your old age. No, definitely not," Aria replied, but Ol?rin caught the faint hint of pink in her cheeks. "I only meant that if we don't want him killed by vengeful elves, and our quest failed, that we should get him out of here. That's all. Honestly."

  'Our quest?'

  "Indeed," Ol?rin said, smug in the knowledge that Aria, at the very least, didn't hate Aramus anymore.

  "Ol?rin, we have tried everything within our power, but she is only getting worse," Mirathall interrupted.

  Her long snowy hair, which until now was as neat and straight, was dishevelled as she approached Ol?rin. There was a sorrow in her silver eyes that couldn't have been missed, and the task of helping Sudia had lined her old face with more wrinkles than Ol?rin had remembered seeing before. He wondered if it was the close proximity to such dark energy which had changed the Elder so quickly. He remembered only too well how his energy was syphoned from him in the mines of Balbuldor.

  "Please, will you try your wizard magic?" she asked wearily.

  "Would you but fight so hard to save the lives of non-elves, then we, as comrades, would be better companions," he replied.

  "Now is not the time, wizard," she snapped, her eyes glistening with the threat of tears. Ol?rin got the distinct impression that Sudia meant more to M
irathall than any of the other elves. But in the spirit of equality, she would never admit to it.

  "It seems that it is not. I cannot guarantee I will succeed where your expertise has failed, but I will try."

  Ol?rin walked closer to the creature that was once Sudia. Her mammoth grey form thrashed and twisted against the restraints. Black tendrils snaked their way toward the edges of her eyes that had turned almost completely black. It was then that Ol?rin noticed Sudia following the movements of his staff as if it would reach out and burn her. She hissed at it, whilst at the same time backed away as much as her restraints would allow.

  "I wonder," Ol?rin said to no one in particular.

  Ol?rin rested the tip of his lustrous staff against Sudia's shoulder. She arched her back and screamed in a way that Ol?rin had never heard before. It echoed through the forest around them, terrifying the creatures within into silence. Slowly the black veins receded from around the area which his staff touched, and the skin underneath lost its grey hue. A hint of silver fought its way back into the nearest eye and Ol?rin could see terror within it.

  "Please, stop, it hurts," she whimpered between gasps of pain.

  Ol?rin removed his staff at once and the poison seeped its way back.

  "Don't stop," Mirathall said urgently to him. "Whatever you were doing, it was working."

  "My staff is too slow and painful. She will die before it has worked," he said, taking off his hat and rummaging through it. "She knew, she knew. I cannot fathom how she knew that I would need just one more, but she did."

  "What are you blathering on about?" Aria asked.

  "I only needed two," he said, producing a small phial containing three gleaming stones. "She gave me four. One for my staff when I would need it the most, and now one for Sudia."

  Ol?rin stepped closer to the orc, and placed his staff firmly in the centre of her forehead. Once again the darkness receded and Sudia's terrible screams rang out through the forest. Ol?rin bent down to her, keeping his staff firmly in place.

  "You must swallow this," he said, showing her the tear of life. "It will cleanse your body of this poison and you will be born again."

  "I, can't," she choked.

  "You must," he replied, popping it into her mouth and holding her jaw firmly closed.

  Sudia fought against the darkness that reviled the light of Edwina in its mouth, and swallowed the gem. Almost instantly she arched her back, screaming and flailing in her restraints as though her insides had been set alight. Her powerful arms strained against the chains and she managed to break one free.

  "Hold her," Ol?rin bellowed at the surrounding elves.

  Just as three elves laid their full weight on her free arm, the ground under Ol?rin's feet rumbled violently as though it were going to break in half. The elves became oddly silent, and their eyes grew wide as though this was not a normal occurrence during a healing session. In fact, only a few paid any attention to Sudia as she struggled against the dark poison inside of her. After a moment of hesitation, Mirathall made her way out of the cave and fell to her knees, plunging her hands into the dark soil outside. Silvery strands of magic ran from her finger tips, disappearing deep into the loam.

  "No, it cannot be," she whispered, disbelief clear in her voice.

  Just then, the willowy figure of a small elf child descended through the trees, and came to hover three feet away from the crouched Elder. Despite his struggles to restrain Sudia, Ol?rin still managed to turn long enough and see that it was Thalia who had arrived.

  "They are free," she said in a quiet, whispery voice.

  Suddenly, Thalia was dropped to the ground and the forest was plunged into darkness. If it wasn't for the oil fires dotted throughout the city of Rhidwynn, and in the cave, Ol?rin would have been completely blind.

  "Something is very wrong. Find Aramus," he said urgently to Aria. "Find him and bring him here."