Shadows of the Realm (The Circle of Talia) (22 page)

Augustine smiled reassuringly at Bronwyn.
“Don’t worry; either of you. This will all be over in a jiffy.”

“
What are we actually doing?”

Avruellen stood in front of her niece and looked deep into her eyes.
“I am going to give you something. First we must bless it, and in doing so, commence its activation. It will be required to undergo three such blessings over time. This is a blessing we must carry out ourselves. I have no knowledge of who will be required to bless it next. Once you have this … mineral, I guess you could call it, in your possession, you must keep it hidden, secret, and guard it with your life. Without putting too fine a point on it, you will be required to use it to save Talia when the time comes.”

Bronwyn
’s face paled to white. She felt sick. This
mineral
could be her death—not to mention she had to use it to save Talia. What the hell was going on? She couldn’t speak. 

Augustine put a comforting hand on her back.
“We must all do what we can and what we must. This has been your destiny from before you were created. You must believe that the gods have given you the talents to at least have a chance to do what is being asked. None of us is asked to do what is impossible, and all of us will give our lives for this, eventually.” She placed a gentle and reassuring kiss on Bronwyn’s forehead.

The two older realmists had set out the perimeter and warded it accordingly, ensuring anything that occurred could not go further. Avruellen lifted the quartz from around her neck. A wooden bowl, filled with the herbs she had purchased earlier, sat on the ground in the middle of the circle. Avruellen placed the amulet, chain and all, into the vessel, and Augustine gestured the others to join her. They stood surrounding the bowl. Bronwyn was nervously biting her lip, heart beating a loud staccato in her ears. The joining of hands, to complete their small circle, calmed her and slowed her heartbeat, a little. What could go wrong with these two experienced realmists here? Instead of thinking beyond her question, Bronwyn commenced her meditation sequence.

When Avruellen spoke she had regained her composure, all thoughts of failure banished. “We stand here today to unlink a piece of the chain that binds our salvation. I order you, Bronwyn, to link with Erme, the water corridor to the Second Realm.” 

Bronwyn did as she was told.

“Realmist Augustine, I order you to link with Quie, the fire corridor to the Second Realm.” Augustine did as she was asked.

“
I now link with Zaya, the corridor to the gods, and I seek the blessing of Drakon, god of the dragons.” Her voice rose and gained strength as she appealed to the god. “Do you agree to unlock this piece I present, thereby enabling the possibility of humans and dragons to defeat our oldest and bitterest enemy?”

Bronwyn was only vaguely aware of the tension in the basement because she was concentrating as hard as she could on keeping her corridor open against the tumultuous current of spirit-water, which eternally flowed through its chamber and buffeted her mind.

Avruellen was relieved when the Dragon God’s booming voice replied, although the relief was short-lived. “I have no desire to change the course of your future, humans. Besides it is your future, not mine. The gods have heretofore refrained from interfering in the fate of Talia. It has always been that the strong survive, the weak perish.” This was not the answer they had expected.

“
It was the promise of the gods that Talia would never succumb to the Gormons. The amulet was given to us as a precaution and we have need. Would you deny us the promise you originally made?” her desperation and anger evident to Drakon.

“
You speak true, child of Talia. However, the promise was made by
your
gods, not Me. What they promise is none of my affair.” Avruellen was about to answer when Drakon spoke again. “It is my thought however that without the beasts of this world in existence, my children would not have food. It has also been requested by Zimapholous Accorterroza that we preserve Talia in its present form, unsullied by the Gormons. It is the promise I have made to my children, which I am upholding at the present time. I will grant you this one favour, but do not expect that I will ever have the inclination to assist you in the future. I also require a favour from the humans in time.  Do I have your promise of a favour in return?”

Avruellen was taken aback. What would the Dragon God require in return? The realmist expected the price would be high. She supposed she would have regrets but decided it was wise to grant the promise. If they didn
’t have the amulet to help them, nobody would be there to grant favours. “I hereby promise the Dragon God his favour as our need is great. Thank you.” 

Without another word Drakon breathed his fire into Quie. 

The fire rushed through the Second Realm and into Augustine. She swayed on her feet, but held fast. The fire engulfed the wooden bowl and its contents. At that instant they all heard a loud crack. The first link, locking the amulet’s abilities, was broken, but whilst the fire lingered they had to maintain their links to the Second Realm, or they may yet fail. In the moment before the fire died out, time seemed to stop. A second sickly green corridor had opened up and had followed the fire to Augustine. She was horrified as she realised that somehow the Gormons had found a way through from the Third Realm via their links with the Second. If the Gormons touched the quartz they may snatch it away, or destroy it. Augustine tore her hands from her friends and ceased the flow through the Second Realm. The violent separation threw Bronwyn and Avruellen to the ground.

It worked. The fire had gone out and the bowl was gone. The quartz lay untouched, unchanged on the dirt floor. Augustine was battling what was seeping through the sickly green corridor and even though the others had broken their bonds, it appeared the Gormon priest had enough power to hold open the link with Augustine. She was trapped.

Avruellen and Bronwyn lay dazed on the floor. They could do nothing but watch as the Gormon priest consumed their friend. It sucked her blood out and up the ephemeral tunnel as Augustine screamed. Crude, rasping laughter reverberated around the room. Her face caved in on itself. When the light eventually retracted, Augustine’s body was like a macabre, deflated wine skin, seeping a few forgotten drops of red fluid into the dirt. The Gormon had sucked out her lifeblood and bones. The sweet, caring person they had known was gone. It had all happened in a matter of seconds. Avruellen and Bronwyn lay unmoving, staring at the carnage. Within minutes they stood gingerly, leaning on each other for support.

“
Bronwyn, you must pick up the quartz. None must touch it now but you.”

“
Is it safe?”

“
To tell you the truth, I think so, but I’m not sure.”

“
Oh.” Bronwyn crouched over the stone on the ground. It was pretty in its own way. She studied it for a while before she had the courage to touch it. She looked inside the quartz: something lay within. Dark red, like an old scab, it was the shape of a small black-eyed bean. “What’s inside the quartz?”

“
A drop of blood.”

“
Whose?”

“
Or what. None of us know.”

Bronwyn took a deep breath and reached her hand to the chain, which was still as shiny and gold as before. She exhaled when nothing happened, and realised her neck was sore with tension. She stood and lifted it over her head. When it settled on her chest, nothing happened. Avruellen started laughing at the anticlimax; a crazy cackle of sound. She continued until she was sobbing. They had lost a friend for this. How many more of those she loved, and even those she didn
’t, would die before they were finished?

Avruellen hobbled over to her friend. She had never seen anything like it. Could the mess on the floor have been human? It was impossible to tell. Always the practical one, Avruellen asked Bronwyn to help dig a hole. They would have to bury the carcass in the basement as some of the evil they had encountered may still be active on her body. There was a chance it wasn
’t, but they were dealing with the unknown and couldn’t take the risk. They cried as they dug. When Augustine’s remains were safely in the ground, Avruellen gave her their blessing and thanked her friend for her sacrifice. Only two women returned upstairs. Avruellen locked the basement through the Second Realm so that it could never be opened again. The women bathed and changed before going to bed.

Avruellen was desperately sorry they had come to seek her friend
’s help. She was unsettled at the reminder that she could yet bring death to other friends and to Bronwyn. As a realmist, she knew their sacrifices were for the good of the world, it just didn’t feel very good right now. Avruellen would have to tell Frederick in the morning. Did he even know Augustine’s secret?

She would have liked to leave Pollona now, but Corrille was dead to the world, and with the gates being guarded because of some imaginary black creature, they would look very suspicious riding out with Corrille draped unconsciously over her horse. They would just have to wait until morning.

They both had nightmares. When Bronwyn woke she thought she might have been better off having had no sleep at all. She kept reliving the moment Augustine’s life was extracted. It was horrific: she had become a twisted caricature of a human. Bronwyn knew it was going to be an effort to steer her thoughts in a different direction, but tried anyway. Corrille shared her room, and Bronwyn was pleased when her friend stirred.

They dressed and went downstairs. Unsure of what to tell Corrille, Bronwyn said nothing and figured Avruellen could come up with some excuse or other. The girls set to preparing breakfast from yesterday
’s ample leftovers. “Where’s your aunt and her friend?”

“
They probably went to see Frederick or something. I told them to let us sleep in.” This satisfied Corrille, who was preparing tea.

Avruellen, in the meantime, had gone next door. She had gone early to see Frederick, but possessed no idea how to start or what to say. When he opened the door and saw her face, he knew something was wrong. He invited Avruellen in. When they were both seated he asked her directly.
“Is Augustine… gone?” He couldn’t bring himself to say the
other
word. His frame sagged when Avruellen nodded. He pulled an envelope from his pocket, his words strained against the need to cry. “She gave me this and asked me to open it if anything happened. Please read it to me. I don’t think I can bear to.”

Avruellen gently removed the paper from his fingers. Her voice wavered as she read.
“To my dearest Fred. I asked you not to open this unless I was dead. I guess it has come to pass. Do not cry too long for me; I wouldn’t have changed anything. My life has been full, and in dying last night I have given my life, as promised so many years ago, to the realmists’ cause. Yes, love, I am a realmist. Do not be surprised, as I’m sure you’ve had your suspicions. Anyway, do not blame Avruellen for what has happened. I can assure you she would have put herself in my place if there had been a choice. All I can ask of you is to support Avruellen and her niece in any way you can. I must ask that you never speak of the truth of my death, or who I really was, to anyone. I’m sorry to demand this burden of you. Know that I loved you dearly and will hold you in my heart forever. Tell my children I died from the pox and my remains had to be cremated. I leave you my house and everything in it. I hope there is some comfort in this letter. Goodbye Love.” It was signed at the bottom in Augustine’s precise, flowing script.

Frederick was openly crying by the end. Avruellen returned the letter to his tear-stained hand. 

“I gave her a proper burial ceremony but I’ve sealed the basement forever. What she says is true; she died for the most worthy cause there could ever be. She will never be forgotten, and I will make sure her bravery does not go unnoticed. We will all miss her. I will not ask anything of you, except your silence. We’ll leave after lunch. You’re welcome to join us for the meal.” Avruellen knew her words meant little. Nothing could bring Augustine back.

“
Thanks. I would rather be alone. Tell me one thing,” his eyes pleaded, “was it quick?”

“
Yes, very. She didn’t suffer,” Avruellen lied. Augustine had suffered in the moments she had battled to preserve herself, knowing what it was she was fighting, and the inevitable conclusion. There was no need to burden Frederick with that information. “Goodbye, and thank you, for everything.” Frederick didn’t answer; he sat staring into his lap. Avruellen showed herself out.

Avruellen returned to her friend
’s cottage to find the girls eating breakfast. When Bronwyn saw her, she immediately poured her a cup of tea. Her Aunt spoke in her mind. “Have you said anything.”

“
No, I thought I’d leave that to you.”

Corrille spoke:
“Where’s Augustine?”

“
I walked to the gates with her this morning. She had to leave suddenly because one of her grandchildren is quite ill in Bayerlon. She insisted we at least stay and eat lunch. She apologised about having to leave. She’d been looking forward to spending more time with us.”

“
I hope her grandchild is OK. She’s a really nice lady.”