The Severaine

Chapter Eight Fenris-5

“But why rescue Chrissie in the first place?”

“Heroes' prerogative. I will move Fenris upstairs, you go to Rosa and explain the situation.” Marise nodded leaving at speed. The quicker her task was completed the quicker she could move on to more important matters. She had been waiting for their paths to cross again for a very long time.

She watched in silence as Marise made haste with her departure, turning her back to them she focused her attention once more to Fenris.

“Had you killed him, I would not be so generous, but heed my words, Daniel Eliot, I now owe you no debt.” They stood in silence still not moving, and she turned towards them. This time there was no mistake, she was looking at them. “Do you think I am so untrained that I cannot see the four of you standing there? Your light and spirit manipulation may fool Marise's senses but you cannot fool mine. Now go, and be warned, the next time we meet it will be as enemies.” Chrissie placed the cards back into the cloth pouch.

They spared Elly but a single glance as they hastened towards the door. It was, if anything, to ensure she intended to be true to her word. Her attention was no longer focused upon them, but on the figure of her friend. They made cautious haste, knowing that any moment Marise could return, whilst not wanting to rush and risk being seen as she departed. It was a difficult balance, one measured cautiously by fear.

* * *

The portal was exactly where Elly had said it would be, and much to their relief there was no one around. There had been a fleeting moment where they had wondered if Elly had somehow relayed to Marise she should wait there, instead of attending to her tasked job.

Daniel walked, his firm steps harbouring the anger he felt. He had been so close, so close to that murderous dretch, and what had he done? He had let her escape. He had failed himself and Zo. The words of his friends were unheard, he simply walked and they had no choice but to follow. When he finally calmed, he became aware of the aching in his legs and the looming presence above him. He had guided them through Collateral straight to Albeth castle.

“What was that back there?” Daniel turned his focus to Chrissie, his anger now exhausted from the march. His friends stood breathless, glad for the reprieve. “Marise, she couldn't see us at all.”

“My family,” Chrissie answered as she led them inside the walls. “I used a light and spirit barrier to shield us from view. The light barrier bent the light around us so it appeared we were not there, and the spirit barrier filled the air with so much spirit energy that our life-forces could not be detected. I don't understand why the other one saw us though.”

“That's amazin'!” Eiji exclaimed. “Where did y' learn how t'do somethin' like that?” In all his time spent with his master he had never heard of anyone with the ability to use these elements.

The Great Spirits of darkness, light, and spirit had been lost in time. Their power, their blessings, were thought no longer to be accessible to anyone. The elemental spirits were an ancient force, as long as they possessed the ability to take form in the material world Elementalists could draw upon their power. There were now but four known spirits, his master had spoken in depth about the lore of the lost three, and despite his search for them, he had never found any clues to how they had been lost.

“Well… I didn't really learn it. It's a talent I was born with.”

“What are y'? It's almost like elemental magic, but not,” Eiji stated as he stood before her. He thought back to the feeling of the magic. There had been a basis of elemental magic there, but something about it, about the way it was gathered and manipulated, seemed wrong.

“It's complicated… you see, for generations all the first-born members of my family have had this gift, we get our power from our relatives.” Chrissie once more opened her cloth pouch, from within she removed a single card, offering it to Eiji. As he took it within his hand, he could feel the strange power sealed within. “It's a talent kept silent in fear of attracting unwanted attention from people like Fenris. I call on the elements by focusing my energy through the cards.”

“They're certainly unique. Where'd they come from?” Eiji questioned, turning the strange card over, brushing his fingers over its leathery texture.

“That's the complicated part. My power, as I said, is hereditary. My father always said we were a mutation in the line of Elementalists. When one of us dies our energy doesn't return to the elements to be reborn, instead it remains sealed within the body. In order to release the power from being forever bound between worlds we have to take a part of that energy and create a means of channelling it.”

“Then…” Eiji's face grew pale as he looked upon the card within his grasp.

“Yes, you're holding my father.” Eiji felt the card slide from his grip, his hands fumbling quickly to secure it once more. She laughed, taking it from him. It was only as he turned to gauge the reaction of his friends that he realised both Daniel and Acha had vanished.

“So how's it work… y' power I mean?” he questioned, moving to take a seat on the bench.

“Well, the card acts as a medium between me and the powers. Its attribute is decided by which skill best reflected the member of my family. I call upon their power and use it as my own. I can also combine the cards to create various results… but I'm not very good at it yet.”

“Chrissie!” Before the source of the voice was even found Chrissie overbalanced, forced to sit on the bench as the small figure launched herself towards her to settle comfortably on her lap.

“Megan, you're all right!” The young girl fidgeted awkwardly as she tried to get comfortable.

“I don't believe it.” Edward smiled as he approached from the direction of the eatery led by Daniel and Acha. “You said you would get her back, and here she is. This calls for a celebration, drinks all around, my treat come on.” He grinned.

“It's a lovely offer, but we really hafta get goin',” Eiji apologised as he rose to his feet. There was no time to waste, there were many places they still had to travel, and as tempting as the offer was it was better to take a rain check.

“So did you ask her about the—”

“No,” Daniel interrupted. “That was not the reason we helped her.”

“Ask me about what?” Chrissie questioned as she looked between her rescuers and Edward.

“Your heirloom, seems these three are looking for it. I'm not sure who pointed them this way but—”

“Amelia.” Chrissie grinned, shaking her head.

“You know Amelia?” Daniel questioned quickly before Chrissie had chance to continue.

“Sure, she was a good friend of my birth father. She always came to visit twice a year and when he passed away, she came to see me. She was the one who told us what it actually was, truth be told, I can't really tell you a great deal about it, just that it was cursed. It was only after it came into the possession of our family that our… gift developed, so we kept it in the family until the line ended with me.

“I was young when my father joined his ancestors. I've always been superstitious, so I gave it to the temple on Therascia, just north of the Mountains of Light.” She had more to say, but before she had chance Daniel spoke.

“Thanks, come on guys, we really should be leaving.”

“Thanks, Chrissie. Maybe we'll see you again in the future.” Acha smiled, and there was a murmur of gratitude exchanged. As they began to leave Edward sat and placed his arm around Chrissie's shoulder.

“Nice kids, those three.” He smiled.

“Yeah,” she whispered, watching as the darkness of the arch covered them completely.

“Come on, you can tell us all about your little adventure. Megan here's been worried sick.” Chrissie smiled, she was possibly older than anyone in the group that had just left, she found herself wondering if they still had people who worried about them, people who would sit up at night hoping they were safe.

Chrissie looked to Edward and smiled as Megan finally surrendered her position on her knee. Her time with them was nearly exhausted, soon she would need to move on to another family in need of help. It seemed the time she could spend with people grew less each visit, but given her role she was never short of a welcome wherever she travelled.