The Severaine

Chapter Thirteen Delusions and Illusions-1

Chapter Thirteen

Delusions and IllusionsCrowley had changed much in the months since their departure. When they had left, it had been at the mercy of the unpredictable storms. The mountains had split, trees unearthed, and the rivers barricaded. The landscape had changed beyond recognition, and now it had altered further, faring no better against the seemingly relentless bombardment of the elements. All the windows in the small houses were now barricaded, and the swelling of the river was visible in the distance having washed over the wasted efforts of several attempts to divert its flow.

The storms had been unparalleled by anything they had yet witnessed. The crashing of thunder had been joined in harmonious rapport by the rumbling of earth as plains split under the stress of the assault.

The chaotic rain hammered without mercy turning once firm grass into puddles of mud which sunk beneath each step. The air was thick, heavy with water so severe it concealed even the closest landmark. Billows of breath rose through the air, the icy downpour now like tiny knives upon their flesh as it penetrated even their thickest clothes. As they walked past one of the houses, Eiji paused, almost certain he had heard something drumming upon the window aside from the rain, but looking through the pane he saw only the warmth of a low fire, and the slumbering figure of an elderly man as he lay across a small bed. Eiji blushed, realising he was staring straight through the gap in the boards into this man's bedroom, turning his gaze to the ground he continued. Ignoring the wooden sound of a door behind them until he heard the familiar voice.

“Daniel!” Eiji reached out, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder as he seemed intent on ignoring the calling figure. By the time Angela had taken the few steps from the door to where they stood, she was soaked. Her blonde hair clinging to her skin. Daniel turned almost hesitantly, seemingly unresponsive as his mother pulled him towards her in an embrace. From over his shoulder she looked to Acha, the concern clearly evident in her eyes. She pulled back to look at him once more. He had lost so much weight since last she had seen him. His heavy clothes may disguise it, but there was no denying what she felt. He looked gaunt, sick. She caressed his face with her hands, the water dispelled by her touch quickly replaced. “You look starved. When I am finished here I will put some food on the table.” She hugged him again, tears mingled with the rivulets of rain. It had been so long since she had heard from them, she had feared the worst. To see him here, even in his current condition, filled her with more relief than she knew how to express. “Go on, go home, you'll catch your death out here. Your father will be glad to see you.”

“Mum,” Daniel paused; he could feel the happiness radiating from her. How could he tell her they had no intention of staying? Instead he gave a slight smile, not meeting her eyes as he spoke. “We will.” Angela stroked his arm again before hurrying back to the task at hand knowing, as soon as she was done preparing the salve for Mr. Danutus' arthritis, she would return to her home which would be once more filled with family, just the way it should be.

“Is everything okay?” Acha placed her hand on his shoulder as he stared after the vanishing silhouette. It took a moment for him to acknowledge her. His expression seemed almost surprised when he realised it was just the three of them standing there now. She was relieved he had agreed to return home, perhaps his mother could succeed where they were so clearly failing. It had taken longer than they had expected to return to Drevera. Daniel's fatigued pace had slowed them more than was perhaps necessary. He had once more been avoiding sleep. The medicine Acha had secretly administered had been showing so much promise, but it was almost as if he had realised what they were doing. Acha cursed silently, not able to remember the last time he had eaten. She perhaps should have known better than to drug his food. Now he refused to both eat and sleep he was quickly reverting back to his former condition, all progress seemingly lost. Without answering, Daniel turned and continued to lead them towards Elder Robert's house.

He had become increasingly more distracted as they walked. He appeared to watch things that weren't there. Worse still, over the last day, he seemed to have been trying to convince them that something, or someone followed them. He grew nervous, even more skittish, telling them Marise stalked them from the shadows. Eiji had kept close vigil since he mentioned it, but both he and Acha knew she was not there. Even with Marise's talents it was unlikely she could conceal her life-force from them.

Each night his suspicion of them, or of strangers tampering with their supplies, saw he only partook in freshly collected water or food. He was unaware the containers themselves had been laced with a sedative, ensuring he would slip into sleep, only to wake himself as he called Zo's name. It seemed recently his dreams of her had become more frequent, the disjointed images fading so often into nightmares.

They had really hoped things had started to get better as his appetite had seemed to return when they had decided to visit Zo's home, and for a short time they had. He had even started to behave more like the Daniel they knew. But it seemed that had been just a momentary reprieve. They only wished they had something to give him which would stop him dreaming, at least then he could sleep.

“Let's just get this over with.” He turned quickly as he saw a silhouette in the darkness. He grinned, focusing his sight through the blanket of rain as the figure waved at him. As if her warm smile was enough to banish the weather, the rain before him immediately stopped, but as it did, he lost sight of her. “I hoped I'd find her here,” he admitted much to Eiji and Acha's surprise. He pulled the hood of his travelling cloak down as he disappeared into the pouring rain. “Hey, wait,” he called as Zo started to run. She kept looking back at him, slowing her pace as if to give him a chance to catch up. But each time he nearly reached her she seemed to vanish only to appear further in front of him. He quickened his pace, her footsteps stilled as she beckoned him. He could smell her familiar fragrance. Finally, after all this time, he could reach out and touch her.

“Daniel!” Eiji grabbed his shoulders, jerking him backwards, pulling him away from the edge of one of the small fissures.

“What are you doing!” he snapped. “I almost had her.” Lost for words Eiji grabbed Daniel's head to force his vision towards the ground, towards the rift just moments ago he had seemed intent on throwing himself into. As Daniel looked rain once more filled the air, he realised his hair was already soaking, almost as if the calmness had been just an illusion. But he did not want to accept the possibility that was all it had been. “But, I—” He gave a sigh, there was no point telling them. If they didn't believe him about Marise, who had been following them for days now, why would they believe him about Zo? After all they thought she was dead, but he knew differently. He'd seen her so often, walking the fields they had. Of course he hadn't always realised it at the time, but for some reason they would never let him go back for her. “Sorry, I thought I saw someone,” he stated. “Come on let's go see Elder Robert and then we can leave.”

“But…” Acha protested as she glanced to Eiji.

“No, we can't,” Eiji intervened. “I've not been feelin' well. I thought while we were here I'd get y' mum's advice.” Daniel looked at him suspiciously.

“You've never said anything, I've potions, what's wrong?” His voice seemed short tempered, as his eyes met with Eiji's he looked away. “Nothing? Then I would just as soon leave.”

“Actually, I think it's all the life-force checkin' I've been doin'. I think I'm a little exhausted.” He wasn't so much lying as telling a half truth. He was tired. Besides, it seemed Daniel would not be willing to stay here without encouragement, and his mother had been so pleased to see him. The least they could do would be to stop by. “How can I keep on guard for Marise? Maybe my probin' is the only thing stoppin' her gettin' t'close.” As soon as he said it Eiji was hit by a wave of shame for using Daniel's own fears to sway him. It wasn't something he was proud of, but they really needed to speak to someone about how he was behaving, and there was no one better than the person who knew him intimately and just so happened to be a physician.

Daniel said nothing, leading them in silence to the Elder's house. He knocked before he pushed the door open. Elder Robert smiled as he motioned for them to sit. He had already prepared three steaming hot drinks and warmed some towels.

“I've been expecting you. Your mother told me of your quest, I knew you would return to see me.”

“How?” Acha questioned as she took a seat in front of the fire. She felt a small pang of guilt in the back of her mind as she looked at the trails of water they had left through the house.

“Let me see… now stop me if I go wrong. You are after three pieces of a key in order to gain access to a long-forgotten place where the answer to sealing the Severaine lies. You have found the Keutrikos, but not before someone forged it into something else. Now in order for this part to work it must be returned to its original shape, so with but one hope you visit the gnomes. As very little in this world is free, they want something in return for doing this, something that will ensure all their brethren will not vanish should you succeed. The only problem is, you don't know what that something could possibly be.” He raised his eyebrow questioningly. “Did I get it all?”

“Pretty much,” Eiji gasped in disbelief. “How'd y' know all that?”

“Doesn't matter how I know, it just matters that I do.” He smiled secretly. “Well, I will help you out, I will tell you what you need, even where to find it. But first, as I said, little in this world is free. You must do something for me. Normally I wouldn't ask, but it's kind of urgent.”

“What?” Acha questioned.

“I need you to deliver something for me.” He paused before he continued in lowered tones. “A dragon egg. It originated in the forgotten plains. I tried to return it but the dragon life-force signature was not strong enough to grant me passage. You see their land is protected. Now the Severaine is free again you should be able to use the portal to gain access to their realm. I stored the egg in the volcano on the island, although the volcano itself is extinct, its inside is still warm and protected from the elements. I figured it was far safer there than in a trophy hunter's home or even being beaten around in the desert.

“Well, when I checked on it this morning, I could hear the faintest scratching coming from inside, which means it's about ready to hatch. By this time next week, we'll have a baby dragon on our hands, so I need you to return it before it hatches.”

“Where?” Daniel questioned. Elder Robert looked to him in surprise, normally he would have been filled with enthusiasm and questions, but the person who sat before him now seemed to barely resemble the Daniel he knew. Maybe he was just tired, the dark rings and paling features told tales of his exhaustion. He hoped there was nothing more to it than that, but he had seen too much in his time to allow himself to hold onto this notion.

Elder Robert went to great lengths to explain the exact location of the island. It was situated just off Drevera's borders and had never been visible to any eye due to it being between worlds. Once he had finished, he turned to Daniel, concern flickered in his eyes.

“I thought you might have been a little more eager.” He stared again at Daniel, his eyes, which were normally filled with such enthusiasm, looked empty.