17. Intentions

The fire crackled into life, chasing away the night's darkness . Mirōven sat back onto the forest floor floor.

Andrew came bounding out of the trees on all fours, red meat dripping with blood between his teeth. Mirōven looked at him over the fire. It was almost a week since Oblivion had done the unimaginable, and Andrew seemed to be getting adjusted to his new instincts and urges. He had become considerably more hairy and shaggy, and his eyes had taken on a golden tint, much like Shadowfoot's own eyes. Maybe it was Andrew losing himself or Shadowfoot taking over. Mirōven didn't know which, and Mirōven didn't know if either was a better option.

Andrew tore a piece of the raw meat, threw it to Mirōven and began to devour his raw. Mirōven caught his share, skewered it on a green branch and started to slowly roast it over the fire. He didn't dare ask Andrew which animal was the food tonight.

Mirōven looked up at the stars. It was nearing midnight. Following his fight with Oblivion, Mirōven was left with the choice either to look for Laura, or to find the other two elementals. He had discussed it with Andrew, once Andrew had overcome the shock of losing Princess and his humanity, and Andrew had said he knew someone who could help. He had sent word for his source, someone named Valarmuth, from Akram, and a rendezvous had been arranged here in the forest at night.

"Your informant is taking his own sweet time Andrew" Mirōven said, as he leaned forward and took a bite off his roast. Andrew grunted in reply.

Suddenly there was a movement in the undergrowth, and a man emerged from the shadows to the light of the fire. He was short, heavily built and had a thick brown beard.

"I didn't know dwarves ventured outside their hills and into the forests at night" Mirōven remarked.

"Glad to meet ya too" the dwarf replied in a gruff voice as he moved closer to the fire and sat down between Andrew and Mirōven. "The names Valarmuth, n' dealer in info. Coins for rumours, and rumours for coins, that's how me works", he looked towards Mirōven, "Ya must be Mirōven, have heard a lot ", Valarmuth grinned and turned towards Andrew, "N' An'rew ol' friend.." he pushed a bit as he studied Andrew, "Ya look 'ifferent. What happened ?"

"Long story." Mirōven cut in before Andrew could say anything, " I want to know about a girl named Laura, about 20 years of age, she's my daughter"

Valarmuth laughed. "I ain't no magician boss. Can't tell ya abou' anyone from name and relation. Need specifics and details. Got 'em?"

"Hmm"Mirōven muttered. He didn't have much hope himself that it'd be so easy. He had agonisingly little knowledge about his own daughter. It was times like these that he hatee himself for having devoted entirely to the offensive end of the magical spectrum and ignored the softer sides.

"Anything mo'e worth me time boss?"Valarmuth asked, becoming fidgety.

"Yes", said Mirōven, "Do you have any idea about a water or air elemental host? People with the ability to control the elements as they will"

The dwarf thought for a minute before replying "Water n' dwarves aint good combo n' me can't help ya there. But ai'.. me thinks me knows whom you should go to"

"Who?" Asked Mirōven

"First the jingle boss" Valarmuth smiled, revealing a row of crooked yellow teeth.

Andrew who had been watching the exhanger while chewing the raw meat, now bent down and picked something up from near the fireplace and threw it to where Valarmuth was sitting. It was pouch, and it landed on the ground next to Valarmuth with the jingle of coins. Valarmuth greedily scooped it into his arms and hid it away into his cloak.

"Thanks boss." He grinned as he got up, "Ask for Vayu at city of Emerin. Me thinks that's your man"

"Vayu at Emerin" Mirōven repeated after him, "What makes you think he's the one?"

"Oh I don' know" said Valarmuth as he began retreating into the shadows, "but 'is name literally means air. N' he's the only one I know who owns a God damned Zweppelin."

***

Leo and Scorpi sat side by side on their bed, holding hands. They had just buried the General in full presence of the OneArmy. Leo clutched Scorpi's hand tighter as the image of his father's broken body being lowered into the grave flashed through his mind.

"It's alright Leo" Scorpi whispered softly, trying to console the man she was in love with.

"It is not Scorpi" Leo said, " It is not alright. They used magic. Magic. That's the only explanation. How else can more than three hundred people fall unconscious simultaneously ? It was magic. " Leo looked into her eyes. "You need to help me Scorpi. I need to avenge my father "

"But Leo how can I...."

"You know how. You need to learn."

"But I..." Scorpi protested.

"You are the daughter of the High Socerrer of the time when my father was in court. And the tales about your mother's magical powers are... You know what all they say. Just a fraction of it is enough Scorpi.. a smallest fraction and we can have our peace"

"But you know very well I never did learn any of it Leo. My mother was killed and we were banned along with your father before I ever had a chance. I practically do not even remember my mother. So how can I help you, based just on the legacy of midwives tales ?"

Leo put his free hand on Scorpi's face. "Trust me Scorpi. I believe in you. You must have the power in you. You do." He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. They held in for a moment and lost themselves in each other. Leo broke away. "There might be someone out there who can teach you. Someone who can unlock your powers. We can find them. You and I. We can.. have justice Scorpi. For my father. For me. For us."

Scorpi put an arm around his neck and rested her face on Leo'w shoulder. She sighed. "I love you Leo." She said, "I am ready to go to the ends of the world for you"

Leo snuggled in closer, and the lovers held each other, together when they needed each other. All sorrow and pain was forgotten for the briefest of moments, as the present, the truth of their embrace, the depth of their feelings and the passion of their love became the only reality. For the briefest of moments...

Leo broke the moment and got up. " We leave tommorow Scorpi. Just you and me. We will find someone." He began to move towards the tent flap. " I need to talk to Braider and arrange for our travels. Try to get some sleep. Something tells me life is about to get a lot less easy for us"

***

The Royal Court of Denisa was grand. It was a high ceilinged long room held up by stone pillars at regular intervals. Red velvet curtains hung on either wall, covering the giant windows, and painting the entire room in shades of red and black. On one end was the giant oak door which lead in and at the other end of the room , on a raised platform, was the Throne of Denisa. In between the door and throne, grand chairs sat on either side, spaced out and placed according to the importance of the minister who would occupy it.

The Royal Court of Desinia was empty right now except for the king, King Larry, on his throne, as he listened to the report of his soldier kneeling before him.  He had been in the middle of his daily briefings when the young man had rushed in, words gushing form his mouth. Larry had initially been annoyed, but when he learnt of the topic from bits and pieces of the soldiers ramble, before anyone could understand anything, he had ordered the man to be quiet and asked the court to clear out. When certain they were alone, Larry heard what the soldier had to say. It was exciting news. The General was dead.

"I saw it with my own two eyes Your Highness. The traitor and rebel General, sprawled on the ground, barely breathing. And it was I your highness, with a shaky hand, I admit, but it was I nevertheless who plunged in the killing blow. I killed the General m'lord. I knew the One Army was coming, had intel, so couldn't carry the body, but I killed the General m'lord" the soldier paused for breath and looked up expectantly at Larry, like a dog looking up at his master for a treat.

Larry beamed down at the man. He got up from his throne, came down and stood near his soldier. Larry was lean and pale, his eyes jet black, and his unkpt hair fell to his shoulders. A thin golden crown encircled his forehead and he was dressed in royal splendour. A sheathed sword hung at his hips.

"How many else know about your feats ?" Asked Larry in the voice he had learnt to use while addressing lesser mortals.

"None m'lord" the soldier gushed, "I came running to your majesty straight away."

"Good Good" smiled Larry as he slowly circled around to the back of the soldier. " I need to reward you. Richly too." He said. The soldier felt goosebumps riding up his spine. A split second later, his head rolled free of his body. Larry sheathed his bloody sword, stepped over the dead man's body and sat back down on his throne. He leaned in backwards onto the throne, closed his eyes ,crossed his legs and brought his fingertips together. Larry was thinking.

Interesting news, he thought. He had heard about the intentions of the mercenary Mirōven to capture General, never did he think Mirōven would actually be successful. Larry clearly had overestimated the OneArmy. And now, General was dead too. Larry wondered what to do next.

Capture Mirōven, Larry thought. Logical move. He had to handle this affair delicately. After all, John Abrhanet had been the King, the Throne of Desinia had been his before Larry has usurped him. There were people and nobles who still had a soft spot for him, even after he had formed the rouge OneArmy and adopted the moniker of "General". And there was also the small complication of paternity. John Abrhanet was his father.

Larry smirked, eyes still closed. The throne felt beautifully warm.

Interesting indeed.

16.Tales of Old

 

Madamme Nira rubbed her hands in childish excitement.The final ingredient for the potion had been procured and now, it was just a matter of some careful mixing before it was ready.At last.In its totality.

       Grabbing a ladle from an ornate stand,she went to the mixing room.Looking around cautiously, she took out a little vial from under her coat and emptied its contents into the pewter cauldron in front of her.She hummed a little song while adding the valerian dust into the vessel and mixing it ever so carefully.

        The serum turned a pale lavender and began to bubble over. Nira ladled it all into the same tiny vial and knowing that Laura’s life as she knew it was going to change very soon, stuck a little label on it: " Only when you are ready"
                   
                                 ***

Laura was in the forest, talking to her friend.She was as jolly as ever,thrilled to meet someone around her own age.

 
She was listening to the other girl chattering on, "So you see, it is a pretty big surprise I have arranged for him tonight by the beach. Whoever would imagine lobsters and caviar at this time of the year? And I've taken so much trouble getting everything ready..I’ll show you the gourd lanterns that I made…but maybe some other day..I should be going now.What if he turns up at camp while I’m here?"

                                 ***

Miroven knew that he had to find Laura as early as possible.Now that he had given Oblivion his final decision not to join her,she’d have become all the more determined to have what she wanted.And since the option of getting him was out, Laura would be her next target.

If not him,one of him.

Miroven felt a surge of guilt.He hadnt prepared her for anything of the sort.Nor had he allowed Cassandra to ever mention anything to her.He had told his wife that the lesser the children had to know,the better.

 He had been overconfident of his own powers and ever certain that no harm would ever befall his children as long as he was alive.But no longer.Oblivion was strong.But that wasn’t it.She was reckless.

Miroven realized that he had hardly ever been there for his elder daughter.He had been ever so busy earning for the family that he hadn’t realized that she was growing up.She was so silent too,seldom speaking and always lost in her own world.Never proclaiming or asserting her presence.

He remembered the day when Cassandra had told her the old lore.He had come home as she was nearing the end of the tale.He was furious that Cassandra had gone against his words and had conjured up a haze lulling both mother and daughter to a state of grogginess.Laura had never gotten to hear the end.The bit about the prophecy.The part that had become of utmost importance now.The bit that could change everything.

It was nearing her nineteenth birthday,the day she’d be of age.The powers that had lain dormant within her,would be fully developed and ready.She would be a newling,or in the language of the other world,a mageling.

A newling’s powers would be at their zenith,uncontrollable and extremely difficult to channel.It’d take years before they were safe to be around. Of course, people whom they trusted wouldn’t have anything to worry about,it was just the others.

Does she remember me?I’ve not been in her life for so long now.And even when I was…

Miroven covered his face with his hands.

If Oblivion was indeed fixated on whatever it is that she was up to,Laura would be in danger.Mirōven had the inkling of an idea developing in his head ,a possibility of what she was up to.He doubted if she were really as heartless as that,but he recalled the death of his parents and also that of his wife and child.Eaten by flames.All of them.It did add up although he still had the nagging doubt if whether the old folklores could really be believed.

If it were true,a lot was at stake.Much more than his daughter’s life.

Oblivion hosted in her,the fire spirit.Now,the water and the air spirits too were to be located.And destroyed.All three of them at the same time.Miroven realized that the other spirits could be anywhere;in any part of the world.

The final line of the prophecy rang in his ears:

"By One of Air once wrapped by Fire;
Vanquished will be Air,Water and Fire”

                                  ***

Oblivion rarely slept.The night helped her think better.All the galaxies of the universe were moving slowly into position.And soon,they would align.Like they had a million years ago.Before that,she had to befriend the mageling.She would be her weapon.All those who dared oppose her would know her wrath.

She conjured up a bed of flames;lay on it clutching tightly the locket on her neck and continued to plan.

 
                                 ***

Andrew was so not enjoying being a werewolf.

Why? he wondered,sniffing at himself and wincing in disgust.There was a tiny movement to his left and instantly he felt his ears pricking up.Before he knew it,he was sprinting madly after a little rat and the funny thing was that,disgusted though he was,there wasn’t anything he could do about it.Such overpowering was the urge to stick his teeth into any form of life that appeared before him.And his olfactory senses had grown manifoldly stronger too.

He hoped hard that no human would come before him.

                                ***