Shattered Exile

ONE Alone-2

Quickly putting the shaper’s awful place of work behind her, she rounded up the barely edible goods remaining in Krashnar’s food stores. She then tended to the poor state of her attire and fixed her matted hair. After setting right some of her visual erosion, she began the unenviable process of restoring her physical health. Keeping down some of the overripe fruit she had gathered proved to be a struggle, but she managed, as she needed her strength if she was to stand any chance of returning to Freylar.

‘Rayna wake up!’ she said, shaking Rayna firmly by the shoulders, attempting to rouse the light bringer from her unnatural slumber. ‘Nathaniel, how long has she been this way?’

‘I do not know exactly. When I returned home from the arena last cycle, I noticed signs of her return. I went to check on her and found her here, in her room, sleeping. I thought little of it at first, assuming the journey back to Freylar was responsible for her fatigue, but when she failed to wake this morning I became duly concerned. I have checked her condition and – physically at least – her body is fine, with the exception of a few bumps and bruises which I have since seen to. I simply cannot explain it Kirika. Aside from journeying south to speak with the Knights Thranis or tracking down Anika – wherever she may be – I have no one else to turn to. I am loath to put you in this difficult position Kirika, but regardless, will you help?’

‘I understand Nathaniel – yes of course I will help.’

‘I would not ask this of you if not absolutely necessary, but I need to understand what caused this.’

‘Nathaniel, what use is my ability if I cannot use it to save a fellow Blade sister? Let me worry about the ramifications of my personal scrying, should word of my actions reach unwanted ears.’

‘Those ears will not hear it from me, this I swear!’ Nathaniel declared.

‘You need not swear an oath to me Nathaniel. I would like to think that the trust between us transcends such public declarations of loyalty.’

She leaned over Rayna’s motionless body and gazed deeply into the light bringer’s unflinching open eyes. Typically, Rayna’s eyes were brown-orange in colour – subject to the light’s influence – but now they appeared darker, as though stained with watery dark ink. Although he had failed to notice the portent upon initial inspection that morning, The Teacher had soon discovered Rayna’s unnerving wide-eyed stare, along with her seemingly paralytic state. Gazing into the vacant visage of her immobile Blade sister, she engaged her second sight, moving backwards through time to shortly before the ill-fated moment when Rayna first succumbed to her current condition. She watched intently as Rayna returned to Nathaniel’s tree, and subsequently climbed the stairs to her room. She smiled whilst observing the curious light bringer study her own body in the bedroom’s dresser mirror – it pleased her immensely to see Rayna properly acquainting herself with her feminine physique. Eventually Rayna called an end to her self-analysis and climbed into her bed, ready for an early night. She skipped forwards in time whilst Rayna slept, that is until someone new entered the room. Initially she found it difficult to identify the interloper, who expertly clung to the shadows creeping across the room. When at last she caught a clear glimpse of the intruder’s face, she gasped in disbelief, unable to fathom the truth of what she saw.

‘What is it, what do you see?’ asked Nathaniel anxiously.

‘You!’

‘What?!’

‘You...you were here!’

‘Kirika, what are you talking about? I do not understand.’ replied Nathaniel, who was clearly bewildered by her preliminary analysis.

More of the ominous images flowed through her mind’s eye: she saw Nathaniel’s inexplicably aggressive behaviour towards Rayna, as he forcibly pinned her down onto the bed, before finally the identity of Rayna’s attacker revealed itself.

‘Krashnar!’

‘What?! Kirika, are you telling me that wretched shaper did this – to Rayna?!’

She watched intently as the exiled shaper’s ugly visage slowly revealed itself, whilst Nathaniel’s own slipped from sight. All was clear to her now. Krashnar had infiltrated the vale using the likeness of Nathaniel’s face. The devious shaper had passed right through the forest, completely undetected by its inhabitants, and had forced his way into their home. Yet it was the images to come that truly disturbed her. She watched in horror as Rayna desperately tried to fend off her attacker. Despite his decrepit looking countenance, Krashnar seemingly possessed unnatural strength, which allowed him to hold Rayna down. Then came the ill-fated moment when the vile shaper coughed up some kind of black fluid, which dribbled from his mouth onto Rayna’s face. The horrid looking substance moved of its own volition, desperately seeking a means of violating Rayna’s body – which it eventually did, up through the hapless light bringer’s nostrils. She cringed as Rayna’s body went into spasm, whilst the parasite infiltrating her body gained a measure of control over her; although unable to manipulate Rayna’s motor functions, the wretched thing instead found a way to paralyse its new host. The heinous violation seemed to entertain Krashnar – the repugnant shaper appeared joyous as he keenly observed the abhorrent act. Seeing the shaper’s obvious amusement caused her unease. She wanted nothing more than to disengage her second sight, yet there was more to come. Having claimed his prize, Krashnar – in what was presumably some kind of twisted celebratory act – lowered his head towards Rayna’s own. He flicked out his long tongue and slowly drew it across the side of her face, visibly savouring the moment of perverse pleasure. Krashnar then pulled back from the bed and lingered for a moment in the shadow, offering Rayna a leering wide smile.

‘Night-night puppet. Sweet dreams.’

She read the foul words on his lips, after which the shaper quickly took his leave, leaving behind the comatose light bringer.

She ceased her scrying, having learnt all that she needed to know, before making her way unsteadily towards the bedroom window. Seeing her obvious unease, Nathaniel pushed the window open, allowing the fresh air to steady the contents of her stomach.

‘Kirika, has Krashnar returned to the vale? Did he do this to Rayna?’

‘Yes!’ she replied, exhaling deeply.

Her body was shaking – she could feel it – and for the first time, in a long time, she felt truly afraid. Krashnar had indeed returned to the vale, having clearly chosen to defy the terms of his exile.

‘He is here, in the vale – Nathaniel, he could be anywhere...or anyone!’

‘Try and calm yourself Kirika.’ replied Nathaniel, who laid his reassuring hands upon her trembling shoulders. ‘Think clearly and tell me exactly what he did to Rayna.’

‘I am uncertain. He violated her – put some kind of evil parasite inside her, which I believe is responsible for her paralysis.’ she replied.

‘Then we have to get it out, else she will surely not survive.’

‘How? You have already tried yourself to revive her, and few renewalists are capable of surpassing your ability to restore our kind, Nathaniel.’

‘Then we must find another way! I cannot lose my daughter for a second time,’

‘What do you mean by that Nathaniel?’ she asked, completely taken aback by his heated response.

The Teacher chose not to respond at first, instead he bowed his head in shame – clearly, The Teacher regretted his leading choice of words.

She decided to press upon the matter, in an attempt to learn the truth of Nathaniel’s slip. ‘Alarielle travelled to the Everlife shortly after Rayna released the Narlakin imprisoning her soul – are you implying that did not happen?’

‘Kirika...I wanted to tell you, but I made a promise.’

‘What promise?’

‘Rayna needed time to come to terms with the...arrangement.’

‘Nathaniel, what arrangement? You speak in riddles – none of this makes any sense?’

‘When Rayna released that Narlakin, my daughter’s soul was freed from its dark imprisonment. Alarielle saw her own body and tried to reclaim it. In part she succeeded, though upon discovering the presence of Rayna’s own soul, Alarielle chose to accept a subservient role. She is now a passenger in her own body, no longer in control of its actions, yet her consciousness remains fully aware.’

She gasped at Nathaniel’s impromptu confession. Previously she had been unable to put her finger on it, but now, finally, some of Rayna’s recent odd behaviour at last made sense – the light bringer’s body housed two souls.

‘Who else knows of this?’

‘Just Lothnar – he loved my daughter and blamed himself for her release. Rayna felt that he should know. She planned to inform you too Kirika, but then you disclosed Darlia’s identity, Aleska retired and Marcus had her seconded to the Knights Thranis, all of which took place in rapid succession. The timing was all wrong – Rayna never intended for you to learn of Alarielle’s return like this. She thinks of you as her sister.’

‘I know...and I understand. Although hearing your words comes as a shock, we can discuss them at length later – right now we have more pressing concerns. If you cannot restore her body, perhaps we can find a way of communicating with Rayna...or Alarielle? Then, perhaps, we might learn more about the parasite – such as where it is. Maybe then we can cut it out.’

‘Agreed. I will go and find Lothnar. He will surely help us.’

‘No, I should be the one to find him.’ she replied, sternly.

‘Why is that Kirika?’

‘Because of the other matter you and I have discussed. It is in our interests to maintain the public’s perception that there remains bad blood between yourself and Lothnar. If you are both seen wandering around together, questions will be asked. We cannot tip our hand and divulge our knowledge of Queen Mirielle’s privately reneged stance on Freylarian law concerning scrying.’

Nathaniel sighed wearily before replying, ‘You are right of course. At least one of us is politically sensitive to such matters. Go then, find Lothnar and bring him back here as soon as possible. Check with Ragnar first – he will likely know Lothnar’s current whereabouts.’

‘I shall. And Nathaniel...we will save them!’