Chapter Seven: The Smashing Of The Wand

Yet Nydia did not answer her plea, his eyes remained empty of life. The faint pulse that had went on a moment before stopped, and Nydia was no more. Gently, Circe closed his eye lids, a diamond tear rolling down her placid cheek. The one trickle grew to a steady stream, flailing from her eyes at the speed of light. All else in the clearing was silent, the others watched it as though it were not quite in reality. None of them knew what to do, or say, to ease Circe's pain. They all knew what it was like to lose someone you love, but this was different somehow.

Even the animals were silent, no longer singing or chattering or running. They smelled death on the air, and, for the moment; that quieted them. The others there were not limited to such forthcomings.

"Uh... Circe?" Elba put forth kindly.

The tone surprised Eliac, Jack, and Niendel-- Then they realized that Elba was setting aside her personal dislike of Circe out of concern. Eliac, too, was upset, but was managing to contain herself. She was shaking from the effort of it, but she knew that her fellow children needed a leader, and she intended (arrogantly, perhaps, as children sometimes are) to forfill that role. Nicholas G had left that role in his deathly wake, and she would not fail him. Although she'd never really admited it, she had a great respect for the old man. His sudden death had not changed that.

"We need to find out who sent Nydia to get you, Circe. Did he mention anything?" Eliac said after a moment of solitary reflection. Circe thought for a moment.

"No," She replied hastily. Circe did not want them to know about her beloved Nydia. She remembered the voice in her head that had happened not too long ago.

"We do." Said two voices in perfect unison, from every where and nowhere at once. Animal voices, Jack realized, although he had no idea why enchanted animals would be talking to a group of four children.

"Show yourself!" Demanded Eliac harshly, channeling what little remained of Nicholas G's spirit. There was a faint music about the words, as though she were humming them softly to herself rather then making an uptight demand. The corners of her mouth tightened as she looked about the clearing, but her keen eyes and ears found nothing.

"Voices of the forest," Said Niendel, straightening his back and standing upward, as though he were greeting an esteemed guest, "You need not fear. I assure you that we could do little to harm you even if we had a desire too-- A fictional desire, I assure you."

The silence showed consideration from them. "We have been sent as messengers from Daenaur himself." One of them said, stepping out into the open and pulling down a hood. It was a gargoyle that looked similar to a unicorn that stood on two feet, with white wings wrapped around her like what the four children had taken for a cloak. Her mane consisted of long silver hair, it fell her steady-looking shoulders. Her eyes were a strange looking violet, like Eliac's; but they held none of the ignorence Eliac showed in hers. Her coat was a dazzling white against her startling black cloak.

And, chartistically, a singular horn sprouted from the center of her forehead. She was clad in a gracefully flowing dress that was the same color of her eyes. Her coarse tail hair was only partially visable, swishing quietly as she moved forward. The other figure stepped out form behind another tree, waltzing foward as though the forest were his property. He pulled down his cloak, to show a panther gargoyle. This was a handsome creature, to say the very least.

His eyes were a nearly tortured looking brown, and, like Nydia's had, they showed the sorrows of the world. Eliac realized that what she had taken for a cloak were actually bat-like wings, that were comfortably folded around him. His clothing was a peasent's garb: a red shirt, tattered with age, and rugged-looking black pants. Even through the shirt, Jack could see the definte outline of his strong muscles. The wings, for both, were visable through holes in the clothing that had probably been cut themselves.

" 'Scuse me, but ya do realize we'd no idea who this bloody 'Daenaur' is?" Jack shot back. They ignored him. In fact, Jack had a sneaking suspision they would only say what they felt like saying, regardless what Saian (whoever he was) may have instructed them to do.

"Mind your manners, boy," Said the panther gargoyle in a deep voice that sounded alot like a lion's roar.

"I aien't got none to mind," replied Jack, rather sullenly.

"Of course you do," Said the Unicorn, "Do not be ridiclous."

"Allow me to introduce us," Said Elba, "I'm Elba, that boy who thinks he has no manners is known as Jack. The one who spoke to you orignally is called Niendel, the one with the white hair is Eliac. And that other girl, there," She said, nodding at the blonde; "Is Circe."

"I am known as Dulin," the panther said distantly. He sniffed the air tenatively, as though worried what he would smell. The cold stench of death and magic reached him, he nearly gagged.

"And I, Simone." The unicorn put in.

"Well, it is a pleasure, Dulin and Simone." Said Eliac with a sharp grin. "Why do we enjoy your company this day?"

"My master has great ideas that he plans to excersise on the world. He sent us to find out who had destroyed Cesium. When we discovered that the beast was called 'Nydia,' we--" Slap.

Circe had matter -oh- factly slapped him as hard as she could. Had he human skin, an ugly red blotch would have been visable.

"Nydia was more a gentlemen then you will ever know." She said in a dangerous under tone, "I will not allow you to insult his presence due to the orders of this... 'Daenaur.' "

Dulin did something rather stupid, then. He laughed heartily, a deep chuckle that served no porpose but to upset Circe. It worked. She flushed, red in the face, pale fists clenched with anger. The laughed stopped when he beheld the look of suffering on her face, and he said gently, "I know how you feel. My family, too; was slaughtered. Indeed, they still suffer at the hands of those who are pathetic enough not to accept diversity."

For some reason, it occured to Elba at that moment that less then a year ago she'd had the door slammed in her face by Circe. A lady had grown where a young woman had been.

"Do not insult him," warned Circe to Dulin, scowling. Dulin nodded.

Simone spoke at last, steering the conversation away from such dangerous waters, "Do you know who Saian is?" All four shook thier heads.

"How can you not know!?!" Sputtered Dulin. He looked shocked, shaking his head in solitary disbelief. "Have you never heard the propecy of Cesium?"

Elba felt something stirring at the edge of her mind, a faint memory. "Yes," She replied. "But I confess I do not see a connection."

Simone smiled, and, pulling a flute from a purse slung over her shoulder, she began to play the flute. Words came from the notes as they wove together, somehow, as the flute sang its enchanted song:

"Four children, four worlds,
Four stories that will, from redemption, unfold.
A girl of knowledge, A girl of beauty,
A boy of street,
A boy who owns wealth no one dares to defeat.
And then, at the head, a glistening light:
The master of the magic of the empty night."

Eliac smiled, recognizing the words. She had heard that before, her mother had used to sing her to sleep with it when she had been younger.

"Being who you are, Daenaur sent us to escort you to Saian's presence."

"How... how do you know its us?" Circe put forth hestiantly. She still did not know the faith of Cesium, but Eliac knew that blissful ignorence will not last long.

"Cesium was destroyed by a wave of Imps," said Niendel quietly, looking at pretty Circe. "I'm sorry."

"We will come," said Eliac firmly, and that was that.

No one was stupid enough to question Eliac's motives.

"Dulin! Whitefire bares a message!" It was early morning. The gargoyle leapt down from the branches of a great oak tree, where he had stood watch. His every movement was lithe, and the thin; tapery material between his wings billowed behind him like sails as he landed on the coarse forest ground.

"Whitefire!?! What would be so imporant that Whitefire would be sent to--?" Dulin appeared confused. As was his nervous habit, he traced the pattern on the hilt of his blade. Jack's ears, which were sharp as a fox's, pricked in alarm from atop his stallion as he heard the faint brush of wings.

"Ther's a eagl' a comin'!" He called, feeling slightly out of place in the presence of Dulin and Simone.

"Is there, really?" Said Eliac, glancing towards the lumienscent blue sky, "Why would an eagle be here, so far from the mountain?"

"He bares a message over his personal comfort," Simone said sharply, "You do not realize how far some of us will go to bare a message." Even as she spoke, the white wisp in the sky Eliac had taken for a cloud moved rapidly toward them.

"I don't like this," said Niendel, jerking his reigns so he might squint at the faint shape upon the horizon, "Why would he be coming to us without calling out, or something?"

"There is no security in calling out," answered Dulin, his eyes upon the quickly-moving shape, "When one never knows who may be listening."

"There is no enemy of us but Saian," Said Elba, "Unless you would revoke your claims?"

"You know our views upon this matter, young one," Replied Simone cooly, "You do not realize what answers you would seek from mere servents-- two pawns in a game with higher stakes then one life, or two, indeed, even SIX--"

"You mean a village's worth of lives, Simone?" Circe said, matching her gaze and tone both, the pendant around her neck flashing in warning as the eagle approached. Circe, Jack, Elba, Eliac, and Niendel watched in faint satisfaction as the edges of Simone's horse mouth tightened in annoyance.

"Yes," Said Dulin, taking her place in the battle of words that had lasted several days on the hot and weary travel road, "You'd be surprised what happens to those who disagree with the master." A sneer twisted its way up his face, revealing the threat in the riddles and the sharp ivory fangs of a panther who was about to pounce on his pray.

The eagle fell in a downward spiral, ever faster, moving towards the seven characters and five horses. The horses were spooked by the sudden coming of the messenger, they reared and stomped and neighed until the combined efforts of the group halted such threatening actions. At last, the Eagle landed.

"My name is Whitefire," he said without so much as twiching his beak. His voice came from a collar around his neck that Eliac was very threatened to remove for some reason. She fought the urge, taking a swig of wine from her water pouch before returning the Eagle's stiff bow.

"What news do you bring us? We have heard nothing from the mark in over a fortnight." Simone began, glaring at him with familarity in his eyes. Eliac knew that, if she knew the messenger; the messenger knew THEM.

"Whitefire," She said, looking at the eagle, addressing him telepathically; "Saian already told us. This is a trap, Dulin and Simone seek the power you have worked so long and hard to poccess for themselves. Do not tolerate such tricks and tracks, guardian of the mark!"

The eagle let loose a cry of remorse, flinging himself at Dulin and Simone.
Eliac's sword was drawn even as Whitefire flung himself forward, spearing Dulin in the wing with the accuracy and precision of a hunter. Niendel fell backword, accidently releasing the grip on his dagger... it plunged with a sickenly dull thud into Simone's thud. Both of them fell dead almost instantly, their pulses fainting. Niendel withdrew his dagger and, seeing the blood upon it, he fainted.

Elba kicked him.

"HEY!" Said Jack, "Come on now, that aien't no way to act, you are a lady, you ares--" The Eagle charged a second time as he realized what Eliac had tricked him into. Eliac did not understand why, but time seemed to slow as Whitefire charged towards her. The dessert scenery dissapperated, she could only see the slow blink of his eyes.

The swift sweep of his wings. What seemed seconds to the other children was an eternity to Eliac. She grapped out and closed her fingers around the bird's neck, hardly realizing what she was doing. His eyes had just began to bulge when Eliac's senses returned to normal. As she saw the horrified looks on the other children's faces, she released her hold.

"Eliac," Began Jack cautiously, "How did you learn to--"

"My master will find you. You may have slain his messengers, have guessed where they led you, but he will be more careful. Soon, you will even distrust each other, waiting for death to take--" Circe stomped on the bird, his words were muffled to the other children.

"Shut! UP! You! Stupid! Bird!" The lady roared, taking advantage of every pause in her sentance to stomp again on the unfortante messengers' head. Eliac winced as she felt Whitefire's life leave him, but Elba's face took on a sick-looking expression. She leaned over and gagged. The look on her face was so absolutely terrible looking, so digusted, that Jack noticed it before Eliac did.

"Elba? ELBA!?! Wha's wrong, mate?" Even Jack's accent didn't do anything for poor Elba's face.

"The smell." She replied, pinching her nose, Jack heard Eliac's sharp sigh of relief.

"I think his henious majesty just wet himself."

***

Saian was a white tiger, his every move perfectly balenced in proportion to the great fortress in which he lived. Saian's most interesting characteristic was his eyes. They were blue, a haunting echo of Nydia's exhrilerating blue. Then again, Saian was known for favoring those who were similar in nature to him.

Yet in his magnificent hall that day, the eyes were closed, his eyes did not see the scene before him. The scene he had, in his life, had the pleasure of seeing every day. A serene shade of cream had been painted in long, brisk strokes on the wall. An angel's moteif had been painted by the most adept artists, the best of the land had toiled countless hours on the ceiling that was so life-like, it left one breathless.

The pale moonlight streamed healthily through the stained glass windows that had been so painstakingly re-created and given life for Saian's benefit, the windows clever monkeys had assembled under orders from the master. The final effect of this, along with the natrual decorum that the arictectual genuis provided, was simply superb.

The green tiles seemed lighter now then they had when Saian had returned. When Saian had collasped that night at midnight, gasping for breath, muttering a single name on his lips: "Elba..."He had gasped desperately, his best gasp a growl; ignoring his personal discomfort to bare his message well; "Bring me the one they call Elba..."

At Saian's growl the swiftest and strongest messengers were sent after the one he told them to seek. The young woman with skin green as grass, he told them. They rode without stopping, asking at every village about Elba. All of the villagers were truthful. These messengers knew they were not being lied to, their appearences assured that.

The dark cloaks of navy blue that glowed faintly made them appear ethreal, with eyes of blazing hellfire, they struck fear into the hearts of weak-willed men. Meanwhile, the children had fled to a forest. The forest was enchanted, so they presumed they would be safe there for a time. The noon-time sun scorched far above them; a protection against the rabid dead that were sure to be lurking nearby.

The forest was not normal, to say the very least. The trees were garbled, like mutilated faces of the past, branches reaching from them like the waiting tendrils of a feirce beast. To Jack, Elba, Eliac, and Niendel, it was altogether too much like the remants of Cesium. As the mortal sun drifted sullenly into the distant horizon of the west, Circe wrapped her pale hand around the enchanted leather hilt of her blade.

Only she seemed immune to the smothering blanket of darkness that silenced the others, and she knew that was because she felt Nydia's protecting presence whenever that sword was in her poccession. For Eliac, the layer of darkness was stronger for her then for the rest. She fought back the idea of sleep, rest, for she was suddenly weary from the trip-- even though they could not have gone farther then a few miles.

She knew a part of her wanted to stay here, in this forest, avoiding the looks of utter loathing that people always gave. Yet somehow, she guided her steps on at the head of the group; setting the pace of travel. At long last, Circe stopped. Eliac heard the lack of steps almost instantly and rebounded, her thin sword already drawn and enclosed within her pale hand.

"What do you hear?" Said Circe calmly to her, matching her tenderly indifferent glare.

"Nothing," Said Eliac in an annoyed tone, "But what does that..." Her expression suddenly changed from annoyance to fear to dawning comprehension. "Nothing," She whispered quietly, repeating the word as though savoring a drink of water; her gaze shifting uneasily from tree to tree. "No birds, no wind, no chattering squirrels."

"Very good," said a voice from everywhere and nowhere at once. Two figures, clad in midnight blue, strode out onto the weather-beaten path. "We were wondering when you'd finally notice."

Elba and Circe exchanged glances, as though they'd been exspecting this. Niendel looked fairly bored with the proceedings, and Eliac had a faint half-smile. Only Jack seemed worried about the sudden appearence of the strangers.

"Who might you's twos b'?" He said. He still hadn't lost that cockney accent, and the first creature's hood flinched.

"We are here for the green-skinned girl," said the first in a voice of eriee tranquility, "the master has summoned her."

Eliac pulled her shoulders back, attempting to re-summon some of her previously abandoned reserve. Her head she held high, her body upright and straight with an elegance limited to noblity. "You will not have her," She replied firmly, her voice ringing of the dulcet terms of royalty. The two of them laughed, red eyes flashing wildly through the empty eye sockets.

"May I have the pleasure, Rauko?" The second one croaked hoarsely, Eliac would have sworn she could hear his smile from the tone of his words.

"Of course, Nymah." Rauko replied, his tone matching Nymah's. From his cloak he slowly withdrew a silver flute. The shining flute was engraved with marks of empty night that were long forgotten, even by Necromancers.Eliac had drawn her sword, and flew at the two of them, ready to stop them however she could. She was too late. A clear, pure note blew from the flute, and left her floating in the air. Helpless.

"Anjah!" Nymah cried, his palm held in a halting motion; his voice harsh as the angry sea, "Bind!"

The effects of the ancient curse were almost immedate. A blanket of darkness, strong and powerful, leapt from Neimah's hands as he wove the spell, trapping Eliac in a bind stronger then any other. She struggled against it from the inside, quickly loosing air, gasping for breath.

"Even elves need to breathe..." remarked Rauko, his voice muffled beneath his hood; fighting back laughter.

From the outside, the darkness appeared as a bag that encased a smothered cat, her screams limited to yowls of an annoyed kitten. After a moment, it was deathly silent again. The blanket dissapperated, and Eliac lay where it had been. She was dead, not the faintest breath moved her slender chest.

"Orum! Astra! Eondar!" Rauko cried, shifting his blade to another position with each cry. His voice was deep from the magic he used, the trees around him rumbled from the force of his words. Three marks, more ancient marks, appeared around Eliac. They connected, with a magically faint silver line, and then set on fire. Elba's screams for Eilac were strangely quelled by the screeches that came from everywhere in the forest.

"T' trees!" Shouted Jack; with a sudden realization of where the screams came from, "It b' tha trees!"

"They must be angry at the fire!" Cried Niendel suddenly, "Quick, someone cast a spell to quell the flames!"

"Circe!" Said Jack, "You do it!"

"But I don't know any magic!" Screamed Circe desperately, "I'm useless in magic!"

Rauko and Nymah, seizing their chance, grabbed Elba. With a blue flash of light, the three of them vanished. The flash made Niendel remember something he had forgotten. He nearly burst into tears as the memories returned to him, but it was Jack who screamed the idea that saved them.

"T' pendant!" Jack cried, "Squash t' pendant!"

Circe ripped it from the thin chain around her neck, throwing the pendant on the ground before Eliac and the flamming trees that had been alit from the crudely made funeral pyre Rauko had summoned with the mystical spell marks of Avalon. The pendant let loose a glowing light, a spirit of water's fall. It shot into the sky, and, from far away, thunder rumbled.

It began to rain, the rain droplets green as the free sea. The fire was drowned by the rain in an instant, and the trees ceased their heart-wrenching screeches.Circe, Niendel, and Jack looked at each other. They were bewildered, shell-shocked, and lost. Their supplies had mostly been lost in the fire, and their leader dead, and Elba taken.

Eliac's ashes were scattered all along the forest floor by the billowing wind, lost with the hope of the children.