Day 244 (222nd)

Day 244(222nd):
Again, we were roused by a thunderous sound. Dressing quickly, we watched a large herd rumble pass us. It was hard to make them out in the pre-dawn light. They were massive, larger than any cattle I had ever seen. So brown, they appeared black. As they ran, shaggy hair flapped around them. A person on horseback raced over to us.
"Stay back! Gardvans don't stop once they get running or until they reach shade. Got to get to the woods before full light. Get them going!" a young male elf spoke rapidly then galloped away.
We looked at the soldiers for answers. One spoke up.
"Gardvans are from a night realm. They have to stay out of direct sunlight. The mountains give them about an extra half hour before full light. If the sun catches them, they die. But, they can live on very little vegetation and water. The exchange is enough to keep breeding them. Whether they are kept later on, I can't guess."
A wisp of fur floated to us. I grabbed it and received many images. Apparently my eyes changed because everyone was staring at me.
"What did you see, Kayla?" Callie asked.
Holding the fur, I told them, "The Gardvans will stay after the land is healed. They will breed with regular stock to make a hearty breed that can survive sunlight and on very little food. The hair will be longer, used like wool to make heavy cloaks and winter clothes. Also, the material is made for funerals as it stays black for a long time. No matter what other breed they mate with, the offspring is Gardvan colored. It takes seven or eight generations to get any other color. The hide with even a pinch of Gardvan is prized by sailors as leather that is tough and waterproof. It cannot be pure Gardvan as it will...." I let go of the fur and we watched it turn to ash in the sunlight.
"A scrap of fur told you that much. No seer in Crialas could get so much from so little. We definitely have the right girls," Janesh commented.
We saddled up and ate on the move. We followed beside and in the churned wake of the Gardvan herd. We saw them again under heavy cover of a thickly grown forest. Very little snow had sifted through the canopy. The Gardvans ate what little foliage was under there and munched on the very ends of the branches. Even the fungus and moss on the trees was food for them. Janesh separated and spoke with the wranglers for a moment. One of them looked our way. I suspected Janesh had told them of what I saw. Janesh returned while a herder went from group to group, probably repeating the news.
We left them behind as we continued west. The riding was more pleasant now that our guards were friendly and open to us. They even allowed Set to hop to their saddles and rubbed him affectionately. Dawn became a scout of sorts, flying several miles ahead and reporting back to Alice what she saw. There was little to tell as the road was empty.
On one return, she was very agitated, chirping rapidly and sharply. Alice stopped us to calm Dawn and get the full story. Dawn snuggled into Alice's body as Alice explained.
"Dawn saw something troubling. There are bodies ahead. People, animals, and wagons are scattered. She did not see who or what caused it, but there is a strange smell hanging over the area."
Janesh told everyone to arm themselves. We took off, the soldiers easily racing ahead of us. My sight showed the emotional energies hanging over the area as we got closer. Then, the smell hit us like a fist. It was a combination of animal musk, carrion, rotting plants, and waste. The bodies were torn apart and the wagons were smashed. The guards radiated anger and hatred. We dared not ask what had caused this. Fortunately, Anna was able to get the story of this scene.
"A large creature, a troll I believe, attacked this group out of hunger and injury. It ate the parts that are missing on the people and animals. Something from the wagon it ate as well. One of its arms doesn't work well, so it is hunting 'easy prey': people and livestock.
The guards were nearly shaking with rage. They did not know what to do first. We suggested stepping away to collect themselves. We turned out backs to the carnage. A strange aura shown through the trees. The smell increased three-fold. We got the guards to focus as the troll limped between the trees. The large being roared and swung its good arm in our direction. The guards brandished their swords. The troll roared again and ran at us. The guards galloped to meet it. It batted soldier and horse aside like a child knocking over his toys. The horses got up and ran for safety. The soldiers lay there, trying to collect their strength, some were unconscious. The troll roared again and turned to look at us. Sloth began telling us a spell as rapidly as we could comprehend it. When we were all certain that we understood it, we began chanting. The troll roared once again, then lumbered at us. A few dozen paces away, it stopped. Its upper body struggled as its feet and legs became stone gray. It tried pulling, but was held fast. The gray rose up its legs, hips, stomach, and chest. It roared and beat on its petrifying body until its chest became solid and its good arm stuck to its torso. It thrashed its head as it struggled to breathe and get free. Finally, its neck and head were turned. Sarah sobbed a moment at its death, but knew it had to be done. The guards had gotten to their feet and were checking on the unconscious ones. Sarah distracted herself from its death by tending them. We six looked at the petrified troll. Fortunately, the smell had died with it. Sloth told us that, normally, trolls only come out at night as sunlight does to them naturally what we did by magic. Alice said it had become too wounded to get its normal food which was wild boars. Able to be out in the daylight gave it access to easy prey; unarmed people and domesticated animals.
The guards recovered enough to get back on the road. The horses, trained as they were, returned when called by a series of whistles. None of them were seriously hurt and were quickly tended and ready to go. We did not want to leave the victims to scavengers. Pointing swords, we spoke words that curled the dirt and snow over the bodies and wagon remains. Janesh and the guards sang a dirge over the bodies. After the last piece of flesh and bone was covered, Dawn circled the spot, dusting it with her sparks.
As we were leaving, Sarah looked back and gasped. We all turned and gasped in turn. Roses, deep red roses, were erupting from the grave. Janesh spoke in whisper.
"Winter roses. They have not grown wild in hundreds of years. Prized as the sign of an easy winter. Sometimes called the 'Birth blood of Spring', as they are seen in some places a few weeks before spring. I've only seen them in wizards' gardens and around temples. The Crowns will find this interesting."
We proceeded on the road, leaving the roses spreading over the grave. Set stayed behind for a moment. When he returned, bits of roses were still clinging to him. He commented that the thorns felt good on his itchy hide. Fortunately, the guards did not go back to being aloof with us, but spoke openly of the encounter. This made traveling this darkening landscape a bit easier.
As evening approached, so did a familiar presence. Callie alerted us to Leo's arrival. The guards found a suitable campsite and we were setting up as Leo landed near us.
"Good to see you again, Ladies. In good company, I hope?" he spoke aloud for the guards' sakes, not sure if they would like hearing a dragon in their heads.
We introduced everyone. As darkness settled, Leo told us why he was in Crialas and how he found us.
"Deciding to journey a bit, I flew over all the eastern lands before heading west. I reached the edge of Crialas Kingdom a few days ago. About a day's travel, for me, from the border, I encountered a trail of familiar energy. It took a few moments to figure out it was you ladies. I followed it to this quaint town with a fortress being used as both a monastery and a convent surrounded by a massive area that smelled and felt clean and very familiar. I learned about what you went through and did for Audoahrn. I continued to search the area until I found your trail again. By the way, Lyrica, the dryad, says 'Hi'. Down this trail, I noticed some new growth. Have any of you been crying?"
We confirmed that tears had been shed since leaving Audoahrn. Leo nodded.
"While I am not sure who's tears caused what, but the road you left behind is different from the road you traveled. No longer is it featureless and bland. All manner of plants have erupted at its edges. Holly, barberry, witch hazel, plus many more line the sides. Every where you have camped, even if it was inside, is now the site of some spectacular mini gardens of plants not seen in centuries. I followed until I spotted a marvel. Winter roses growing wild, in full bloom, spreading wide enough for me to sleep upon. Also, not far from it, a stone pillar is nearly covered in dragon-snaps, a very rare plant."
We informed him of how the pillar got there and what it use to be as well as what was under the roses. Leo pondered this information. It was after sunset by now, so we prepared to sleep. Leo was invited to rest with us. Leo made himself comfortable. Like a living furnace, he radiated enough heat to melt the snow and dry the ground in less than an hour. Mats and bedrolls were repositioned to take advantage of this boon. Leo lulled us to sleep as he speculated on why this growth was occurring and who was producing what. I fell asleep as he prattled on.

Day 243 (221st)

Day 243 (221st):
We arrived at Orda's gates a bit after a bitter dawn. We employed the cloaks we had kept from Scarnac, both as a cover and a barrier. Even at this early hour, the streets were bustling and crowded. In a few paces from the gates, we had witnessed nearly every atrocity we had ever known or could name. The guards encircled us, but people still attempted to talk to us, sell stuff to us, take our gear, hurt us, and more. By mid-day, we were already tired of it all. Janesh and the guards said we could be out of Orda by dark, but we were stopped so often that it did not seem possible. We gathered tight to discuss our next move.
"We need out of here. Even we are feeling the pain of this place," Janesh said crisply.
Swords hummed, verbal and mental chatter bounced, and plans were made and discarded quickly. Within an hour, we had exhausted all of our ideas as useless. I thought to consult Brimagor, but the other felt we had imposed upon him too much as it was. However, one of the guards thought about the native gods of this land, since Brimagor had stated that this was not his land. Drawing swords, we touched blades while encircled by the guards.
"Powers of this land, gods and goddesses, we humbly ask your help to safely cross this city and exit the other side. Any help would be greatly appreciated and your praises will be told to our allies," we spoke as one, sister and sword alike.
A glow began to form where our swords touched. This ball of light rose from our swords and hung in the air, then sailed into Lisa's chest. She rocked backward from the impact, but held Gluttony in place. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Those were not Lisa's eyes. We sheathed the swords before the being in Lisa spoke.
"Thank you, children, for waking me. Too long have I slept, to allow this chaos to reign. I will get you to the other side of the city, on your way to Crialas as her memories inform me to be your destination. No one will stop you or accost you while I am with you," the female voice told us from Lisa's body.
"Goddess, may we know your name so that others will know exactly who aided us?" Sarah politely asked.
"I am Danaska. I am the river that divides and nourishes this city. When the other realms pushed into my domain and no one called to me anymore, I slept, to save my strength and avoid the pain. Now, let me get you on your way."
She raised Lisa's hands and spoke unusual words. Suddenly, Orda became as silent as a tomb. We looked around and everyone was frozen in place. People, animals, even the fountains were still. Time had stopped for everyone but us. The pressure of the city lifted in an instant, providing us with the first break from the land's taint since leaving Audoahrn. We felt like we could breathe again. Lisa/Danaska took the lead, much to Janesh's chagrin.
Like royalty in absolute control, she carved a path through the frozen population. Everything was perfectly still. Where there was a block, she waved a hand and they slid apart like chess pieces on a table. As we traveled, the truth of the situation seeped into my understanding. My sisters, too, came to understand what was truly happening. Janesh and company, however, only knew what they believed they saw.
We arrived at the western gate. The guards saw that not just the city was frozen. Nothing, anywhere, moved. Snow hung in mid-air as it was falling from a branch. Janesh looked at Lisa/Danaska.
"Is the whole world frozen in time? Is your power that great?"
We, Danaska included, laughed. I spoke before the guard got angry.
"You misunderstand what has happened. Danaska did nothing to them. She affected us. She pulled us out of the flow of time. We have been outside of time since just after her arrival. It took a bit before we understood it ourselves."
" 'Out of the flow of time'? What does that mean, exactly?" Janesh nearly ordered.
"I had not the strength to hold thousands of people. A couple of dozen, this group, I did have the strength to affect. Time is like my river. While we have journeyed, I kept us on the bank of that river, outside of its influence. We are between heartbeats, between breaths, in the space of a blink of an eye. Do you understand?"
The guards pondered.
Finally, Janesh said, "This whole trip, since she arrived, has, literally, taken no time? To them, we instantly went from there to here? Is that correct?"
"Exactly," Danaska said, smiling, "and, when I leave, you will re-enter the river of time and be as before, except out here instead of in there."
Some of them understood while others were still lost. We asked Danaska if she needed anything before we parted company.
"I could use something pure to begin repairing this place and the length of my river."
We pondered. Then, it hit us, remembering our gifts.
"What about jewels harvested by a race of stone?" Callie asked.
Danaska smiled, "Yes, such purity would aid me greatly."
Out of Lisa's gear, we fished out the large pouch. Danaska opened it and smiled.
"Such a treasure! You were correct in your statement of their purity. Only one shall I require, a seed from which my river can flourish."
Dawn cheeped and flew to the pouch. She plucked out a dark blue, nearly black, sapphire. She held it in one foot towards Set. Giving him instructions, he followed by firing the gem, burning anything off that might have tarnished it. Dawn inspected it. With a trumpet, she flew it to the river and dropped it in. Color nearly erupted from the spot. Adding her own gift, she showered the area in golden sparks. Lisa's body took on a blue-green glow.
"What kind of bird is she?" Danaska asked in a startled whisper.
"She's part phoenix," Alice informed her.
"Yes, rebirth, just what I needed. I will leave you now. Much, much work to do."
We said our good-byes. I got close to Lisa to keep her from falling out of the saddle. Danaska left as a glowing blue-green cloud and merged with the water of the river. Lisa swayed, but righted herself with little help. I warned my sisters to shield themselves as the land would press upon us again as we returned to normal time. We had just done so when noise and waves of emotions, sensations, and other things assaulted us. Even the soldiers reacted. We headed away from Orda at all speed. It was still early in the afternoon.
Janesh reported this event to the Crowns. They seemed astonished and somewhat aghast. They simply told the guards to get us to Crialas as soon as possible. We reached the place where they had planned to camp well before sunset. The guards huddled, discussing all that had happened. We received curious looks and odd stares.
"Must we get this every time something happens?" Gretta mentally asked, exasperation heard even in her mental voice.
"We are unique beings," I told her, "None have seen the likes of us for nearly half a millennium. Only legends remain of the last group of us. The stuff we're doing will become legend in time."
She and the rest nodded in agreement.
"We have had our whole lives to prepare for whatever was calling to us. We've had almost a year to get use to this partnership. They just met us a few days ago. It will take them time to understand that we are not showing off or trying to make ourselves important. We are not acting as they expect. Just as Kendar equated power with physical strength, they expect us to behave as if we have all the answers and they are idiots. They are waiting for us to put on airs," I explained.
It suddenly became clear why they stayed off from us, even Janesh and the first two still remained distant. We were guests of their royalty, but behaved, still, as peasant girls. They were very confused. We decided to end this tension. We went over to Janesh and the others.
"Royal Guards, we need to clear the air," Lisa announced.
Many rolled their eyes as if to say "Here it comes". We got comfortable to have an honest discussion. Once everyone was settled, we began.
"Good soldiers, we are sure you expected larger-than-life women with just as large egos. The fact is we have not made demands or asked for special treatment. This has confused you and made you doubt that we could help reverse the corruption of your kingdom," I calmly stated.
They looked at each other. Janesh spoke.
"You are correct. We expected people who acted superior, like some of our wizards and clerics in Crialas. The fact is you act so... normal. Even when gods and goddesses answer your call, you do not brag nor use it to promote yourselves. Yes, we have doubted that you could do anything until we saw it. Then, once done, no gloating, bragging, or puffing, as if nothing had happened.
"Plus, we assumed the legends had erred, that no one could be bound to a sword of evil without becoming evil themselves. We, now, understand that neither you nor the swords are evil. This has caused some of our confusion. Perhaps I can tell you what we fully expected. We arrived at the cloister expecting to find seven spoiled, evil, haughty women putting on a show. Rajar and his group still felt that way, especially after the dryad did her thing. They believed fey are evil, one of the false stories to explain the change. We have waited for you to show your 'true' selves, not realizing you had the whole time. We are sorry. I am glad you came over to straighten things out."
"Thank you," Lisa said as she saluted, "for your honesty. We have found that being open and honest, even when it means saying something unpleasant, to be the best way to deal with others, especially since we encounter some strange things."
"Like a dragon god watching over you? Or a sleeping dryad waking after you healed her tree? Or a goddess inhabiting your body to take us through a hostile town?" Janesh quizzed in a joking manner.
"Or, the fact we have an emperor dragon going through another growth spurt?" I added as I treated Set.
Silence.
"Oh, no, now what did I do?" I thought to no one in particular, feeling a wave of nerves.
"I don't know. You spoke the truth. Maybe they have never heard of an emperor," Set commented.
I relaxed a bit, realizing that they may not have understood what I said. As I was about to explain, one of the soldiers walked over and examined Set, stretching his wing to show the grey-black skin of his wing between the mossy-green bony part. She looked at his ram-like horns and rust-colored eyes. She stood and nodded to Janesh.
"We suspected that he was unique, but could not place it. Rana is our dragon expert. She is the only one who could verify what kind he was. We suspected a King, but not an Emperor."
The rest confirmed his statements. This began an open discussion of Leo, Falcon, Fire, Onyx, Summer Snow, and all the other dragons we had encountered. My riding set was examined.
When it was time to sleep, we were a much happier group.

Days 238-242 (216th-220th)

Day 238 (216th):
Before dawn, Set nudged me awake.
"They left. As soon as the sky lightened, they packed their stuff, got on their horses, and left. I was catching an underground rat and saw the whole thing."
I saw the truth of his words in the abandoned area of the shed. Vanity informed me they were very conflicted and had spoken with the King and Queen before packing and leaving.
"I think they spoke in code. Janesh said, 'It has happened.' The Queen told him, 'Proceed as instructed.' He acknowledged and they left. I was waiting to see if they might return when Set woke you. It does not look like they will be returning at all."
My sisters had woke while Vanity was speaking. They were just as confused as Vanity, Set, and I were. We could not understand why they would abandon us. The left behind emotions only spoke of confusion and doubt while their history just told us of duty and honor. We gathered our gear and got into the saddle. Their hoof prints were visible in the recently fallen snow. They were not headed west, but northwest, off the road. We did not follow them. We headed west, following the lightly covered road.
The sun was above the mountains when we felt many people advancing on us rapidly. We felt Janesh and the others at the front of the group. The tainted snow and land made reading them difficult. We did not stop. If they wanted to harm us, we were not going to make it easy for them. We did notice they split up. Some headed to the shed while others galloped along the road towards us.
A bit before mid-day, we saw them crest the hill behind us. We felt their urgency, but no indication of them wanting to hurt us. There was some anger, but mostly curiosity and confusion. We stopped and allowed them to catch up to us. Janesh was a bit angry, but kept it out of his voice.
"Sisters, why are you traveling alone? I left a detailed message for you to stay at that shed and wait for us. You could have run into trouble with no one to aid you."
We looked at each other in confusion. Lisa came forward.
"Janesh, Major, we saw no message. When we awoke, only your empty places were found. We have been abandoned before by someone meaning to trap us. That is why we headed out on our own."
Janesh looked at the other two. They confirmed that a message was written and left for us. Again, we told them we had not seen one. The group that had split off to go to the shed crested the hill at a full gallop. Their urgency glowed around them like fire. When they stopped, one handed Janesh a small bit of paper.
"It was all we could find, Major. A stray breeze must have blown it into the fire."
Janesh looked at it a moment then handed it to us. The palm-sized scrap only read, "Ladies, do not leave. We shall....." The rest was burned away. We accepted that they had tried to tell us, but chastised them a bit.
"You forgot that our swords see and hear everything while we sleep. You could have spoken your plan to them and they would have informed us."
Janesh and the other two smacked themselves on the forehead.
"You are right," he admitted, "We did forget. It is still too strange for us to deal with living swords. But, what is done is done. We are together now and can proceed to Crialas as a whole."
They formed ranks around us and we continued our journey. Janesh explained that the Crowns had instructed him, should we do something special, to get more guards from a nearby fort to assist them. Our encounter with Brimagor was just the thing. We didn't understand why we needed more guards after we proved ourselves than before, but accepted the additional company.
Leaving the mountains shrinking behind us, we continued west to Crialas. My sisters and our three original guards shared their perception of the short trip through kirlan. While they described the same pull I feel each time, their reactions were mixed. Some were frightened, some startled, and a few wanted to experience it again. I, jokingly, told them that all they had to do was become dragon riders and they could do it all the time. I got a collection of looks from amusement to outright horror. The new guards asked Janesh if I was serious. That caused an eruption of laughter.
"These Sisters seem unaccustomed to falsehood. While they will play along with someone else's lie, they themselves are painfully honest and forthright. While I am sure she was kidding, there is honesty in her statement," Janesh informed them.
This, also, caused odd looks our direction. Still, we rode towards the setting sun. We found a sheltered area just off the road and made camp. With a dozen soldiers plus us, the fire was larger as was our sleeping area. We talked, bringing the new guards us to date on our travels. They did not ask questions, they just listened to our tale. As we laid down to sleep, I could feel and see the turmoil of emotions as they sorted our their feelings about us.

Day 239 (217th):
Dawn had barely broken when we awoke to a sound like thunder. As we listened, we discovered it was made by a large number of hoof beats. It got louder as we broke camp and got into the saddle. As it did not seem to get closer, we came to the conclusion that this herd was going north or south.
A few miles later, we saw the evidence of the herd. Across the road lay a great churned-up path, marked with the split-hoof of some type of cattle. The depth of the tracks told us of large and heavy beasts. Anna's perception gave us the story.
"I don't know what they are called, but they are cattle of a sort. They are not native to this land or this realm. They crossed over in Crialas. Locals noticed that they can thrive even in harsh conditions where normal livestock perish. This herd was being driven to a place called Sand Wall as some kind of treaty or pact with another place called Linseed."
We all processed this information. Our guards told us that the two cities had been on the verge of war since the changes reached this area. Each blamed the other for their particular troubles. Some people in both cities had lost their lives to this argument. This trade, they concluded, must have been after a great deal of negotiation.
As we talked, Orda was discussed. We learned that Orda was the only place to cross a large river for a week in any direction. They reported that, when they had traveled through it, that chaos was the only rule. They were leery about taking us through it, but it was the quickest route. They told us we would be there in a few days.

Days 240-242 (218th-220th):
The journey to Orda was dreary. The increasing grayness of the landscape made it hard to take in the scenery. My sisters also found it hard going. Sarah spend a lot of it crying. Lisa adopted a stone face to mask her pain. Callie jumped every so often. She explained that the weakness looked like holes and she jerked when her horse stepped on solid ground where she saw a gaping hole. Gretta said it was so silent that any noise sounded amazingly loud. Anna and Alice were sadly silent, as the land's taint covered all but the freshest histories and most recent travelers. The soldiers understood our distress and did not press us. Set was also sad at having nothing to hunt and nothing to occupy his attention other than the itching of his growing skin and the cold of the cream I used to soothe it. Even the chaos we began to feel as we approached Orda was welcome relief to that emptiness.

Days 235 - 237 (213th - 215th)

Day 235 (213th):
We awoke to a cold dawn. Janesh got us up and moving in order to warm up. Mountains slowly rose from the snow-covered plains and forests. At first, it was hard to distinguish them from the rolling ground and snow shrouded tree tops. It was not until the sun was well above the tree line could we truly distinguish the mountains from the lower lands. To normal sight, the view was probably beautiful. To my sight, however, they looked dirty and stained. Janesh pointed to a gap in the mountains and informed us that Scarnac was between the two parts, "guarding" the gap. I could not see the town to distinguish it from the grayness around me. Set sneezed twice more before nightfall, but caused no damage. We found a shaded area to make camp where little snow had fallen due to the thick mass of dead vines and hanging limbs.

Day 236 (214th):
Our site protected us from a bitter morning. Still, we ate on the move, using motion to warm us and the horses.
Early in the afternoon, I felt something that prompted me to call a halt. Puzzled looks surrounded me. I pointed as I spoke.
"Several miles ahead, people are waiting for us, evil intent pours from them."
Janesh and company strained, but could see no one. On alert, we proceeded. Not a mile further, Sarah, Alice, Anna, and Gretta let out a combined gasp. Startled, Janesh whiled about, trying to find the cause of their shock. Seeing nothing, they looked at us to explain.
"People have been hurt here, many people, gravely wounded and killed," Sarah sobbed.
"Much property has been stolen, anything remotely of value," Gretta said softly, her hands over her heart and tears in her eyes.
"Desperate people," Alice chocked out, "acting out of a desperate situation. Too many days with too little food, drinking caught snow and unfrozen springs. They do not trust the snow on the ground."
Anna pointed at a bare spot that was flat, covered by less than an inch of snow, "Dirt and snow cover their victims. We are standing by graves."
Janesh and company looked at the spot and each other. They saluted the spot and told us to ride on. Out of sight, Janesh spoke up.
"So, that is the Sister Speak our royalty told us about. One train of thought from many lips, each from their unique point of view. Let us ride on and hope these bandits are too weak to put up a hard fight."
As we rode, Alice, Anna, and I kept a near continuous reporting of the area, the actions that had happened recently, and the bandits current positions. Janesh and the others tried to keep an outwardly calm appearance, but I could see their emotions racing as we closed the gap between us and the bandits.
When we reached their area, a weak shout brought our attention to about a dozen people emerging from the surrounding forest. They were thin, haggard, and many limped. They surrounded us, holding farm tools, broken swords, and poorly-fashioned weapons. One man stepped forward to speak.
"Hand over your goods and we shall let you live. Fight us and you will surely die."
Our soldiers appraised our "attackers". They came to the conclusion that the three of them could, easily, take all of these weakened peasants.
Sarah approached the speaker, "I am a healer. Let me treat your wounds in exchange for safe passage," she implored.
The bandits looked at each other. The speaker and two others spoke huddled together. When they parted, the speaker addressed us again, crossly.
"Lies will not save you. No one and nothing can heal us. The very land has cursed us. We are surrounded by poisoned food, undrinkable water, even our sleeping area is barely livable. Your insincere offer is declined."
Sarah searched for words, but retreated in silence. Lisa spoke to them harshly while comforting Sarah.
"Instead of trying to earn an honest living, you have resorted to a coward's living and blame the land for you lack. If I had the authority, I would clasp you in irons right now and march you to the nearest town."
The bandits looked at her for a moment, then burst into laughter. Her seriousness came across, to them, as funny since they felt they were in control.
As they laughed, Set and I felt more people racing towards us. They were coming from the town, not the woods. There was no evil preceding them. I felt strong emotions of protection and defense. We concluded that they were guards from Scarnac.
"Set, we need to keep these people busy so the guards can get here," I told him secretly.
"I can to that. They will pay attention to me," he responded as he took to the air.
True to his statement, the bandits focused solely on him. They tried to hit him with their weapons or rocks, but Set avoided it all easily.
While watching him and them, the guards crested the hill. The guards stopped and produced some sticks. They put these to their mouths. Suddenly, four bandits fell to the ground. The other bandits noticed their fallen and looked for the cause. Four more dropped. They, finally, noticed the guards and began running for the woods. They did not make it. The final four bandits fell in mid-run. We noticed some feathers sticking into the fallen bandits. The four guards rode to us, followed by a cage-like wagon pulled by a pair of horses. Two of the guards separated, dismounted, and began pulling the feathers out of the bandits. Set returned to our saddle as the other two approached. They saluted. One wearing a star spoke.
"Our scouts saw these people around this area. We got most traffic to go around them. You were spotted, so we got here as quickly as possible. They are unharmed, just asleep. These dart are covered with a potent sleeping potion. We are loading them up to take them to Scarnac, where we can deal with them properly. As you are royal guard, I am guessing you are headed to Crialas?"
We confirmed. They told us their outpost was just an hour's ride away. The bandits were hoisted into the cage wagon. The two with us began leading while the other two finished loading the last sleeping bandits. We heard the wagon creaking behind us.
We saw the outpost long before we reached it. It was dark when we got there. The wagon went behind the building. We would not see it nor the bandits again. We handed our mounts to another soldier who took them to a stable. Our guides showed us inside the outpost. Another guard asked for our gear to stow for the night. Reluctantly, we handed our gear to him, save our swords and companions. We continued to the dining hall, which was full of more soldiers. We were led to a nearly empty table.
"Get comfortable. Dinner is being served."
We sat down as the food was being served. As we ate, we were told the commander wanted to speak with us. The soldiers at our table spoke freely with us, even feeding Set, Dawn, and Bo from their plates.
A soldier offered to escort us to the commander at the end of our meal. Accepting, we followed him from the hall, through the bare corridors, to a single, plain door. The soldier knocked once. The door opened and an older officer looked at us. He dismissed our escort and told us to enter. He showed us to seats around a conference table. Without preamble, he launched into why he had asked us to see him.
"Scarnac is highly militant and very paranoid. We, at this base, are more lenient than those inside the city. I did that on purpose, since we interact more with the outlying communities than those in the city. I am telling you this for your own safety. The Royal Guards' authority is not recognized. These three cannot save you should anything happen. Most of you can go through there without incident. The bird and dragon must be hidden. They would attract too much and the wrong attention. The snake won't bring anything bad upon you. Purple and sea-green eyes must be hidden, as well as red hair. Actually, it may be best if all of you girls were similarly cloaked. Nuns and monks travel through Scarnac all the time and should be a good cover. We have some robes if you need them."
We thanked him for his concern, offer, and warnings. We informed him we could disguise ourselves and did not need his robes. Pleased that we understood the risks, he bid us good-night and summoned an escort to take us to our rooms. The guards were given one room while we seven had another. The bunks were comfortable enough that we didn't need our mats. We discussed Scarnac before going to sleep.

Day 237 (215th):
A horn startled us awake. It was just before dawn. We were getting dressed when a knock shook the door. The three guards entered, pleased to see us not still abed. We finished dressing as five soldiers entered to collect our gear and get our horses saddled. We were handed a traveling breakfast as we headed out.
At the threshold, large cloaks appeared upon us, mine and Alice's being larger to hide Set and Dawn. The guards and soldiers were surprised by this. The commander was pleased that we were heeding his warning. They apologized for not having spare horses. We told them not to worry about such small things. In parting, we spoke a blessing over the soldiers and the outpost. I could see a subtle change as we turned to head to Scarnac.
The closer we got, the stronger Scarnac's presence pressed upon my senses. My sisters also felt it. We told Janesh that we were pulling our senses inward to prevent injury. He didn't quite understand, but said he agreed. By the time we entered the gates, we were down to a sliver of perception. Still, the city pressed hard and cold. The strictness of the place drained all color from my sight. Everything was awash in shades of gray, including the people. No one laughed. Very few spoke. For a town this large, it was strangely quiet. Our horses' hooves sounded loud in that stillness. Our procession was watched by nearly every eye, from nearly every door, window, and gate.
We had been in Scarnac for a few hours when several soldiers stopped us. Their uniforms were similar to Janesh's and the other Royal Guards. Odd additions made a noticeable difference.
"Hold! What business do you have here? You know that you have no authority here. State your business."
As Janesh explained that we were just passing through on the way to Crialas, all but the leader encircled us, looking at us critically. Mentally, we told Set and Dawn to be as still as possible. The leader pondered Janesh's statement as a crowd began to form. I kept my head down and avoided eye contact. The other soldiers formed a living barrier between us and the citizens. Before their leader could come to a decision, a shout came from the crowd.
"Make way for his Holiness! Make way! Make way for his Holiness!"
From the crowd, more soldiers appeared, followed by a man in ornate robes and a very fancy hat. Everyone bowed. The robed man approached the leader of the soldiers.
"Good work, captain. Very good, indeed. The Order felt a strange energy enter our city. Several of us were sent to find it. I have been following it for some time."
The captain bowed again. The new soldiers joined the others in the circle around us. The citizens were many paces away, encircling all of us. The robed man turned to us and eyed us critically.
"The Crowns' lap dogs are not the source."
Our three guards and their horses were separated from us. The circle tightened.
"Seven young ladies. Where are you headed?" he asked no one in particular.
"To Crialas, you Holiness," Sarah quickly responded.
"Crialas, eh? Are you to meet the Crowns?" he asked us as if talking to idiots.
"Yes, your Holiness," we responded, accidentally, in unison.
He stepped back, "My, your order must be strict if you can respond like that. I suppose your mission is to try to heal the land. Am I correct?"
"Yes, your Holiness," we, again, said in unison.
He laughed, "Strict, but naive. I guess no one told you what the Crowns do to young maidens?"
"Spare them your lies!" Janesh ordered from behind the robed man, "Your wild stories will not sway them."
The robed man laughed again, "See how thoroughly the Crowns have corrupted them. They plan even worse for you, ladies. You are destined to be sacrificed."
Gasps came from the crowd. He walked around us, inside the circle of soldiers.
"I am wondering why they have called for you lot? Someone here radiates strange energy. Maybe I can save the Crowns some time and find out who has real power? Let us see."
He approached Lisa, "No, this one is not it."
Lisa, Bo, and her horse were moved over to Janesh and company. He went over to Alice.
"Faint, but not the one."
Alice, Dawn, still hidden, and her horse joined the others. He culled out Callie, Gretta, and Anna in a similar manner. The circle tightened after each girl left. Now, they stood nearly shoulder to shoulder around this man, Sarah, Set, still hidden, and myself plus our horses.
"One of you two is the source. Hm, which one? You both feel odd, but one far more than the other. Separate them," he ordered the soldiers.
The circle became two, one around each of us. Parted so, the robed man zeroed in on me.
"This one, she is the source," he announced.
Sarah was allowed to join the rest. I was doubly circled by the other soldiers. I still had my head down, staring at my horse's head with my hood blocking their view. He tried to peer around it.
"What kind of maiden hides so?" he pondered aloud.
"Let me flame him. We can go then," Set insisted.
"No, we have to get out without harming anyone. We don't want to give them reasons to hurt us or anyone else," I mentally explained. Vanity vibrated in agreement.
"Child," the man interrupted, "are you having some sort of internal conversation?"
"Um, yes?" I replied, trying to avoid the whole truth.
That caused a great murmuring among the citizens. He called for quiet then turned back to me.
"Do you hear voices and see strange visions?" he asked with serious and genuine concern.
Still staring at my horse's head, I told him I did. The crowd began, again, with shouts of "Possessed!" and "Purify her!" heard plainly. He, again, called for silence. Several hands pulled my cloak off with a jerk, revealing Set, my purple eyes, red hair, and sword. A massive gasp went through the crowd, the soldiers, and the robed man. Set jumped on the saddle to put himself between me and this man, hissing and growling as well as shooting small flames towards him. The man regained his composure.
"Now I see, since the Crowns have forsaken the heavens, they turn to the Abyss for aid. None of you shall reach Crialas. Seize them!"
Before a step could be taken, a great shadow fell over the city. Many looked up and fainted. A strong wind beat down on all of us in pulses. I looked up and saw a familiar dragon's belly, but could not place who it was until he looked down.
"Brimagor!" I exclaimed involuntarily.
More people fainted.
"Brimagor?" the man asked, "The dragon god? You are truly evil if he is here for you. Kill her, now!"
The soldiers, those who found their nerve, advanced on me with drawn weapons. I felt the familiar pull into kirlan and flowed with it.
Upon arriving at our destination, I saw we were still heading west and the mountains were, now, far behind us. My sisters, the guards, Set, and all of our gear were there as well. Many paces from us, a smaller Brimagor landed in the snow.
"Well, that was interesting. Is everyone alright?"
We looked at each other, assessing each other's health and mental state.
"Yes, we're fine," Sarah informed him.
"Good, some have had bad reactions to being taken through kirlan, especially without warning or preparation."
"Excuse me," Janesh managed to speak, "What just happened? Where is Scarnac? Where are we?"
"I understand your confusion. Scarnac is three days ride to the east. I sensed Kayla's distress and watched closely. When it became obvious she was in danger, I intervened. I applaud you all for not using the swords against them, as that chaos would have caused untold damage."
"Sir," I politely interrupted, "How did you know I was in distress? I'm glad you did, but I am confused."
Brimagor chuckled, "Kayla, I am with you always. The bracelet I made for you links us. Through it, I can see and hear what you are doing. Watch."
I looked at the eye-like stone in the center ring. It darkened, then Brimagor's eye blinked at me through the ring. I looked back at him in surprise. He chuckled again.
"I began watching you from the outpost. Your normal confidence was faltering and it troubled me. I kept watch, hoping that no harm would come to you or that I would not have to aid you. The holy man who confronted you had designs to 'purify' you, which, I was told, few survive. That was when I appeared, hoping to scare them into releasing all of you. When he called for your death, I knew just hovering overhead was not enough, so I snatched you."
"While I appreciate being rescued," Janesh spoke up, "but why only three days? You are a god, why not all the way to Crialas?"
Brimagor gave him a hard look. Sighing a stream of smoke, he responded, "We gods have agreements. Since Crialas Kingdom is not my territory, I have little influence here. I can only do the minimum to save you from harm. A three day head start, if they choose to pursue you, in an unknown direction, should keep you from harm."
Janesh sheepishly accepted his explanation. We bid Brimagor good-bye and he took off. He had saved us several hours of travel just in this day, so we still have a few hours before sunset to continue our journey.
Fortunately, we happened upon an unused shed that was snow-free. The guards did not speak to us. They found the furthest wall away from us to lay their bedrolls. We did not press them, so they could sort out the storm of emotions they were feeling. We all went to bed in silence.

Days 233 - 234 (211th - 212th)

Day 233 (211th):
A sound knock awoke us. Lisa opened the door to find Rajar and Janesh standing at our door.
"We are packed, Majors," Lisa reported crisply, "We shall be down momentarily."
Rajar humphed while Janesh nodded and said, "Your horses are saddled and waiting. Please, be as swift as you can."
We promised to be quick and they marched away. The door closed and our traveling clothes appeared upon our bodies. We laughed at our "swiftness" and grabbed our gear. I thought about taking us through kirlan, but dismissed it as showing off and we walked quickly down to the front of the cloister.
Rajar was still giving instructions to his officers when we arrived. While his face was unchanged, I saw his attitude shift between surprise and annoyance.
"He commented to others that seven girls would take 'forever' to be ready and is annoyed that he was wrong," Alice mentally informed us.
Janesh was pleased at our speed and tried to aid us into our saddles, but we got there before him. Rajar's mirth at Janesh's failed chivalry broke through his stone-faced mask.
"These are not courtly women, Janesh. They fend for themselves. I have even heard they are killers, having slain an assassin and a King," Rajar teased Janesh, "When we get home, you can have all your courtly women to flex and preen before when they praise you. Let us be on the road."
Rajar's group were on our right. Janesh's formed up on our left. We seven rode in no particular order. We heard the cloister's bells ring far behind us as we headed to Crialas.
As we rode, I noticed the shifting emotions from our escorts. Most found this duty beneath them, but reminded themselves that the Royal Couple had ordered this and resolved to fulfill their duty. One kept returning to Rajar's comment about us being killers and watched us warily. I, finally, got bored with their inner debate and watched the countryside as we rode. The cleaned area was huge as we did not reach the perimeter until early evening. The contrast was a shock. Even the soldiers remarked about the perfect edge formed in the snow.
An evergreen tree straddled the perimeter. One side was thick, full, and a rich green. The other was thinly covered, patches gone, and more brown than green. Sarah felt bad for the tree and galloped over to it, in spite of our escort's protests. She jumped off her horse and gave the tree a great hug. I could see her pouring all she had into it, willing and wishing it to be whole and healthy. While she managed to regrown a bit of it, she would not do it all alone. Drawing swords, we pointed them at Sarah and gave her our aid. The soldiers gasped when they saw the sickly side erupt with new growth. Neither Sarah nor we quit until every needle of that tree was strong and healthy.
It was decided, by whom I don't know, to make camp inside the perimeter, saving the crossing for dawn. Sarah was spent, leaning on her horse for support as we walked away from the tree to our emerging campsite. No one spoke to us. We were given food and water by silent elves. Their minds, however, were a hive of thoughts, buzzing about in near chaos.
After sunset, while light was still in the sky, we felt a presence approach us. The soldiers noticed us looking the same direction and followed suit. They drew weapons as a beautiful woman entered the light of our fire.
"You don't need those," she told them in a voice as soft as rustling leaves.
They fought her influence, but failed. Weapons clattered as unresponsive hands dropped to their sides.
"That's better. Sit now, I wish to talk with these ladies," she gently ordered.
The male soldiers sat immediately. The female soldiers fought to remain standing, but could not and sat beside their fellows. Satisfied that they would not interrupt, she turned to us.
"I wanted to thank you. I have been asleep since the sickness reached this area. The healing of half of my tree woke me, but I have been in pain from the other half. It is probably my pain that drew you to me. Now that my tree is healthy, I have the strength to venture out and continue the healing. Many will benefit from this, I promise."
"You are welcome," Sarah blurted, "I did feel your pain and knew it had to be healed. I'm just glad my sisters trust me to know I wasn't being foolish."
We and the dryad laughed. Her laughter sounded like rain hitting a canopy of leaves. The soldiers continued to watch in silence. We asked if she had need of anything.
"With a healthy tree, I have all I need. Safe journey, Sisters. By your hands, this land will thrive."
She walked into the growing darkness. I felt her until the instant she went into her tree. At that moment, the soldiers were released from her magic and in control of themselves again. Rajar fumed, as did his group. Janesh and his conversed in whispers, occasionally looking at us over each others' heads. Spent, Rajar and company said a terse good-night and went to their bedrolls. We decided to turn in as well. Janesh and his two were still talking when we went to sleep.

Day 234 (212th):
"Awake now!" exploded in my head.
I rose up to find Rajar and company slinking through the flickering light of the dying fire. Evil intent hung over them.
I raised my hand and said, "Freisia, si es discora."
They became still. My words had woken the other soldiers and my sisters. Janesh stoked the fire until we could clearly see the other three. They were not just standing like someone caught in the act of a crime, but were actually frozen in the position they were in when I spoke. Try as they might, the trio could not move an inch beyond that position. Fortunately for them, they had both feet on the ground when they froze.
Janesh spoke to Rajar harshly, "Major Rajar Skyflame! Explain yourself!"
Rajar tried to speak, but could not move lips or jaw to respond. Janesh turned towards me and indicated for me to release them.
I raised my hand and spoke, "No freisia."
The trio stumbled as they were set free. Janesh's party clasped irons on them to prevent them from fleeing or fighting. Janesh stood, waiting for Rajar's explanation. Rajar struggled against the irons for a moment, then began his tirade.
"We were going to kill them. Can't you see that they are too dangerous to allow in the presence of our royalty? That...that thing from the tree! It bewitched us! Made us slaves to its will! If they release such a creature upon our King and Queen, who knows what damnation shall follow? Release me so we can end their threat and chop down that fiend-infested tree!"
Janesh said nothing. Rajar continued to curse us, our swords, our birth places, and parents. Finally, when he could speak no more, Rajar looked at Janesh, pleading with his eyes. Janesh, still and silent the entire time, fished a clam-like case from his belt pouch.
"It grieves me to do this, but I must report your activities to our King and Queen. They will decide your fate."
Rajar croaked a protest as Janesh opened the case and touched some points inside it. As he did, we seven gathered behind him to see at what he was looking. Another elvish soldier appeared in the mirror-like interior of the case.
"Royal Palace of Crialas, state your business," his voice sounded small from the case.
"Major Janesh Waterdancer to speak with the Royal Couple immediately," Janesh responded.
"You realize the earliness of the day, Major? They are still asleep," the other chastised.
"It is highly important. It concerns the Seven Sisters," Janesh countered.
"Oh! I see! Yes, right away, Major," the other soldier disappeared and only a curtain was visible.
A moment later, two tired-looking elves entered the mirror's area.
"Janesh? What's wrong? Why are you rousing us?" the male of the pair spoke roughly.
"My pardons, you Majesty, but three of your guards have attempted to take the lives of the Sisters," Janesh sadly reported.
This woke the pair fully, "They tried what? Why?" demanded the King.
Rajar began hoarsely yelling, "They summoned unnatural creatures! They are dangerous and must be destroyed!"
The couple looked at each other. There was no sound as they spoke. After a few silent minutes, they turned back to face us.
"Major Janesh, those three are to go to Neratal. There, they will be dealt with accordingly. Rajar Skyflame, you and your fellows are ordered to report to Neratal as soon as possible. If you are not there by the end of the week, you will be hunted down and killed if need be. You are keeping your ranks, for now. Any other mischief from you and that will be removed," the King ordered through the case, "You are to leave where you are now and proceed to Neratal."
The irons were removed and the trio gathered their gear and mounted their horses. With one last look of pure hate, they rode off to the north.
"Major," the Queen spoke at last, "please explain the events that prompted their actions."
Janesh told them about the tree, our actions, the dryad, her effect on them, and her promise. The Royal Pair spoke to each other again, without sound projected to us. They reached some sort of conclusion and, again, the Queen spoke to us.
"Major, please tell the ladies the full truth of how our land became like this. Leave nothing out. Hopefully, they can use that knowledge to aid in our recovery."
"Yes, you Majesty. We shall be to Crialas at all speed," Janesh bowed to the case and closed it.
As we gathered our things, mounted our horses, and had a ration breakfast, Janesh told his tale.
"I am not sure what you were told, but this is the full truth. Crialas was founded with permission from all the Mortal Realm powers on top of a naturally occurring portal to other realms. From Crialas, one can travel to places of wonder and horror. Every year, the King, Queen, or pair renews the contract with the other powers. This keeps the other realms from bleeding into this one. Only blood kin to the original founders can renew this pact. When they, then Prince and Princess, disappeared in Brimgrove, that left only the ailing King to continue the agreement. At his passing, the chancellor tried to explain to the powers the problem we were facing. They did understand, but would not modify the arrangement. High and low, all Crialas was searched for any remaining kin the the original Fifteen. Those that claimed they were kin were not accepted by the powers and could not renew the pact. This made finding our King and Queen even more important.
"When the first year without the renewal passed, no one but the most sensitive noticed a change. It was not until almost a decade has passed before real concern was evident among the people. This is when the wild stories began and the blaming started. Beyond Crialas, all was unchanged. Audoahrn remained untouched for nearly fifty years after the last renewal was performed. The edges did not see any problem for about one hundred years. Since the change was so slow, no one noticed until something radical happened. Fountains spewing blood, mud, or something vile. Cattle, sheep, or other livestock being born with some deformity. Crops growing strangely or not at all. These were the usual indicators of a problem. By the time the outlying areas noticed something odd, the stories and theories rampant in Crialas seemed logical and plausible. Some places cast out all but elves. Some imposed nigh impossible rules and codes of conduct. Some became extremely militant and tyrannical. A few went the other way, embracing the change as something holy and gave themselves mind, body, and soul to it. Those places are avoided by just about everyone else. We are also avoiding most of them. Unfortunately, we have to travel through Scarnac and Orda. One is militant while the other has given in to the change. Our royalty hopes you can do here what you accomplished in Selvis. Starlight is certain you can. The dryad from that tree is the first fey any have reported seeing in almost two hundred years. Our royalty has called, summoned, and invoked every power they could name. Not a one responded. Either they sleep like that dryad said she did, or they have left and cannot return."
Janesh became silent, radiating pain of failure and lost hope. The other two mirrored his emotions. We rode a couple of miles in silence, allowing them to compose themselves. As Rajar had woke us before dawn, this silent time was a dawn ride.
We had left the cleaned perimeter during Janesh's tale. Sarah closed some to handle the shock of re-entering the taint. Lisa cringed a bit. Set was sad at the loss of "furries" outside the perimeter as was Dawn. Bo, again, was hard to read.
Janesh coughed to gain our attention, "Ladies, to your right is Nelac, a town we shall avoid at all costs. I will save you the details of that place."
Looking in the direction he indicated, I saw a town with a great shroud over it, the snow was grey around it. Set sniffed the air. He twitched and shuddered.
"Kayla, I need to sneeze, badly."
"Take off, fly from the horses so nothing bad happens," I instructed him.
He jumped from the saddle. Janesh and company looked at him oddly. When they turned to me, I explained. We watched him spin and roll in the air. Finally, he let loose a "pow" that sent him straight backwards, shooting a ball of flame forward. We could not help but laugh. Set returned to our saddle.
"That was not fun. I hope not to do that again."
Out loud, I said, "If you need to, just take off. We don't need any hard feelings because of an accident."
The others agreed. We joked about future occurrences and possible outcomes of those times. It made the time pass much more pleasantly.
We passed another couple of towns before sunset. Choosing a spot out of sight of any town, we set up camp. As we shared rations, the question was voiced about why the theories began.
"Outside of the palace, very few people knew about the ritual. To tell people that something was not done that they never knew was done in the first place would do no good. We tried to explain as best we could, but it was for naught. Since the change was so gradual, they did not know that what they saw as a sudden event has actually begun years earlier. They focused on what was different today as opposed to yesterday. People were killed. Animals slaughtered. Property destroyed. All in an attempt to return to what they believed was normal yesterday. When that didn't work, they went back further, exiling or killing whole races, eliminating untold property and livestock, and, some, imposed massive rules to try and keep their version of order while the ones who gave into the chaos became anarchists, disposing of rules completely."
We could tell this upset him and his group. He composed himself and continued.
"People begged the Palace for aid. The chancellor tried to explain about the ritual, the Mortal Realm powers, and all. They refused his explanation. Crialas became nearly abandoned. Those who did not believe him left and refused the authority of the chancellor and Palace. Each city has become an authority in itself, ruling independently of the Palace. This is also why we are avoiding nearly every city. Some would hang us as traitors at worst while, at best, we would be denied in others."
We accepted his explanation. By now, it was late, so we settled in to sleep. The guards were leery about having no one on watch until we reminded them of seven entities who never sleep.

Day 232 (210th)

Day 232 (210th):
When the bells rang, we were a little confused. A look out our small window revealed not a setting sun but a rising one. The swords confirmed that we had slept through dinner and the whole night. Set also said it was so. We straightened our clothes and headed to the dining hall. We saw the other clerics as they walked around us. Their auras were bright and clean, with no trace of the shadows that had marred them since our arrival. Alice confirmed everyone in the ritual had slept as we had.
The hall was buzzing. Everyone was speaking about how much better they felt, how different the building and town felt, even the weather seemed better. Some of the transformed clerics had returned during the night and were recounting their brief experience as animals. The noise died when Lord Bishop and a female cleric entered and stood by his table. She was wearing the Lady Bishop mantle. While she was familiar, we could not remember her name. Lord Bishop spoke.
"Brothers and sisters, please sit. I can trust that everyone who took part in the ritual is as well rested as I."
Giggles peppered the assembly.
"Since I had announced I would introduce a new Lady Bishop last night, I thought it was better now since I could not at dinner. So, to make it official, Sister Cypress has accepted the mantle as our new Lady Bishop."
She stood to thunderous applause. Her aura was a clean yellow with the thinnest of white pride and no hardness at all. It was definitely better than the last Lady Bishop's aura. Everyone accepted her easily. She sat down, as did Lord Bishop, and the food was served.
While we were ravenous, we ate at a sociable pace. A note was handed to us, telling us our escorts were arriving tonight to take us to Crialas. We would have time to meet them before heading out.
Once dismissed, we took a look around the cloister and some of the town. The tree, though bare, still radiated with magic. The people walking around were happy and seemed healthier and more at ease than when we arrived. We also noticed a marked increase in animal life. Even with the snow on the ground, we saw squirrels, mice, birds, and even spotted a deer out beyond the edge of town.
Back inside, we returned to our room to get everything ready for tomorrow. Set needed tending as he was showing signs of a new growth spurt. We had started in our room, but my supply of cream wasn't enough for today or our travels. Set and I went to the apothecary while my sisters fanned out to refill other supplies and check on various tasks.
At the apothecary, I showed the cleric the cream and explained its use. Fortunately, a list of ingredients was clearly written on the bottom of the container. She set to work making more as I used what little I had on Set. He purred and cooed as I worked it into the stretching scaleless skin. Two men came running in as I worked. They stood in silence, watching both me and Set. One produced a flute and began piping in pitch with Set's noises. The other revealed paper and coal and scribbled furiously after every utterance from Set. When we were done, Set looked at the men and growled low in his chest, which resulted in more scribbling and left the flutist baffled. He tried playing as low a note as the flute would produce, but it was nowhere near the deep tones Set made.
While his body was growling, he asked, "What are they doing? I don't like to be mocked. Make them stop or I will bite and flame them."
"Easy, Set," I said out loud, "I am sure these gentlemen meant no harm and are not mocking you."
"No, no, young emperor, we are the music instructors at the cloister. Our practice room is next door. We were doing musical scales when we heard these otherworldly sounds. We though our fellows were pulling a joke on us. When we heard it from this direction, we grabbed what was at hand: flute, paper, and coal. We raced to find the source. To our delight, we found it to be you," the scribe told us in wide-eyed excitement.
Set cocked his head and pondered this information.
He, then, turned to me, eyes beginning to tear up, "I don't understand. Did I do bad? Am I in trouble?"
I held my growing charge tight and explained to him out loud so everyone would understand.
"You are not in trouble. You did nothing wrong. These men make music. The noises you make, they like them. So much so, they want to copy them with their noisemakers. They want to make dragon music," I explained as I rocked Set in my lap.
Huddled against me, I felt his emotions swirl around each other. The men did not speak, to keep from upsetting him further. Through the apothecary's window, Dawn squeezed in and landed near Set and I. She regarded the situation and began a beautiful song. Both men leaped into action, grabbing more paper and writing furiously. Set watched as I explained to him alone.
"Your noises and Dawn's singing are new to them. They want to be able to hear them when we are not here. If they write it down, they can play it back whenever they want."
Set thought some more as he watched Dawn sing for the men. When he realized her singing made them happy and his noises also made them happy, he nuzzled my cheek and pulled out of my arms.
"I will sing for them so they can make happy dragon music. When Dawn is finished, I will sing."
"I am glad you understand. Sing something simple. Dawn's song is wearing them out."
The men's hands were nearly useless when Dawn was finished. Rubbing them, they examined their writing. They seemed pleased.
"Set," began the flutist, "could you sing for our class? I'm sure they would love to hear it. You, too, Dawn. No one should miss out."
The apothecary said it would take a while for the cream to be usable, so we had time to go to their music lesson. Still holding Set, I followed the clerics to the next room. Dawn walked behind me.
We entered a quiet room. All eyes were on us as we proceeded to the front of the room. I felt like hiding, but pushed through that feeling knowing that Set and Dawn were the stars, not I.
"Brothers and sisters," the flutist began, "those noises we heard were from this young dragon. The other music, I am sure you all heard, was from this fine bird. Everyone, get out your writing tools. Set is going to since a dragon song for us."
The other clerics scrambled to get their tools as I placed Set on the instructor's table. He stretched and got himself comfortable. When everyone was ready, the scribe turned to Set.
"Whenever you are ready," he said and backed away to another table and sat down.
Set took a few deep breaths then began. The notes he made took everyone by surprise, to the point a few forgot to write. Fortunately, they snapped out of it and began furiously writing the representation of Set's melody. He kept it simple, a lullaby of sorts, and repeated it twice. At the end, the dozen or so clerics rose and applauded thunderously. A few passers-by clapped from the doorway.
Set looked at me, "Are they happy? Did I do good?"
"Yes, they are very happy. You did wonderful. They will try very hard to imitate you with their instruments. They may have to make new instruments just to get the sound right," I told him mentally.
As they settled down, Dawn flew up onto the table by Set. The scribe got every one's attention and told them it was Dawn's turn. Dawn fluffed her feathers and began a slow, melancholy song. Many were wiping their eyes as they copied the sad notes.
Dawn finished to dead silence. So moved were they that not a one uttered a sound.
Set looked at them all and began to panic, "What's wrong? What's wrong? Are they mad? Are they hurt? What are they so still? Kayla, I'm scared. I don't understand."
I picked him up and held him as I showed him the emotions they were feeling, that Dawn's music had stirred.
"You are too young to know real sadness and pain. Dawn's song has awoke memories of old losses and forgotten sorrow. They will be fine, but they must reface that pain and deal with it anew."
As they recovered, they clapped sporadically. The two instructors excused everyone to take a short break. They filed out like ghosts, barely aware of their surroundings or each other. When the room was empty, the instructors faced us.
"How can she do that? King's birds are not known for stirring people with their songs. How?" the flutist asked, trying to clear his pain out of his throat.
"She is also part phoenix, sir. A parent of her parent was a phoenix. It is also where her sparks come from, a diminished form of phoenix fire," I informed them both.
Dawn shook, sending those sparks harmlessly over the table and all of us. Set and I laughed, but the two clerics were startled. They tried to catch them, but they vanished in their hands.
"Remarkable. We will be hard pressed to reproduce these sounds. I am not sure our instruments have that range," the flutist commented.
He picked up several instruments that were lying around. None could go as low as Set nor as high as Dawn.
As he was testing, I felt four dragons with riders approaching. Set felt them, too. I reached out and found our dragon rider cleric plus others we knew were on their way to the cloister. In moments, I had informed them of what had happened here. They told me they suspected as much and to get Lord and Lady Bishop to meet them in the courtyard.
I excused myself from the two men, grabbed Set and Dawn, found kirlan, and appeared in Lord Bishop's office. The new Lady Bishop shrieked when she saw us appear out of nowhere. Lord Bishop, startled by her scream, instinctively ducked. Seeing it was only us, he laughed.
"It must be very important. What is it now?" he asked as he reassured Lady Bishop that all was well.
"Four riders are approaching to confer with Lord and Lady Bishop about the change in this area," I told them somewhat formally.
Lady Bishop looked out the window that allowed a view of the main roads into and out of town.
She turned, rather puzzled, "I see no one. Is this a vision?"
"No, they are near. They are not on the roads but in the sky. They are dragon riders, like me," I stated as a matter-of-fact.
They were both dumbstruck. As they tried to find their voices, the two music instructors ran in, flinging the door wide.
"My lord! Kayla disappeared! We looked down a moment and ..." they stopped when they saw all three of us here, "But ... we ... you ... how?" they stammered.
"That will have to wait," I told them, "we have company to greet."
Outside, screams and other noises heralded the four riders as they settled into the courtyard. Lord and Lady Bishop, the music instructors, and I, with Set and Dawn near and on me, went out to greet them.
In the courtyard, I found my sisters already there and chatting with the cleric, our male dwarf friend, a female elf, and a woman who's race I did not know. They stopped talking as we approached. The four riders bowed to the Bishops. The elf addressed them.
"Lord and Lady Bishop, we were sent to investigate the pleasant change our clerics felt in this area. Kayla has informed us of what took place here. We offer the alliance of Demagram to you, your clerics, this cloister, and town."
The Bishops struggled for words as the cloister emptied to study the arrivals. People from the town also came to see who they were and determine if they were a threat.
Lord Bishop finally found his voice, "Riders, we are greatly touched by your offer. I cannot speak for the townspeople, but we, the cloister, accept you alliance and welcome you all."
An old man with long white hair approached, "As the elder of this village, I accept the riders' alliance and welcome them to Aurdoahrn."
A great cheer went up and people came forward to see, touch, and speak with the dragons and riders. The music instructors talked about Set's singing, which elicited a chuckled from the riders. The rider cleric, who was the tallest person there, got every one's attention.
"Two of your clerics mentioned dragon song. For them, and all of you, we would like to show you what dragons can do when they put their hearts into it."
He motioned for everyone to get comfortable. Snow was cleared from benches and blankets were laid to protect them from the cold ground. Set and I were asked to join. We were to sing the song in the common language, then the dragons would repeat it in true draconian. It was a simple song, one that thanked the elements for their gifts and all they provide. When the dragons took it up, everyone was mesmerized. Their deep voices rumbled the ground, causing snow to sift off trees and other things. The people sitting on the ground nearly jumped when they realized they were moving slightly. The song finished and the audience was silent. They waited for the vibrations to die away before cheering. The lunch bells interrupted the cheers and the riders were invited to join the cloister for lunch. The townspeople returned to their previous activities. The stable master offered to house the dragons, but he was informed that dragons tended themselves and they took off to claim their own lunch.
We all proceeded into the cloister and entered the dining hall. Lord Bishop informed those who had not gone outside of our new arrivals and the alliance with Demagram. I could see the doubt around many as they worried about the meaning of all of this. There was still the belief that the troubles the kingdom was experiencing were the result of "unclean" outsiders and "foreign" magics. It was explained to the riders, who understood and promised to behave appropriately. They sat at our table.
As we ate, the fourth rider kept drawing my attention. I could not understand why. She was attractive, but it was not her appearance that drew me. Finally, I could not keep silent any longer.
"Excuse me," I mentally spoke to her, "I do not mean to be rude, but I feel a bond between us. You are fey of some kind? Fear not to speak, these words are between you, me, my sword, and my dragon only."
She blushed a bit, then nodded as she replied, "You are perceptive, Kayla. My mother was a dryad. My father was half-elf. They met when a storm damaged my mother's tree. He had a stately oak near his home that she bonded with in order to heal. They fell in love and I was born. She lived with him until his death. She left the mortal world and became one with her tree. Every new owner of my old home makes a pledge not to damage it for her sake. I visit when I can."
I thanked her for her honesty and promised not to say a word.
As the meal was winding down, odd noises were heard down the corridor. A small herd of sheep, some donkeys, and a collection of other animals ran into the dining hall. They stopped and looked around. Spying the riders, they raced in our direction. Clerics ran, jumped, and fell in every way to avoid them. We drew our swords and stepped between the animals and riders. They skidded to a stop on the stone floor. They began a cacophony of noise, very angry from the sound of it.
"What is this, ladies?" the rider cleric asked, "I have never seen animals behave this way. They seem to behave as a group, almost an angry mob."
"You are more correct than you realize, Duncan. These are the clerics who sought to take our swords, destroy their holy book, take over the cloister, and kill the Lord Bishop and Oracle," I informed him as we continued to keep the animals at bay.
"So, even as animals, they seek to remove our influence from 'their' cloister," Maudrin, the male dwarf, observed, "How stubborn of them. Are you sure they aren't dwarfs?"
His comment caused another loud round of noise from them. The birds made to attack over us, but the force of the swords kept them from doing harm.
Lord Bishop, with Lady Bishop huddled behind him, marched over to this confrontation.
"See here!" he barked, "You are still clerics of this order. You are still under our authority. Leave now or you may face further punishment."
The animals regarded him and his words for a moment. It seemed the whole room held its breath. One donkey stepped forward, looked Lord Bishop in the eye, and "hee-hawed" loudly in his face. The other animals, also, made rude noises or displays.
I think I felt it before anyone else, an increase in the air pressure of the room. I looked for the source and spotted Sis. Willow by the high table, but something was different. She walked stiffly towards us. She was nearly upon us when I realized her eyes were solid black. She raised both hands, palms together, level to her shoulders. Slowly, she moved one hand apart while the other was still. The animals slid backwards as if pushed or drug. When a large enough space separated us, Sis. Willow walked between us and faced the animals. We lowered our swords but did not sheath them.
"Hear my words and know Lor-O-Va speaks," a powerful male voice echoed from Sis. Willow's thin frame, "You have already received punishment from betraying your faith and seeking power over your fellow clerics. Give me just cause as to why I should not remove your mortal minds and leave you as animals all of your days."
Lor-O-Va waited for a response. The silent animals looked at each other. The same donkey as before made to kick Sis. Willow's body, but encountered a barrier that caused it to jerk as if struck by lightning and collapsed on the floor, dead and smoldering.
"Does anyone else wish to attack me?" Lor-O-Va said almost with humor.
The animals, plus everyone else in the room, were shocked into silence. A couple of sheep stepped forward, bowed as best they could, and made some noises that, apparently, Lor-O-Va understood. With a wave, they became clerics again and rejoined the cloister. A few other animals followed suit and were restored. Less than half of those that had entered remained animals. When no more approached, Lor-O-Va passed sentence.
"You show no remorse, no sign of apology or regret. Therefore, I remove the part that was once elf, gnome, halfling, or any other race and commit you to an animal's existence. By my will, it is done."
Lor-O-Va clapped once. I watched the intelligent spark vanish from the eyes of the animals. The birds flew off in panic, searching for the closest open window. The rest were taken by the other clerics and escorted out. The dead donkey was also removed. Lor-O-Va nodded once at me. I sheathed Vanity and reached Sis. Willow just as he left her. She nearly dropped into my embrace. I helped her sit as she succumbed to unconsciousness. Sarah was beside her in a flash, checking mind and body.
Lord Bishop excused the remaining clerics, telling them "No mass today."
Lady Bishop barely kept from fainting, but sat off to the side as we tended Sis. Willow and explained things to the riders. They decided to head back to Demagram to report and finalize the alliance. We went back to the courtyard and bid them farewell.
We watched the animals that were once clerics being given to some locals or being put to work at the cloister. I felt bad that they could not admit their error and be forgiven. Those who had changed back were recovering from their time as animals and being, slowly, reintroduced to cleric life. Even though they had been animals less than two days, the effect appeared profound. We found many examining themselves in reflections, as if making sure they were no longer animals.
Sis. Willow had been taken to the infirmary as we had said good-bye to the riders. We all went in to check on her. I knew she would want to talk with me, as the only other person to have hosted a god. In the infirmary, Sis. Willow was the only patient. She was awake, but seemed disoriented. When she saw us, she began sobbing very hard. We found places to sit around her. Set jumped upon the bed and laid across her feet and turned to look at her with those innocent eyes.
"Did it hurt? Is that why you are crying?" he asked softly, not wanting to add to any pain she was feeling.
"No," Sis. Willow replied between sobs, "It is just that I woke up alone, unsure of where I was or even who I was. Out of every person in this place full of people I call brothers and sisters, you are the only ones to check on me. It made me both happy to see you and sad that no one else has cared or bothered. So, Lor-O-Va did not hurt me, my fellow clerics are the ones who caused me pain."
We stayed with her until the medic, the only cleric to see her, released her from the infirmary. We walked with her back to the Oracle chambers. Inside, we found the human eunich cleaning. He started to leave but he locked eyes with Sarah and a spark of recognition flashed across his face. Information burst into my mind.
"Cain, do not fear to speak. Your heritage will not affect us. You must will the siren power in order to sway people. Sarah is of mermaid heritage, that is what you see in her eyes," I calmly told him.
Cain's eyes widened. His unused voice was scratchy as he spoke, "Your powers are great if you can see that in me. My grandmother was a siren. My former owners used my gift to gain wealth for themselves. They told me that just speaking put people under my spell, that is why I took the vow of silence and remained a permanent novice. I did not want to corrupt these good people."
We stayed in the Oracle chambers, talking with both Sis. Willow and Cain until the evening bells. We headed to the dining hall. Even in the corridors, the other clerics gave us wide berth. Seer abilities were not needed to see the fear on their faces. The tables were rearranged. Sis. Cedar stepped forward and showed us our new place, right next to Lord and Lady Bishops', but not raised like their's. A third place was added to their raised table. We were standing in our new place when the Bishops entered. They arrived at their table and motioned for Sis. Willow to take the third place. She went nervously. Lord Bishop told everyone to be seated.
"Our Oracle has demonstrated a renewed link to the gods. For this reason, we had added a place for her beside us. We feel she belongs here as a leader to this cloister in her position as Oracle. For those who did not witness it, the god Lor-O-Va inhabited Sis. Willow's body and passed a harsher sentence upon our brothers and sisters who were still animals. Our studies revealed him to be a Treegal green man, the god of the primal forest. In some ways, he is a partner with Treenaliza, the goddess of the wild forest. She is the one who brought our attention to our errors about the language of the Treegals and the discovery of our holy book. As our fellow clerics were still unrepentant, one even attempted to attack the god, he removed their sentience and made them true animals. Those who were birds flew away. Sheep and donkeys have been put to work as those animals normally work. We kept a few in the cloister and gave some to the local people. We are sad that this has happened, but Lor-O-Va is not to blame. He gave them the opportunity to return. Some before me took his offer and are themselves once more. We celebrate their return and mourn the loss of the others. Let us receive those who are with us and remember fondly those who are not."
No prayer was said. The clerics chatted easily as they ate. We were still avoided, but only because we didn't know the restored or lost clerics personally and could not contribute to the conversations.
Shortly after we began eating, six uniformed elves approached us, bowed, and stood at attention before us.
Lord Bishop left his table and introduced them, "Ladies, this is your escort. They are royal guards and will take you to Crialas safely. Officers, these are the Seven Sisters of the Swords. Take good care of them, they may be this land's only hope."
"We know our charge, my lord," one of the two closest to us replied almost in anger.
"We appreciate you concern, my lord," the second one stated in an attempt to counter his fellow soldier's harsh words.
The second speaker gave the first a hard look.
The first sighed, "Yes, we know your concern, my lord. I am Major Rajar. My cohort here is Major Janesh. Eat well tonight, ladies, as we shall be us and in the saddle by the morning bells."
We indicated that we understood. The six bowed again and went to an empty table by the doors. We commented to each other the stark contrast between Rajar and Janesh. Lisa also noticed that, at a distance, they all seemed to be dressed alike. Up close, however, there were subtle but noticable differences. Alice informed us that these two groups of three never trained together at any time even though they used the same field. I told them of the animosity I saw between the two groups and their conflicting loyalties. We decided not to bring it up to avoid hurt feelings.
The apothecary brought the finished cream, pride showing at her accomplishment, "Knowing its use on dragons, I am curious to try it on others. Some of the locals have commented on the snow and cold causing their skin and their animals' skin to crack and bleed. I am hopeful this may relieve these wounds."
Seeing the searching in her eyes, I opened to Fate. Smiling, I told her that it would be well applied to their wounds. I told her I saw mended skin and nearly scarless hands. She beamed, rushed to her seat, grabbed her plate, and ran out with her food. She, obviously, wanted to get started on more cream.
While my sisters ate, I tended Set, getting the stretched spots I could not before. His coos and purrs caused everyone to be silent for a moment. Some of the musicians tried to mimic his noises, but stopped to rub throats and massage chests. Others stared for a while then returned to their food. Set was thoroughly satisfied and I ate the remains of my dinner and we all left as the dishes were being gathered.
We were packed by the night bell and ready to leave in the morning.