The Severaine

Chapter Eleven The Mountain of the Spirits-1

Chapter Eleven

The Mountain of the SpiritsAll was quiet. Even the sound of breathing seemed muffled within the room. Seiken sat on the wooden chair beside the bed where Zo now lay. Since her arrival there had been no change in her condition. When he had first brought her to the castle, he was unsure what to expect. The one thing he had not been prepared for was the cooperation and assistance of all those around him. When he had first returned from his summons his sole focus had been on getting her to his room, then he would confess his crime and hope for leniency.

The Oneirois' chambers were specifically designed to draw unused theta energy into them, creating a haven where its owner could go to rest should their energy be depleted or low. They didn't need to sleep, but doing so within their rooms allowed an increased rate of energy absorption. As soon as she was within his, the process would be irreversibly started. He could only hope, given her condition, she had the strength to withstand it, the time left to see it to completion.

With her being Night's daughter, he had expected to meet with much disapproval and objection, particularly from his father. But from the moment they saw him carrying this figure their actions weren't those of a people betrayed witnessing a heinous crime, they were supportive, accommodating. They even went ahead to the castle and prepared some rooms she could call her own. He could scarcely believe it, but their cooperation did not mean his crime would go unpunished.

He took the cloth from her forehead, skimming it across the surface of the bowl of liquid on the small bedside table. Even sitting here, like this, he felt so hopeless. Just hours ago he had been lost in his secret grief, and now, despite the fact hope had been rekindled, he feared that given her situation he was a fool to embrace it. With his hope, came equal measure of despair. He wrung the cloth out as he gave a slow heavy exhale in the hope of settling the nerves he felt dancing within his stomach.

There was little he could do but try to cool the burning fever her spirit fought. The heat caused by the illness she suffered would eventually burn her essence away to nothing. But as long as she fought it, he would do everything in his power to keep her with him, to keep her here. He could not, he would not, lose her, not again.

He had sat watching, never straying from the bedside nor daring to focus his attention elsewhere. The almost silent footfalls of a friend approached him cautiously. For the first time a small black and white cat entered the room. Seiken felt his stomach tighten. He knew all too well the penalty for his actions but he had hoped to avoid them, at least until he knew her fate.

The cat jumped onto the bed, his claws gently padding the soft quilting for a moment before he made himself comfortable. To an outsider of the Oneiroi race it would appear the cat was trying to communicate in a series of meows and howls. Their race, however, heard the intended words not the language, thus they could converse with all who entered their realm should the need occur.

Rowmeow was his father's adviser. There was not an Oneiroi who did not know him, and not one would dare question his word. Rowmeow was the first Oneiroi in existence, one born from the Goddess Nyx to watch over the Goddess Darrienia and her realm when mankind's numbers were few. As man's populations grew, expanding across the surface of Gaea's star, he created the pillar of life and, with his own claws, carved the name of the Oneirois upon the magical wood taken from the heart of a hallowed tree. As he carved the names, the beings came into existence. Rowmeow was father to all who dwelt within Darrienia. He was the watcher, the protector, and the one who kept order within his realm.

He appointed Seiken's father, the first to be born of the pillar, as the leader of their race and the lands which orbited the surface world of Darrienia. Each land possessed a king. These kings were the voices of their fiefdom and came together to form a council to address any serious issues. Rowmeow, took the title of adviser, and all those needing his wisdom would seek him for guidance. He was also the one who determined the punishments should a serious crime against their race be committed.

“You know, Seiken, if this continues she won't make the transition, she will simply vanish.” Seiken felt his mouth part as he heard Rowmeow's first words on the matter. The cat looked at him from the softness of the bed, yet despite his apparent relaxed posture Seiken could sense the building tension. Padding the bed once more he moved, briefly rubbing his face across one of the sleeping figure's hands. He sniffed it, watching for any reaction, any twitch which would indicate progress.

“I know, Row, but what more can I do?” Seiken sighed, his eyes holding a concern which was mirrored in his voice as Rowmeow nuzzled the figure. For now it seemed neither of them wished to address the matter of his actions. He knew he had placed Rowmeow in an awkward position. He could not be seen to waver the laws, but for now at least, he was being granted a reprieve from whatever sentence would await him. There was no doubt he would be fair, as fair as possible given the fact that Seiken had previously been given warnings about his interference in this person's life.

The last time he had stood before Rowmeow's judgement he had been stripped of his magic in an attempt to prevent further interference in matters which were not of his concern. It was the harshest punishment possible, aside from banishment or death. Despite this, Seiken had still found a way to watch her, to protect her. Rowmeow had often said he followed in his predecessor's footsteps, inheriting his fixation of that world from the essence lost when Eryx decided to become mortal. There were only a few who knew the truth. Seiken was not anyone's successor, nor did his name appear on the pillar of life. Eryx's departure had proven the perfect opportunity for Seiken to take his place.

Eryx had chosen to sacrifice his existence within Darrienia in the hope of finding a life with a human woman. He made the ultimate pledge of love, sacrificing his immortality to live beside her, however, things had not turned out as planned. When Eryx took the blind-step—a passage summoned to complete the purge of all gifts and knowledge of this world and its creatures—he knew this woman's heart belong to another.

Eryx's desire to leave provided the perfect opportunity for Seiken to step from the shadows. When he left he passed on some of his secrets to Seiken, and due to the circumstances was unable to complete the anointing ichor rite which allowed him to retain his knowledge of Darrienia and all that was found within.

Seiken had no doubt his punishment would be severe, but at least he would be permitted to beg for leniency given the circumstances surrounding his act. Of course his previous disregard of their laws would also stand against him. In Darrienia stature played no role in the deliverance of justice. Seiken braced himself as the cat readied himself to speak.

“You could always get her to eat some of our pomberries. They're small enough for her to swallow in this state without choking her. She needs to eat and gather strength. She may be but an echo in her own world, but in this one she retains a physical form. We must give her every possible chance.” The cat stretched along the bed as if in two minds whether to settle down for a quick nap or return to business.

“Thanks, Row.” The cat bore its sharp teeth in what Seiken knew to be a smile. When he was but a baby this single gesture had terrified him. The visions of razor-sharp fangs flashed at him menacingly had often reduced him to tears, much to Rowmeow's confusion.

“You should also visit the land, recharge, or at least try to rest. It has been days.”

Oneirois, like those of Gaea's star, could sleep, but it was far different to that of mortals. It was more like the sleep of a watchful animal, resting whilst aware of all that happened around them. Occasionally, if an Oneiroi depleted all their energy, they would sometimes enter a deep sleep where all of their defences were lowered. Since their race already existed in the world of REM it was a cycle of sleep they could never enter. Their entire race lacked the ability to dream and instead entered into NREM, a sleep pattern similar to humans but lacking the dreams. In this state their reception and absorption of theta waves was greatly heightened. These waves were created by a dreamer's presence and morphed the world within their dreamscape as well as sustained both the Oneirois and their realm.

Visiting the land had a very similar effect and food was really nothing more than highly concentrated energy making eating a quick way to recharge and the most preferred during any prolonged absence from either land or sleep.

“I'll be fine,” Seiken asserted, his eyes resting on the sleeping figure. Rowmeow jumped from the bed and started towards the door, pausing only when he heard Seiken's voice. “Row, would you get someone to drop by a pomberry?”

“Sure, I'll do that.” Rowmeow's non-committal tone caused a weary smile to tickle the edge of Seiken's lips. The cat stopped at the door, his front paw paused in mid-step. “We still have some serious matters to discuss, but for now let's see how this develops. If she wakes she will need your guidance. Given the circumstances the council has agreed to postpone judgement, temporarily.” Rowmeow saw Seiken's shoulders relax slightly on hearing this news.

* * *

A cave opened on the peaks of the Mountains of Light. Long had this been a sacred place seeped in a forgotten lore of love and loss. Selene had few places she called her own upon the surface of the world and her blessing was required in order to step foot within her hallowed ground. With time came great understanding of divine boons thus Elly, who had an excess of such, knew exactly how to gain entry. She merely needed to mimic the blessing.

She carefully knocked a long metal peg into the ground, sliding a mirror down into the fashioned groove before directing the moonlight. Time would be of the essence, but not for the reasons she imagined Marise would believe. Inside the cave splendid, natural stalactites formed from transparent crystals adorned the ceiling, catching the moon's rays. Marise stepped forward stilled only by Elly's quick reflexes.

Movement stirred in the darkness as thousands of red, bloodshot eyes rapidly shifted back and forth through the crystals in search of intruders. The walls became animated, uncoiling fine hair-covered fibres as the ground pulsed seeking out its prey. Each movement sent vibrations through the air, whilst barely visible forms used taste and sound to explore the area. Crevices in the walls opened and hissed revealing the hungry orifices sunk within. Beyond the mass of writhing darkness lay the perfectly preserved body of a beautiful man. His name was Endymion, a shepherd rumoured to have been Selene's great love.

As her mortal lover he was given the right to choose the time and method of his own demise. He wished to stay young and beautiful, and so he opted to fall into an eternal sleep. But all energy has a counterpart. For the part of him that was beautiful and remained in slumber, another part lay awake, nursing the hatred of centuries. When Elly had first sought out this rumoured figure, she had hoped to find answers of her own, their situations almost comparable. Instead she found a new gratitude to Night. So long had this figure been in slumber he had become divided. The part of him which was beautiful and the part of him regretting his choice. One always slept, the other was always awake, angry, and vengeful.

“What in Tartarus is that?” Marise hissed visibly recoiling from the scene before her.