Beyond The Vale Read online

He only had one set of fresh clothes, though the shirt was not really clean. He did his best to scrub his soiled garments in the bathroom sink, draping them over the foot of the bed to dry. He tried to do as Hanna had suggested and read one of the books from the wall shelf in the living room. But he found that while Bomar speech was common to his own, their written language was strange. Some of it he thought he understood, but not enough to allow him to read it properly.

  Eventually, he resigned himself to going to bed. It was early still, but at least this would ensure an early start. As he lay there, he considered his next move. The Imperium would be the key to everything. In Vale, it was the power station: shut that down and everything stopped. But here, for a people who did not rely on technology for day-to-day life, it would be something different.

  The trains, the lights, the firearms were all a contradiction to everything else the Bomar used. Even hearing Hanna talk about it, he could tell she did not truly understand it. In a way, they were no more advanced than the Nelwyn. In fact, if Hanna had been right about their decline in population, without their more advanced weapons, the Nelwyn would be able to fight back far more effectively. Fifty well-armed magistrate officers could turn the tide. Or a handful of royal guards.

  If he could sneak back into Vale, he could possibly arm the Nelwyn sufficiently to do the job themselves. But first he would need to learn a bit more. If the Bomar did have some secret weapon, he needed to know what it was…and if possible, destroy it.

  As he closed his eyes, he focused his mind on the task ahead. Find the Imperium. Nothing else mattered until he had accomplished that first step.

  Chapter Ten

  Lenora plopped down beside the fire, her normally upright posture slumped as if carrying a great burden that she was unable to put down. This was maddening. Not a single Nelwyn had made so much as a hint of progress. They were as frustrated as she was. It was as if there was a gap between them that could not be bridged. Their ability with mana was strong, almost universally so. With the exception of Krigar and a few others who had no such gifts, every Nelwyn was potentially as powerful as any mage she had ever met. But so far, none had been able to so much as spark a fire.

  “Are you all right?”

  Lenora looked up to see Avariel, a young girl who had been assigned to tend to Lenora’s needs. She was shorter than most, only reaching to the top of Lenora’s shoulder, with short dark hair, tanned skin, and a gangly build. In spite of this, she was quite agile and much stronger than she appeared. Though young, her grim demeanor was that of a much older person. And her talent with mana was exceptional, at least in the way the Nelwyn used it.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

  Avariel glanced skyward. “It’s not yet midday. Will you be ending the lessons early?”

  “I think so.” She hadn’t intended on it, but the mere mention of ending the lessons was enough. “I need to figure out what I’m doing wrong.”

  “Maybe you’re doing nothing wrong. Perhaps we Nelwyn cannot use…mana…in the same

  way.”

  Many of the Nelwyn had adopted the word mana over solas. “Perhaps. But I don’t think so. After all, I have no trouble learning how your people use it.”

  Lenora leaned back on her elbows. The population of the camp that had been set up just a short distance from the Nelwyn village, had tripled, and more would soon come – all with the hope of learning a way to defeat the Bomar. If they were angry with her, they did not show it. To the contrary, she was treated with a great deal of respect and reverence, though in a different way than she had been treated in the palace. No bowing and scraping of sycophants; no treating her as if she was made from glass. Rather, they were invariably polite and seemed genuinely concerned with her comfort and overall well-being. It was much like Drake treated her, though without the overt displays of affection and love. In a peculiar way, it was refreshing.

  “If the lessons are over, I’ll go pick some mushrooms,” said Avariel. “Would you like to come?”

  Lenora was about to say no, but when she saw the Nelwyn gathering in the small area set aside for the lessons, she reconsidered. She had left abruptly, in an apparent fit of frustration, and had no desire to explain why.

  “That sounds good,” she said.

  Lenora stood and brushed off the grass from her pants. The two walked along the edge of where the ground sloped upward for about ten minutes. The path was uneven, and low projections of rock protruded in irregular intervals. The air was remarkably warm and humid.

  She had been here one other time with Maliel to pick some roots and spices that grew between the stones. This time they walked on a good distance farther than she had before. She noticed a few purple mushrooms here and there, but Avariel ignored them. The path rose sharply for a few feet then descended again ending at an area where the rocks were packed tightly together.

  “Follow me closely,” said Avariel.

  She hopped from stone to stone effortlessly, landing on those with a flat surface. Lenora tried to keep up, but while agile, was forced to slow her pace so as not to fall. One misstep could cause a serious injury. After a few hundred feet, Avariel halted, then stepping forward, fell from sight. Lenora nearly slipped, only just able to keep her balance.

  “Avariel!” “I’m here.”

  Lenora jumped to the stone upon which she had seen Avariel last standing. There was a nearly invisible gap, roughly three feet across, that dropped off six feet straight down. The ground below was green and mossy, and the air filled with a fine mist that dissipated just before reaching the rock lip.

  “Where are you?”

  Her head poked out from an opening at the bottom. “Jump down.”

  Lenora hesitated until Avariel gave her an uncharacteristically teasing grin. The landing was soft, though Lenora still stumbled forward, catching herself just before crashing into the side. At once she felt the moisture in the air begin to cling to her skin and caught the faint scent of honeysuckle.

  Lenora then bent and crawled into the narrow opening. It declined at a startlingly steep angle, and in seconds it was utterly dark. She could hear Avariel a few yards ahead, her knees dragging on the turf.

  “Where are we going?” Lenora called out. “You’ll see.”

  The passage widened after about fifty feet, and Lenora could make out a dim light ahead, silhouetting Avariel. A peculiar sensation washed over her. It was as if mana was penetrating her

  flesh, gently at first, but with every inch she advanced, it became more defined. Not unpleasant or painful, but still unsettling, as if it was growing from the pit of her stomach. This was not being drawn like when readying to cast a spell. This was…saturation.

  The passage opened into a massive cavern, the sight of which took Lenora’s breath away. The curved ceiling was about twenty feet high, and it extended for several hundred feet in all directions. The floor was a carpet of the same moss as in the passage, with thousands of tiny white mushrooms scattered throughout. But it was the source of the light that Lenora could not stop looking at. Vex crystals. Millions of them, embedded in the rock from floor to ceiling.

  “What is this place?” said Lenora, covering her mouth.

  Vex crystals grew in only one part of Vale, and they were harvested once every ten years.

  No one knew how they formed or why mana was attracted to them.

  Avariel was already picking mushrooms and shoving them into a pouch hanging from her belt. “There are many such caverns known to us. They are a place of healing and reflection.” She popped a mushroom in her mouth. “And mushrooms, if you’re lucky.”

  Lenora walked slowly to the wall, arm extended. “I…I can feel them.”

  Avariel laughed. “Of course you can. The Mother’s voice is easy to hear in this place.”

  Lenora had on a few occasions connected with mana the way Maliel had showed her when they first left Vale. This was the same feeling, only effortless. She ran her fingers over the crystals. Mana dr
ifted up her arm and coursed through her entire body, pulsing in perfect tempo with the beating of her heart. This was magic in its purest form.

  As if from a great distance, she could hear a low hum. Another joined in, then another, and another, creating a perfect harmony. The world…it was singing. The hums were joined by the

  sound of delicate chimes, hovering above the rising and falling chorus. Then more sounds came, like the laughter of children playing. Layer upon layer, the music swelled.

  Tears fell as the unbridled majesty and unparalleled beauty overwhelmed her. The world was alive. It had a spirit; a soul; a mind. She reached out with her thoughts. Can you hear me? But there was no reply as the music played on. She felt small. Insignificant. And yet there was a part of her that knew she was somehow connected. It was the tiniest thread of herself; an essence she could not define. Her yearning to speak to the power she beheld was stronger than anything she had experienced before, even surpassing her love for Drake.

  Please. Hear me.

  The music grew louder as if in response, filling her heart with joy It’s real.

  Lenora lost herself in the rapture of the moment. It was as if she could see the world as one whole being – all life. The beasts were its arms and legs; the plants and earth its flesh. And the people…the Nelwyn. She could hear them as well, buried in the song, their voices calling out, though only a part of the chorus, distinct and precious. It was in that moment she understood why they had been unable to learn from her. It made perfect sense.

  The music gradually diminished. But what of Vale? Or the Bomar? She tried to concentrate on finding their place in the song, but it was like gripping sand. The harder you squeezed, the more sifted through your fingers.

  A hand touched her shoulder, banishing the music all at once, leaving a hollow ringing in her ears. Her legs felt weak as she dropped to one knee, her cheeks soaked with tears. When she looked up, Avariel was kneeling beside her, an oddly concerned expression on her face.

  “It was real,” were the only words she could say.

  “Yes. And it was dangerous to do that without the proper instruction.”

  “I know what’s wrong. I know why I’ve failed.” Avariel furrowed her brow. “Failed?”

  “To teach your people aggressive magic,” she explained. This drew a surprised look. “The Mother spoke to you?”

  “Yes. Well, no. Not in words.” She pressed herself up and took several deep breaths. “It was like a song. But sung by the whole world in a perfect harmony. And I could feel that there was meaning within the notes. A message.”

  “What did it say?”

  “It’s hard to describe.” She lowered her head and shut her eyes. Though the song was gone, she could still feel it inside. “It wasn’t like talking when I’m talking to you. It was more like…an emotion. No. A thousand emotions all at once. And if I concentrated, I could pick out each one.”

  “You are very fortunate. Only the elders have heard the Mother’s voice in such a way.” She waited until Lenora looked up again, and then said: “But you must not do that again.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s dangerous. Without training, you could lose yourself. It takes us many years before we are ready to be exposed to the full power of the Mother’s voice. Had I known it was possible for you, I would not have brought you here. I’m sorry.”

  Lenora cocked her head. “Why are you sorry? It was the most wonderful experience of my

  life.”

  “One that could have ended in disaster.”

  Lenora could not understand her concern. She had not for a moment felt any sense of peril. There was no malice or anger. How could that be dangerous? But the look on Avariel’s face said that perhaps there was more to this than she understood.

  “Can your elders help me if I want to try again?”

  “Perhaps.” She regarded her for a long moment. “You said you knew why you’ve failed.” Lenora smiled. “Yes. And I know what to do about it. I know how you can defeat the

  Bomar.”

  “The Mother told you that?”

  “In a way. I’ll explain everything when we get back.” She reached down, picked a mushroom, and popped it in her mouth. It was like no mushroom she’d ever had, with the taste and texture more like beef. She picked another. “But not until I’ve had a few more of these.”

  Lenora stuffed her pockets, regretting that she had not brought a bag. On the way back, she felt as if a weight had been lifted. Her life had been in turmoil. From the day Drake had been exiled to the moment they left Vale, she had felt as if she had no control over the events surrounding her. One painful incident after another had plagued her very existence. And while there were sure to be more to come, at least in this moment she felt in control. She knew what to do next. Moreover, she knew she was right. The Nelwyn could…no, would defeat the Bomar.

  Chapter Eleven

  Bane’s head felt as if he’d been beaten senseless. That he was alive at all was confusing. The shot from the P37 should have been more than enough to do the job. Had Linx somehow missed? Or perhaps failed to use enough mana? No. He didn’t know much about the girl, but she was not the type to make that big a mistake. Whatever happened was exactly what she’d intended. He tried to move, but his limbs would not obey. The whir of an engine and the hard, flat surface he was lying on suggested he was in the back of a truck or possibly a van. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see a thing. A blanket was draped over him. He heard someone cough off to his left.

  From the timbre, a man.

  Don’t move until you can fight, he thought. He drew in a small portion of mana and smiled. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe they thought he was dead. Otherwise they would have bound him with mana-suppressing cuffs.

  “He should be coming around soon,” came a voice from near his head. “Be careful. That one’s a handful, from what I’ve been told.”

  So they knew he was alive.

  Bane could feel the tingling in his legs, and shortly after, it spread throughout his entire body. An immobility spell? A P37 could absolutely create one. But it was complex even for a mage. Nuanced magic with a P37 took an experienced hand. Most royal guards didn’t bother with such things. Why would they? Almost every time they drew their weapon, it was for a kill shot. It was one of the reasons they were feared. If they were pointing their P37, you could either give up or die.

  He drew in more mana. He could curl his toes now and move his fingers. In a few minutes, he would have full mobility and would need a plan of action.

  The man near his head could be the driver of the vehicle. Best not to do anything to him until he had his bearings. There was at least one more, but there could be any number of them. Bane went over the various spells, eventually settling on one that he could cast quickly and would be powerful enough to buy him a few seconds to orient himself.

  “How much longer?” asked the man beside him. “Just a few more…”

  Bane threw back the sheet, hands glowing red. At once he felt panic seize him. On a bench affixed to the wall of what in fact was a van sat a royal guard. Startled, the man reached for his P37. Bane let loose a short burst of mana that struck the guard in the midsection. But this was not nearly enough to incapacitate someone with the protection of a vex crystal.

  The van swerved and Bane stumbled back, crashing into the side wall. The guard, though grimacing from the pain of the spell, had pulled his weapon.

  “Stop!” shouted the driver.

  Bane directed another blast at the rear door, but the mana-infused metal easily absorbed it. By now the P37 was trained and ready. Bane dove to the back, attempting to open the door with brute force. It didn’t work.

  Bane’s shoulder ached from the impact. He was done. The guard had him dead to rights. “Take it easy,” said the guard. “I don’t want to hurt you. But I will if you keep acting like

  an idiot.”

  Bane held up his hands. “What are you planning to do with me?” “Let you go, if you can behave
for a few more minutes.”

  Bane shifted to a seated position, one hand cradling his hurt shoulder. “Why?” “I’m having a word with that girl when we get back,” said the driver.

  The other guard slowly sat back down, although he did not put away his weapon. “We’re here to help you. So if I put away my gun, are you going to do anything stupid?”

  Bane shook his head.

  The guard nodded to Bane’s shoulder. “Are you hurt badly?” “I’ll live.”

  “If Linx had told us you were a mage, I would have bound your hands. At least until we had a chance to explain what’s happening.”

  Bane crawled to the bench opposite. “What is happening?” “We’re taking you back to Exodus.”

  Bane gave a disdainful laugh. “If you think I’ll tell you how to find them, you’re wasting your time.”

  The guard shrugged. “None of my business. Don’t really want to know where they are.

  Once you’re out, it’s up to you to let them know you’re free. Our job is to get you out of Troi.” “I don’t get it. Why are you helping me?”

  “I swore to protect the royal family. But my first duty is to the people of Vale. King Salazar is mad. We cannot allow his plan to succeed.”

  “So you know what he intends to do?”

  The guard nodded, grimly. “I didn’t want to believe it. But I saw it for myself.” “How many others like you are there?”