Halfstone: A Tale of the Narathlands (17 page)

In short time, Télia and Aru had climbed the path and vanished
behind the stone wall. No warding enchantment had yet blocked their path. The
succeeding moments felt like hours. Aldrick’s mind echoed with dark
uncertainties. What if one of Malath’s wielders had seen the aeras approaching
and attacked them with all the ferocity of storm? He shifted uncomfortably.

The sun had begun to rise, bathing the barbed peaks of the
mountain in ominous red light. Around him and his brother, it remained cold and
dim. They waited longer. Eventually the sun’s light touched them.

“That’s it, I’m going after them,” Aldrick said, losing patience
and restraint. He started forward.

“Come back, damn it!” Kaal shouted.

Aldrick kept riding.

“Stay there if you want!” he shouted back over his shoulder.

His pace was a gallop all the way up to the base of the
watchtower. There, he leapt from Tame before the horse was at a standstill.
De’ama and Aru’s horse were close by, waiting on their masters’ return. Aldrick
unsheathed his sword, took a breath and made to enter. Above the arch of the
entranceway was the sinister sign of Selayna, glinting callously in the sun. Only,
it wasn’t a sign at all. It was a drathen butterfly in the flesh that took off
in a hasty flutter as he past below. It failed to enthral him. He feared only
for Télia and what fate might have befallen her inside the forthcoming lair of
stone.

Save for an empty weapons rack and some indistinct etchings on the
wall, the interior of the tower was completely bare. There were some faint
footprints on dust-covered stairs that led to the roof, but no tell-tale signs that
the fort was presently occupied. In the wall to his right was a shadowy opening.
Aldrick approached it with his sword at the ready. A sturdy wooden door would
once have blocked his way, but was now only dry splinters on iron hinges. He
stepped across the threshold and found himself in a long, gloomy passage. A
number of mounted torches lined the walls, though none of them were alight.

The sound of footsteps behind Aldrick made him spin round in a
frenzy. It was just Kaal. He breathed a sigh of relief then signalled him to
follow. With deadly caution, they proceeded. The stillness and silence
surrounding them was more a concern than a comfort. This was a haunted abode.

Soon they emerged into a vast chamber cornered by enormous, fluted
stone columns. They were on the upper level. Below, accessed by stairs from all
sides, was a circular floor space. In the centre of this… Télia! She lay
sprawled face down on the ground, motionless. Aldrick sprinted for her, terror
flooding his veins. He was too late!

Steps from her reach he came to an abrupt stop, though not
purposefully; he couldn’t go on. His sword was torn from his hand. He looked
around wildly. He couldn’t see the culprit but knew a wielder lurked close by.
Kaal had also been relieved of his weapon. Again Aldrick tried to push forward
but couldn’t counter the barrier of gravity that was stopping him. He let out a
cry of frustration and desperation.

“Now, now, don’t squawk,” a sneering voice echoed from a passage
above them. A gaunt wielder draped in blue robes stepped out from the shadows.
He glared down at Aldrick through hateful eyes.

Aldrick’s fists compressed.

“What have you done to her?!” he bellowed.

The wielder’s eyes went to Télia. “Me? No. That was your friends
doing.”

From out of another passage walked Aru, her face stiff as ever.
She was armed with her crossbow. It was pointed at Télia.

Aldrick stared at her, confused for a brief moment, then began to shake.

“You!” he roared. “Traitor! I will tear you apart!” Thunder
followed his words. In the confinements of the hall it was near deafening. Aru
and the wielder seemed quite unfazed by it. They continued to look down on him
with loathing.

“So, this is him, is it?” The wielder marched down the stairs and
surveyed Aldrick closely. “This is Isobel’s child?”

Aldrick tried to punch him but failed to meet his mark.

“Please,” the wielder remarked. “You insult me.” His eyes narrowed
and he raised a hand.

“Kagron, wait,” Aru interrupted. “We must take them to our lord.”

Kagron’s eyes remained fixed upon Aldrick. “Must we?” he asked,
irritated. “Why not just finish them here?”

“No, he may want to meet Aldrick. His sister will appreciate the
others, and the sport they will offer.”

Kagron scowled. “If that is what they would desire then I shan’t
challenge it.”

Aldrick knew he couldn’t let Télia or Kaal be taken anywhere.

“Get out of here!” he shouted back at Kaal.

Kaal remained put. “I’m not leav—” He was flung sideways. He
struck one of the pillars and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

Aldrick’s fury deepened.

“You two are making a grave mistake,” he warned.

“How is that?” asked Kagron, drawing a steel mace from his belt.

Flickers of sharp blue lightning erupted around Aldrick’s fists
and forearms. In the moment it was effortless to wield. It was as though he had
always known this power.

Kagron took a step back, eyebrows raised. “Aru, he is more
powerful than you told.”

Aru walked down and pressed the tip of her crossbow against the
back of Télia’s head. “Try anything and she dies.”

Aldrick looked at Télia’s motionless figure. “How can I be certain
she is alive now?”

Aru’s lip curled. “She is. Only, her pretty face isn’t so pretty
anymore.”

Relief stowed some of his anger. She was still alive. He just had
to save her somehow. It was doubtful his powers were enough to defeat both Aru
and Kagron. His options were few.

He allowed the lightning to fade. “Do with me as you please, but
do not harm her.”

Aru’s crossbow remained against Télia’s head for a moment longer,
before she withdrew it and aimed it at Aldrick instead.

Kagron sneered.

“Time for a nap,” he said, lifting his mace.

Aldrick closed his eyes and waited for the blow.

There was a whistling sound and then a thud. He opened his eyes to
see Kagron dropping the mace. The wielder winced and fell to his knees. Aru lifted
her crossbow and shot an arrow into the shadows. Aldrick seized the
opportunity. He thrust both hands toward her violently. Like a twig in a gale, Aru
flew away. She collided with a far wall and toppled to the ground in a crumpled
heap.

Aldrick looked down at Kagron. The wielder whimpered on the floor,
an arrow firmly lodged in his back. Now he peered in the direction Aru had fired
her crossbow. Sinin was doubled over at the top of the stairs, her arrow in his
chest.

Aldrick ran to him. “Sinin!”

“Hi, Al,” he replied. His voice quivered. “If… if you’re feeling
up to the task you’re welcome to try and heal me.” He grinned feebly.

Aldrick knew what to do. Without hesitation he placed one hand
over the wound and, with the other, pulled the arrow from Sinin’s chest. Sinin
let out a cry and almost fell to the floor but Aldrick held him steady, willing
his wound to be healed.

After an uncertain moment Sinin beckoned for Aldrick to stop.

“All right, enough touching,” he grumbled.

Aldrick withdrew his hand to find the wound had disappeared. He
felt weakened but was washed with relief. He hurried back down the stairs to
Télia.

A ball of fire came hurtling up at him from the hands of Kagron.
The wielder was still more a threat than he had thought! In the last second Aldrick
lifted his hands and created a warding wall. The fire engulfed it with raging
force but failed to break through. As it subsided he saw Télia drive a dagger
into Kagron’s neck and, simultaneously, another arrow from Sinin pierce his
chest. Kagron’s eyes emptied and his body wilted.

Télia discarded the dagger and looked up at Aldrick. He could
barely see her expression. Her face was drenched in blood and badly swollen.
She collapsed on her side.

“Télia!” He scrambled down to her, took her in one arm and rested
his free hand over her face. She had to be better. He had to make her better!

While his storm slowly healed her, he felt himself becoming
lightheaded. His vision had blurred. Slumping sideways, he fell out of
consciousness.

12

HOPE LOST AND
FOUND

A stinging sensation on Aldrick’s cheek woke him. He blinked and
peered upward. Télia was smiling down at him, her face as impeccable as ever.
Strands of her hair tickled his neck.

“Did you just… slap him?”

He turned his head to see Kaal resting against a wall nearby,
watching them with a big grin.

“Yes. Yes I did,” said Télia. She offered Aldrick a hand. He took
it and found his feet.

“Is everyone all right?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Kaal perkily, rising also. “Though me least of all.
Apparently Sinin and Télia were first in line for your healing storm stuff.”

“Sorry. I would have got to you if I hadn’t passed out.”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”

Aldrick looked around the chamber. Kagron’s body lay lifeless in a
pool of blood. In the far corner, Sinin was binding Aru with rope where she had
landed on the floor. Apparently his storm attack had not killed her.

He went to Sinin.

“Sinin, I owe you my thanks. I think all of us do. If you had not
come…”

“Don’t mention it,” Sinin said dismissively. “I saved your life
and you saved mine. We’re even.” He finished binding Aru, then stood and
slapped Aldrick on the shoulder. “You looked to have worn yourself out back
there, Al. What you did though, it was remarkable stuff. I’ve never seen
anything like that lightning thing you did.”

Aldrick looked at his hands.

“It kind of just… happened,” he said. “I think it was my father’s
ability.”

“Jon would be most impressed.”

“Sinin, why did you leave Jon?” Aldrick asked. “Why did you come
back?”

Sinin scratched his beard. “Well,” he started. “On the way to
Galdrem Jon and I got to talking about some things. He queried me about Aru,
you know, because he fancies her and all. And, well, he was very surprised to
learn that she is the sister of an aera he once knew—the one tasked with
protecting your mother when she moved into the ranges. He believes it may have
been that aera who informed Malath of her whereabouts and grew wary that Aru
might also be disloyal. He sent me back to keep an eye on her. As you can see,
his suspicions were correct.” Sinin nodded toward Aru. “The bitch is a traitor.”

Aldrick looked down at her. “I hope I didn’t deal her too much
harm. We may need information from her.”

Sinin snorted. “I won’t shed tears if she doesn’t wake.”

Télia and Kaal came to them.

“Yes, we will need her to talk,” said Télia. She looked downcast.
“Aldrick, the storm the Halfstone held could be sensed by we aeras, just as we
can sense a wielder’s storm.” She looked around. “There is no storm in this
place other than your own.”

“Because the stone is probably empty… Malath has his storm back,
right?”

Télia bit her lip. “Aldrick, your father’s storm was in that stone
too.”

Aldrick’s heart sunk. “Oh… I… so it’s not here.”

“No.”

“We have looked, Al,” Sinin said. “There is nothing in this place
but dust and death.”

Aldrick turned away. They had come all this way for nothing. A war
was soon to begin and they were now in the middle of nowhere, with no upper
hand.

Just as he was contemplating forcefully waking Aru for
information, she groaned. He turned to see her with open eyes.

Sinin aimed his crossbow down at her.

“Greetings, old friend,” he said bitterly.

Aru didn’t respond. Her attention locked on Aldrick and a faint
yet strikingly malevolent smile sprouted on her face.

“Your doom approaches, little one,” she spat. “My lord will swat
you all. You have not the power to stop him. No wielder does.”

Télia stooped and gripped Aru by the collar. “Aru, tell us where
the Halfstone is. Tell us and you may find some peace in the Life Afterwards!”

Aru snorted. “You truly had hope didn’t you—that even after my
lord’s return to supremacy it still could exist? No, no it was destroyed. He
destroyed it.” She began to laugh, then spluttered and coughed up blood.

“You’re lying,” insisted Télia, hiding doubt. “That’s not possible.”

Aru shook her head. “Wrong. Slowly, over years, the stone oozed my
lord’s storm. In time he was able to wield once more. He disintegrated the
stone from the inside out.” She winced. “It… it is dust now.”

Aldrick’s head dropped. He knew Aru spoke the truth. Télia let her
go and walked away, wiping an arm across her forehead. Sinin let out an angered
cry and released an arrow into Aru’s heart. She became limp. Aldrick shut his
eyes. He felt sick and empty. There was a harrowing silence.

“So, what now?” Kaal asked eventually.

“Nothing has changed,” said Sinin obstinately. He pulled his arrow
from Aru and wiped it down. “War is coming and we must fight. I will be on my
way to Galdrem presently. I suggest you all ride at my side, especially Al. He
is needed.”

“No,” said Télia. “Jon was adamant that Aldrick must possess the
Halfstone if he were to confront Malath. To chance a victory without it is
foolishness. Aldrick deserves no part in this.”

Aldrick remembered speaking with Jon before his departure. He had
promised Jon that he would not press any further without the stone. However,
his mind remained torn. Deep within him, a hatred for Malath seethed, and a
longing for vengeance. He wished to see the putrid wielder dead before him! But
he couldn’t allow hate to conquer him. He had felt it too often recently. It
didn’t feel natural. He couldn’t let it put Télia or his brother in harm’s way.
They would undoubtedly follow him on whatever road he chose to take from here.
Maybe it was best he flee—return to Rain and take them and his family across
the sea to safety. And, in truth, he wanted not to break his promise. He knew Jon
was terrified that the son of the two he had once so dearly cherished and
wished to protect might also perish. He owed it to Jon to run now. Then again,
perhaps he owed the Narathlands more…

“Al may do as he pleases—all of you may—but I am going to
Galdrem.” Sinin made to leave.

“Sinin, wait,” Télia went after him. “Keep safe, won’t you. Leanne
and Flynn need you more than any battle does.”

Sinin smiled. “I will be with them soon.” He embraced Télia then,
after a nod to Aldrick and Kaal, left.

“Leanne and Flynn… they are his wife and son?” For some reason Aldrick
had never considered that Sinin might have a family.

Télia nodded. “Yes. I know them well.”

“They live in Galdrem? Then why did he leave them to protect me
when he knew Malath was in the city?”

“Because he is a foolish aera who does as he is told,” grumbled
Télia.

“And you—you have family too. You must wish to see they are safe.
Kaal and I will come with you to Daraki’ Anya, if you like. They can come south
with us. We could all leave these lands.”

Télia’s face turned a ghostly white and she hurried away.

“Télia!”

Kaal came to his side. “I think you had better go after her, Brother.”

Aldrick did, hesitantly. He didn’t know what he had said wrong and
didn’t want to make things worse.

When he emerged from the fort he couldn’t see her. De’ama remained
with the other horses, waiting patiently outside the watchtower. Hearing a sound
he looked up. Télia had opened a hatch at the top of the tower and was climbing
through it. He pursued her. When he came out onto the roof he found her with
her back to him, staring out across the shadowy plains. Her long hair was
caught in the breeze. She sang the same gentle song she had at the border of
The Lonely Province. He quietly went to her side. Below them, Sinin travelled
down the snaking path to the foot of the mountain.

Télia turned to him. There were tears in her emerald eyes.

“Télia, I’m—”

“My family are dead, Aldrick.”

He stared at her. “They… no, no you don’t know that.”

“You don’t understand.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “They died
many years ago, when I was nine. Bandits attacked us on the road to Galdrem.”

Aldrick took her into his arms. She buried her face in his shirt
and wept. His heart was shattered for her. “Télia, I’m…” There were no fitting
words. He held on and let her tears flow.

After a time, Télia withdrew her body, looked despairingly into
his eyes, then left him upon the roof.

The three of them sat at the base of the tower. It was too hot in
the sun and too gloomy in the fort. Aldrick did have half a mind to explore the
place but the scent of rotting flesh wafting from one of the passages had
dissuaded him. Much of the fort’s interior had been cleared out anyway. Malath
and Selayna hadn’t planned on returning any time soon.

Kaal was busy sharpening a knife—something he often did when he
was feeling stressed or uneasy. Télia sat in silence, as did Aldrick, though he
was anything but calm. Again, he was attempting to weigh what the wisest course
of action to take next was. He kept trying to justify venturing to Galdrem and
attacking Malath, but every time he played out the confrontation, it ended with
him as a bloody corpse and the others no better off. Heading south was looking
to be the better option. He only wished Jon wasn’t in Galdrem, set upon
defending the lands from Malath. It would surely end dismally for him.

Aldrick wondered what his parents might have done all those years
ago, had they not possessed the Halfstone. Would they still have gone up
against Malath, or would they have chosen to shelter those they could? He
wished that they were here now—here to show him the way.

Suddenly he remembered something that brought with it a small
sense of comfort. He rummaged in his travel bag and pulled out the journal Jon
had given him before they left the ranges—his father’s journal. He carefully
opened it at the beginning. Flaky pieces of charred paper fell into his lap.
The first pages had been completely ruined by the fire. He continued through
until their content became somewhat discernible. They were filled with faded
sketches of peculiar plants and objects, many of which were accompanied by
lengthy annotations that Aldrick was unable to read. A few, he could, though
many words were unknown to him. He didn’t mind. It was calming enough just
looking at his father’s work.

On a page only a little beyond the one he had first opened to in Jon’s
home was what appeared to be a map. There was a location marked on it, and a
single word: ‘Cave’. This wouldn’t have captured Aldrick’s attention, had it
not been accompanied by another sketch of a small stone. The stone had lines
around it, as if to show that it was emitting something. Light perhaps? It
brought to mind Jon’s first description of the Halfstone: “A peculiar luminous
stone”. This must be his father’s record of finding it! Underneath the sketch
were two more small words that made Aldrick’s excitement escalate: ‘Green stones’.
He jumped to his feet.

“What is it?” Télia asked, standing also.

Aldrick handed her the journal and pointed to the sketch. “Look.
My father found more than one of those stones. There must be more, he just
never told anyone.” Télia put a hand across her mouth. He looked at her
directly. “Télia. The map. Do you know where that place is?”

She studied it for a moment. “Yes, I know that area. It is at the
feet of the Mountains Nemduran, to the north.”

Kaal came to them. “What’s going on? Are we off somewhere?”

Aldrick grinned. “Yes we are.” He took Télia by the arms. “Can you
show us the way?”

She grinned back at him. “Of course I can.”