The Severaine

Chapter Fourteen The Summoner-2

“Then why don't you show us, since you're so full of answers,” Daniel spat bitterly as he turned away from where the figure stood. Even now the sight of Eryx Venrent filled him with anger. He could feel it flooding through his system, turning his blood to vitriol as it burned beneath his skin, trying to force his hands to another action he knew he would regret.

“If I do, will you at least listen to what I have to say, if only until you reach the portal?”

“If you open it, sure.” As Daniel stood Eryx moved to approach, tapping his hand over his coat as if searching for something. Finally he reached deep into his innermost pocket to remove a pan flute. The pipes, being a strange off-white colour, looked as if they were crafted from hollowed bone.

Eryx took a tentative glance around, ensuring there was no one else nearby before he began to play. His body swayed in time with the haunting melody as it filled the air. From the first note a vibration could be felt from the monument. A vibration that grew more intense as the music continued. Eryx lowered the pipe. His musical talent, only suggested before, now shone through in the complex melody he had performed. The sound of the pan flute still touched their hearts when a noise from behind startled them. They turned to face the monument as Eryx approached and gave it a gentle push. It slid aside with ease to reveal a ladder vanishing into the darkness below.

Eryx descended first, ensuring Daniel would not have the chance to reconsider his offer. He never got tired of seeing the caves which ran beneath the entire structure of Collateral. Once, a long time ago, their entrances had not been concealed. Time had seen the rise and fall of many councils, some good, others not so. The caves had been sealed many cycles ago, when they had been used by the Plexus to conduct some of their more unsavoury business. But as with most things, time saw them forgotten. There were few who now knew of these amazing structures, and less who knew of this particular one. It was perhaps the best kept secret in Collateral and had the sole purpose of guiding those within to Kalia. However, only those worthy could gain access, to anyone else it would be nothing more than a large stretch of tunnel.

The underground world of Collateral was vast, perhaps even on par with the enormity of the city itself and was just as diverse. It was illuminated by natural rocks, moss, and wildlife; creatures which, for the most part, posed no threat to humans. This life was a secret Eryx guarded closely, creatures native to the land of Collateral were not found anywhere but here. To expose them would be to create a market for those who would see them on display. Vast hidden worlds lay below, forgotten cities and impressive subterranean landscapes even the greatest mind could never imagine. It was a place of beauty and splendour, a magnificence allowed to thrive due to Man's absent hand. Eryx knew of but two areas still in use by those who lived above. Fortunately, not all of the world below was connected.

Daniel was the last to descend. As if knowing their party was now all safely within the stone above slid back into place. As it did so, Daniel noticed there was a strange indentation on its base; from here, it seemed as if merely placing a hand upon the depression was all required to open it. Without giving him a chance to object, as soon as Daniel's feet touched the ground Eryx began to speak. He could only hope the boy would listen.

“I know what you must think of me,” he began, seeing Acha and Eiji had continued through the cave, allowing them time to talk. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I honestly had no idea of what fate had awaited our Zo. Night had loved her mother so completely, I could not imagine him doing anything to the child created from their love. When Kez died, I think something inside him—his heart, his soul, call it what you will—broke, just being forced from her side drove him to the Hoi Hepta Sophoi. If not for his powers being sealed twelve years before, I dread to think what fate may have awaited our world when she died. He never fully recovered, but when he came to me and spoke of Zo he reminded me so much of the man he had been, the friend I had known. I didn't consider for a moment he would mean her harm. His voice held the same love, the same adoration, it had all those times he had spoken about his wife.

“I had no idea how wrong I could have been. I was a fool.” Eryx paused, pulling something from his coat pocket. Daniel glared at him as he recognised the small phial. It was the same one that had housed the potion he had given to Zo. “Oh, I almost forgot,” he said, his hands idly fidgeting with the phial. “I found a way for you to reach the figurine, the part of the key at the ocean's floor. A blacksmith from Knightsbridge has recently moved to Semiazá port. He stopped by informing me he had your answer, his name is Tony. Eryx wasn't sure why this stranger had approached him at first, but when he told him how the answer had been obtained, he understood a little more.

As Daniel looked upon the once blind old man who stood before him in youth and sight, he felt a mixture of things, the paramount being confusion. It was so easy to hate him, to blame him for everything, but he wasn't sure how he felt anymore. He was tired, tired of feeling angry, tired of hurting, too tired for all of it. He simply wished it would all stop.

“Thank you,” Daniel stated emptily before he turned to leave to follow Acha and Eiji through the barrier to Kalia.

“There's something else I need to tell you; it is of grave importance.” Daniel looked past Eryx to the portal, wondering when he had managed to ensure his own exit was delayed. Eryx sidestepped, making himself central to Daniel's vision. “And I need you to drink this.” His nimble figures extended the phial. Eryx wore a concerned frown, and the look in Daniel's eyes indicative of his absolute refusal as the very sight of it saw Daniel recoil. He knew all too well the poison and betrayal this item had housed last time.

* * *

As Eiji emerged on the other side of the portal, he was flooded with such an array of sensations that his steps froze, leaving Acha to collide into him as she exited just seconds behind him. He apologised quickly before moving to one side. He could not quite explain what he felt, only that it was a strange feeling, but at the same time a familiar one.

Acha and Eiji found themselves on the very tip of a rocky peninsula. Waves crashed against the rocks below, filling the air with bouts of ocean spray as they waited for Daniel. The sheer scope of the land they found themselves on was overwhelming. Apparently just off the coast of Drevera, unseen by any, was a landmass easily the size of Therascia.

A mountain range, higher and wider than any they had ever seen spanned the horizon. It was only on close examination they realised that what they had imagined to be countless towering giants was in fact one, nestled between other smaller ranges. Even from this distance they could see the steep sloping cliffs rising above the clouds, it was impossible to even imagine how far above the skyline it towered. The light reflecting from the surface gave an almost lavender hue against the grey stone. Even from so far away the only thing they could feel was humbled.

Time passed as they stood transfixed on the mountain, almost in silent worship of its grandness. The island was serene, wild and overrun by nature in her rawest glory and filled with the chorus of birds and wildlife. A natural paradise thick with luscious green forests. The moss-covered trees wove a complex canopy of many colours and shapes as countless species interconnected above as if one. Their thick branches supporting vines, fungi, and symbiont vegetation as far as the eye could see. Waterfalls cascaded down nearby cliff faces causing the surrounding land to be enveloped within the water's haze, giving the appearance of the violent torrents crashing down into a heavy mist rather than the vast pools and streams beneath. As the sounds of running water became clearer through their awe the spell was broken.

Acha nudged Eiji's arm, his mind still lost to the world before him. It was a moment before he could pull himself back; all that he was wanted to be one with this land. He felt as if he had momentarily merged with the elements, sending out a greeting to the land and announcing his presence. Something which had come to him instinctively, without the effort he had needed to address the gnomes. This place held a magic he felt he could never understand.

Seeing his distraction Acha pulled the leather skin from his belt, allowing him the time he so obviously needed, and approached the small stream. Its clear water whispered forgotten lullabies as it caressed the rocks. She dipped her hand into the water, bringing it to her mouth. It was cool and refreshing, filled with the rich taste of minerals. She took another drink before filling their skins. When she returned Eiji smiled, he opened his mouth as if to speak, his words lost as Daniel finally appeared. They thought he too would pause to appreciate the wonder, to watch the small shadows in the distance as they circled the enormous mountain. The shadows dove and climbed as they circled, occasionally two of them would cross and seemingly meld into one as if in some form of aerial battle or dance.

It was only as they noticed his continuous steps upon the rocky terrain they realised he had not stopped at all. They looked to him in surprise. The sounds of his footfall scraping across the ground as if each step was a burden. He staggered along, muttering incoherently to himself, as if trying to make sense of some unseen puzzle.

“Daniel,” Acha called as they hurried to catch up with him. He turned slowly to look at them, his eyes blinking a number of times as if he was having difficulty focusing upon them. “Is everything okay?” He looked to her blankly for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “Then talk to us, please. Tell us what's wrong.”

“I think I'm dreaming,” he muttered, his eyes once more struggling to focus on his friends. As he spoke it was impossible not to hear the slurring of his words. “Eryx said I was having trouble. I should have known then, as if I'd do that.”

“Do what?”

“Drink from that damn phial.”

“What phial, what did Eryx do— say t'y'?” Eiji placed his hand upon Daniel's shoulder to gain his wandering attention.

“What's it matter now, I'm dreaming anyway.”

“No, Daniel, you're not,” Acha interjected.

“Ah, but as a dream would you not argue your existence. Besides,” he continued, “the whole world is so distorted.” He raised his hand to his face, watching it as it created trails through the air with his movement. He let out a slight giggle.

“Daniel, y' not dreamin', why'd y' think that?”

“Come on, you don't expect me to believe we really visited gnomes.”

“We did,” Acha answered without delay.

“I see, well how about the creature in the lake, and at the hut, the shadows that have been following us,” his tones began to rise to hysteria. “Aimbria, now that had to be a dream. If not I had the chance to kill her, she stood before me. I should have killed her. I would have, I know it. Then she wouldn't have attacked our camp and killed you.” He touched his hands against his cheeks to feel the dampness on his face. “I'll wake soon, I'll wake soon,” he whispered. “I can't do this, I can't sleep, I can't be here. I need to wake up.” Suddenly with a strength and accuracy they thought he lacked, he lunged for Eiji, catching him off guard as they tumbled to the ground. Daniel seized the knife from his boot. “I need to wake up, I can't sleep.” He waved the knife around as he retreated a few steps. Even dreaming he found this difficult, but it was the only way he had managed to wake himself before, the only way to ensure an Oneiroi woke him. He turned the trembling blade to his chest.