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Rebirth By: Aradia on 10/21/2001; 6:00 PM Ten thousand three hundred twenty one years after the Four Wars Indiana Starblood sat on his horse, waiting uneasily. All around him were his soldiers, also waiting. Lucian Taarene was systematically attacking the major villages which produced the most food for the land. Zakiyah was playing a pivotal role in this war. Lucian had returned to his brothers castle several times, bragging about his intended targets. Leurc had remained true to his word, refusing to use his status as king to add forces to Lucians efforts. But he also refused to divulge any information to Calypso or her Regents. It was a frustrating thing, but none demanded otherwise. Zakiyah, on the other hand, had no qualms about her loyalties. She had learned long ago how to become a part of the shadows, and she was now using those abilities to her advantage. She had heard of Lucians plans to attack several Kettahrite outposts, and she had passed this information on to the Silver Queen. Lucian had been very aggravated to find those outposts defended before he arrived, and he had lost those battles. It had little effect on the tide of the war, but it had helped bolster the Kettahrite peoples belief in their Queen. Calypso had responded by making Zakiyah the Lady of the province of Summerstorm. The previous ruling Baroness of Summerstorm had died defending her province, leaving it vulnerable to several potential attacks. Lucian had attempted to poison Silver Lake, a main source of water for the Silver Kingdom, but he had underestimated Calypso. Five months ago, she had become the Water-Witch, and it had been a simple task for her to cleanse the taint from the Lake. Lucian now planned to destroy the food supply for Kettahr, and Zakiyah had passed word on through Tyneth Stormraiser. At his insistence, Indiana, Tyneth, and Baron Jaric had persuaded Calypso to not be present at one of the three main targets. They told her that she needed to return to Kestrel for the time being, to make certain that her daughter was doing well enough as ruling Princess. She had declared her eldest, Mi'treysa, as ruler of the Chain and the nymph population had accepted her declaration. Just as they accepted their Queens unorthodox gesture of child rearing - she had placed her youngest with her eldest for safety. Jaric had placed his three younger children among his personal troops, and his three eldest had chosen to follow their mothers army. They now were stationed with Beraleen at one of the targets. Anashrel was stationed at the second target, since she had argued long and loud that Tyneth was useless to them in his current state, despite his assertions otherwise. He had responded by traveling to the Summerstorm province to help Zakiyah rebuild. And Indiana was at the third target. "Indy!" Beraleens mental scream tore through his reflections. Indiana opened his mind to his sisters, catching glimpses of her memories. Jaric fighting furiously, surrounded by his soldiers. Beraleen using her considerable Druidic and Earth-Witch magicks, protected by her sisters three elder children. Lucian arriving as she began to fatigue, attacking her with an unknown magick. Jaric attacking Lucian in kind, and being attacked by that same unknown magick. Jaric falling. Other soldiers falling, including the six children of the Baron and his Queen. And Beraleen now falling, exhausted by her attempts to shield herself from the unknown magicks. Indiana recognised those magicks, though. He had studied them in books from the Universitys Keep, though he had never seen them in practice. Lucian Taarene had, somehow, learned the Forbidden Arts. He had learned Time magicks. "Bera!" Indiana yelled back, stretching his mental capabilities to protect his sister. Lucian was only a wizard, but he was trying to shatter Beraleens mental defenses. Once that happened, Lucian would be at leisure to break Beraleen, to strip her of her powers, and to kill her. It was nearly difficult to break a wizard or mage, for they had the abilities to defend their minds from enemies. Their minds were usually organised into several walls, one behind another. The outermost barriers protected everyday thoughts, and wishes. The second innermost defended a persons Arcane well, the raw power that determined a persons strength. And the innermost protected a persons life-strand, the thing that allowed them to live. Minutes later, Indiana saw his error. Lucians army appeared on the horizon, a dark crawling mass. As it grew closer, a sinking feeling filled the Silver Prince. The army of the Dark Prince had no end; the horizon remained dark with moving bodies. "Stand ready!" Indiana called, his words ringing in the silence. "Dont allow them to reach the food supply!" He paused a moment, ruthlessly severing his mental connection with his younger sister. She would have to defend herself. "Sacrifice everything, if you must." His men shifted restlessly, understanding his words. Sacrifice their families, their lives. Allow their Prince to fall, their Queen to fall. But protect the food supply for all of Kettahr. Mountain trolls overran the village, burning, torching. Their sheer numbers forced Indiana and his soldiers to retreat, though it was a reluctant retreat. For each troll that fell, three humans went with it. But it wasnt long before the trolls stepped back, allowing ogres and the orcs to flood the village as well. Overhead, mountain harpies dove at the mens faces, killing with abandon. Indiana fought skillfully, protecting his men to the best of his abilities. But still, they fell and never moved again. Finally, however, the orcs and trolls and harpies and ogres stopped their attack. No, he realised. Theyre not attacking me. Lucian moved into his view, and in one swift move, killed Indianas horse. So. It would be on foot. Indiana drew his sword, moving towards Lucian cautiously. Lucian did likewise, a sneer distorting his features. "Tired of hiding behind your sisters skirts, little boy?" "I dont hide behind my sisters skirts," Indiana replied calmly. "My sister doesnt wear skirts." Lucian leaped at him, his swords steel ringing against Indianas. "Wonder if shes as hot as your bitch-sister I ruined," Lucian taunted. "That redhead looked pretty fine in a skirt, I must say. And she made my entertainment so much easier. No clothes to tear." A red haze fell across Indianas vision. He turned the tide of attack against Lucian, causing the Dark Prince to fall into a defensive posture. "You didnt touch Beraleen!" Indiana snarled. "Sure I did. How could I resist touching such a luscious woman? Granted, shes nothing compared to the water-bitch, but shes still one of the best Ive ever had." Lucian smiled at him. It was not a pleasant smile. "Thats because no woman in her right mind would want you," Indiana retorted. "What you dont understand is that it is not the place of the man to force women. Women are stronger than men, but its a gentler strength. Youre a fool, Lucian Taarene. I wish you dead." Lucian shrugged. "Youre a bigger fool. Women are made for a mans pleasure. Thats common knowledge." Indiana started to reply, but was caught off-guard by the glint of sunlight from Lucians ring. A ring of three silver strands, entwined around one another. And the two emblems. One for a Battle Master. The other for a Sword Master. Lucian was a graduate of the University, with two Master titles. Lucian took advantage of the distraction, and swung his sword in a downward arc. The blade caught the Silver Prince on his right shoulder, tearing his skin and drawing blood. Indiana dropped his sword, his arm numb. Before he could recover, Lucian swung his sword again, tearing Indianas abdomen open. Indiana gaped at him in surprise, catching his intestines as they spilled out of the wound. He swayed a moment, then dropped to his knees before falling backwards gracelessly. There was a vague sensation of Lucian straddling his prone form, a dagger at his throat. There was a vague sensation of that same dagger slowly slicing his throat. Indiana gathered his strength enough to catch the dagger in his belt with his left hand, and swung it upward blindly. A roar of pain and anger told him that Lucian hit. He forced his eyes open enough to see a nasty jagged cut on Lucians face, blood pouring out. Lucian snarled and raised his dagger to drive it through his opponents head. A blast of fire caught the Dark Prince square in the chest, sending him flying backwards. The young mage named Tayner stood over Indiana, and raised his hands, a strange call emanating from his throat. The ground between the Dark Prince and the Silver Prince trembled, then split open in a gaping bottomless ravine. While soldiers from both sides tumbled in it to their deaths, Tayner had managed to keep the ravine to most of the enemys side. The soldiers of Kettahr backed away from the ravine, confusing their opponents. Lucian trembled in rage, and raised his hand to close the gap. The Time magicks flowed out of him, and resealed the ground. Tayner responded by opening another ravine in the middle of Lucians army. More of his soldiers tumbled to their deaths. And Lucian again used his Time magicks to reseal the ground. Song floated into the midst of the magickal battle. Five women walked into view, singing. To Tayner and the rest of the Kettahrites, the sounds were beautiful and pure. To Lucian and his allies, they were discordant and harsh. And they had a curious effect on Lucians Time magicks. It was as though the song was battling the Time itself. The Time magicks were thrown against Lucian, who simply reabsorbed it into himself. He recognised the futility of fighting them against the strange song, and studied them, his mind quickly identifying each woman and her weakness. Anashrel of West Kettahr was there, the Fire-Witch. Silver of Kestrel, the Air-Witch. Jerienne of the Kettahrite archers. Amber of the Jaric archers. Plymouth of the Jaric cavalry. But no Mi'treysa of Kestrel, no Calypso of Kestrel, and no Beraleen of Kestrel. Lucian instantly threw a sheet of fire at Jerienne, a water-witch. But it was countered by neither Jerienne, nor Anashrel, nor the other fire-witch, Amber. When Lucian saw who it was, a strangled gasp left his throat. Inghean scampered into the midst of the fighting, her water magicks easily countering his fire. Her silver cat-shaped eyes were filled with mischief, her dark hair streaming behind her as she dashed to Jeriennes side. "You damned bitch," he snarled at her. "Go home and play with your dolls. Before I kill you." Ingheans only answer was to release a blast of water into his face, sending him backwards a few feet. How in the name of the Dark Lady was he supposed to fight a four year old with more strength than anyone he knew? Lucian gave the call for retreat, and glowered at the girl. "Stay away from me, little one. Youll regret it otherwise." She stuck her tongue out at him. And when he turned and disappeared into the horizon with his troops, he heard her mischievous laughter. Indiana took this all in, struggling to live. But, finally, he sighed and surrendered to the blackness around him. The open sky above him was the strangest shade of blue. The city around him was empty of life, and yet, he saw shapes. Transparent images of people going about their lives. People who never noticed him. "Unsettling, isnt it?" a male voice asked blandly. "Id forgotten that mortals are still within the confines of time." Indiana whirled around to study the handsome yellow eyed man. "Who are you?" "I am the father of your sisters," the man answered. "And you are the son of Mlisarra Windrider." A wry smile touched Indianas lips. "Youre the first human Ive met who could say a nymphae name properly." He gestured to the ghostly shapes. "Who are they?" "People of the past, Ndiana. And people of the future." The man shrugged. "They were once my people. Now, they are their own people. And soon, they will be your sisters people." Indiana snarled at him. "I hate riddles." The man shrugged again. "You saw the power that young Inghean displayed on the battlefield. Her power is great, and will only grow as she matures. She will be as powerful as Mi'treysa." He paused a moment. "But their power, even combined, will never touch the strength of their mother." He paused again. "Clypso, and Nashrel, and Braleen, and Slver all have the same obstacle, though. There is a veil in the well of their Arcane. A veil they have not pierced; a veil which blocks over half of their Arcane." Indiana stared at him. "Over half their Arcane? Theyre already powerful witches!" "They are my Daughters, Ndiana. Their potential is that much more." The man shrugged yet again. "They must pierce that veil, and sink into the depths of their Arcanes to be as powerful as they are meant to be." "How?" "They cannot pierce those veils themselves. They must have help from another. They must go to their respective Altars. Once that is done, once they have met their respective Lords, only then will they be able to see beyond the veil." Everything began to shimmer, began to fade. A blur of colours swept around Indiana in a funnel shape, wiping everyone out. Before Indiana could protest, he was swept away. His sister was bent over him, her dark eyes exhausted. "Doing your best to become a spirit-wraith?" Calypso asked tartly. Indiana shot upright, his eyes wide. "Am I alive? Did you heal me?" he demanded, then paused. "What about everyone else?" Calypso sighed and sat back, handing her brother a glass of wine. "Ana and Silver are fine. Jaric recovered. As did Derrin and Michael and Jonas," she added, speaking of her three sons. "Jerienne and Amber and Plymouth are exhausted, but are also fine. Inghean was sent home with a scolding. Bera will be fine - Lucian didnt get very far in shattering her inner defenses." "Did he ?" he couldnt bring himself to ask the question. "He didnt touch her. He tried to, and she overwhelmed him with a blast of Arcane to the mind. She shattered several of his inner barriers before she passed out." "His mind wasnt shattered when he cut me up." "He returned to where Bera was, to finish the kill." Calypso shrugged faintly. "He didnt realise hed enraged her." She paused. "Lucian Taarene was thwarted, Indy. He never touched any food supply for Kettahr. And he left you some scars." "But you healed me." It wasnt a question. She nodded. "I healed you. But youre dead." Indiana stared at her blankly, then hissed softly. "Dont ask me that, Caly. I cant lead that group. I cant abandon my family." "Yes, you can." Her voice was soft, what hed teasingly called her Queen voice. "Bera and Silver and Ana will be the only other ones to know the truth. But you are very dead, Prince." "Caly " "Your funeral will be in two hours. You should go before the funeral." She paused. "Who else do you want?" Indiana understood her. She was asking who else he wanted in the elite group. The group she was commanding him to lead. "The mage, Tayner. He saved my life from Lucian." He paused and thought a moment. "And the scout Boreas." She nodded solemnly. "You will have them. Anyone else?" "Not yet. Ill listen to suggestions, though. But I do want you to train Tayner. Hes still young and untrained." "So be it." She handed him a black cloak. When he rose and put it on, she handed him a simple belt. But he understood the belts function. It would blur the minds of anyone around him, making them think he wasnt there. A belt of invisibility, in essence. "You should go now." A wry smile lit his handsome features. "I think Silver Butte would be appropriate. No one would think to look at the ruins of such a large scale slaughter." He studied his beloved sister for a long moment. "And Caly, something you should understand. From someone who knows." She tilted her head inquisitively, and he plunged ahead. "The power you display, the Arcane you have. There is more. You have more. Go to the Water Altar and seek out the Water-Lord. He will show you how to find it. The same goes for Ana and Bera and Silver; they need to go to their own Altars." Calypso was silent, then dipped her head slightly. "We will." She pulled the flaps of her tent open. "Go now. Boreas will be there as soon as I can arrange. So will the others." Indiana latched the belt on, and disappeared from view. The sun finally slipped below the horizon when his body was brought forth to the funeral pyre. Indiana had disobeyed his sister to watch his funeral; he was amazed at the level of skill used in the recreation of this corpse. As he watched, the corpse was gently deposited on the pyre, then lit by Anashrels fire. The firelight revealed some minor flaws in the recreation, though. Flaws so small no one would think to look for them. The ring from the University was missing, the graduate ring with the Sword Master emblem. So was his pendant that declared he was the High Priest of Prakhor. The hair was a shade too light, the skin a shade too dark. But no one noticed it; too many wept over the loss of the Silver Prince. A feral smile crossed Indianas features. Lucian Taarene would receive word that he had died. And he would count it as a victory. But the day would come when Lucian would learn that he wasnt dead. That he was very much alive. And on that day, Indiana would call in the debts that was owed to him. The debts that Lucian owed him. Indiana would never return to the Kestrel Chain as Prince. He could never go home.
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