The Last Druid (20 page)

Ca
lla had grown to be the one she needed indeed.  Only those as gifted as she was could earn the company of such enchanted creatures.

Ca
lla was still staring at her, light green eyes wide.  Elenia saw her body was shaking, uncertainty written on her face.  She would have to play this very carefully if she didn’t want the girl to run back down the mountain and potentially be caught by the Council’s soldiers.

Elenia reached out with her mind to touch Cal
la’s thoughts.  –You are afraid of me, no?—she asked.

Cal
la jumped; apparently she had never experienced such a connection, even though she was able to keep a similar kind of connection with the spirits and animals that lived in the world around her.  The Tri-tail shrank behind her even more.

Elenia laughed slightly.  –It is all right if you are; I
did not expect any other feeling from you. — She reached one hand out and beckoned for her to come.  –Come closer child, and let me get a better look at you.

Ca
lla approached hesitantly, wary of her intentions.  Elenia wasn’t surprised—so much had happened to her in such a short amount of time she was probably in no hurry to trust her right off.  She extended her right hand towards Calla’s face, the illusion of flames flickering around her fingers.  The girl stopped instantly, every inch of her body trembling.  Elenia felt herself scowl in frustration: she could project her own thoughts into the girl’s mind, but even this close she could not search it to get any kind of reading on her, not without hurting her.

But s
he had certainly grown these past few years.

She sighed as she lowered her hand.  –Ah, we have
so much work ahead.—

Ca
lla’s nerves were clearly getting to her, but she continued to hold her ground.  “Um, who are you?” she asked, her voice so quiet Elenia could barely hear her.

The question itself was surprising.  –You do not know me?—

“I’m sorry, but no.”

—You have travelled with one of my servants far from your home.  You have heard my name from several people you have met along the way
, good and foul alike.  Even this mountain and the city below share my name.  How can you not know who I am?—

The girl just stood there looking sheepish, letting her eyes drop to the floor.

Elenia sighed.  –It does not matter now— she said, shaking her head.  –I will not be angry with you just for not knowing my name.  There is nothing to gain from that when we have so much that needs to be done.—

Ca
lla glanced back up at her, while the Tri-tail continued to shuffle her feet and flick her tails nervously.

Ca
lla
, she said to the girl,
I do not like this.  I do not think we can trust this…creature.  We should not be here—I sense something wrong about her.

Elenia chuckled quietly to herself.  Tri-tails had always been the most cautious of creatures, meeting everything—new and old, usually—with great suspicion.  Still, things would perhaps go better if there wasn’t so much tension between them all.  Maybe now would be a good time to
lighten the mood some.

Elenia projected her thoughts now into the Tri-tail’s mind, but
still kept the connection with Calla open.  –Oh yes, because I am always in need of a new fur coat— she teased.

The Tri-tail gave a high-pitched yip and jumped back behind Ca
lla.  The girl’s eyes went wide in shock or perhaps fear, and she backed up two steps as she covered her mouth with one hand.

Elenia laughed a little.  –Relax, I do not have any real intention of doing that to you
, my furry friend; it was only in jest.—

The animal didn’t relax for a moment. 
I will take your word for it
, she said skeptically.  Calla started to giggle quietly about it.

Well at least she had found something to
help the girl calm down.

Elenia released some of the magic that held the illusion of flames flickering around her; the light around where she stood dimmed slightly.  She turned her attention back to Ca
lla.  –Do I need to explain myself further? — she asked.

The smile dropped from her face quickly.  However much fear she still felt, it didn’t keep her from answering.  She shook her head sharply, loose strands of red hair swaying from one side to the other.  “I think I know who you are,” she said, a little louder than before.  “Are you the lady Elenia?”

Elenia nodded.  –Indeed.  I am the Lady of Life, the guardian of the natural world and of all who live in it, enchanted or no.  I am protector to the Malc, a people among the last remnants of the ancient days.  I watch over the world, and help to maintain the balance when called to.—

She had kept the explanation as simple as she could, but
already Calla seemed to understand it.  Perhaps this would go easier than she first thought.

She blinked and
realized she was staring towards Calla’s chest.  Calla was wearing a gold chain around her neck that disappeared under the neckline of her shirt.  Some kind of energy was emanating from there, a kind that didn’t belong to the girl; it felt more like a Nymph’s energy.  Elenia stopped herself at the thought.

Mai…

—Calla, the gem you are wearing around your neck.  May I see it?—

Ca
lla looked surprised at the request, but still reached up and undid the clasp.  Holding the chain by both ends she pulled it out from under her shirt to reveal the single diamond-like crystal hanging from it.  Elenia knew what it was in an instant, even before Calla handed it to her—Mai’s Soulseed.

—My poor Mai
, — she said.  –I had hoped I would never see the Soulseed of one so young.  I should have known better than to expect something other than this.  I knew she doubted herself when I sent her to find you—I thought things would go better if I sent someone to you who was closer to your own age.  Yet I had my own misgivings about sending her; maybe I should have listened to her fears.

—Keep her Soulseed with you Cal
la—it is the key to her second life; I name you its keeper.  If our world survives the coming darkness you may break the shell and plant the seed that is trapped inside wherever you choose.  It must be returned to the earth for her new life to begin.  Keep it with you always, until that time.—

Cal
la just looked confused as she placed the chain back around her neck; the small jewel rested against her chest on the outside of her shirt.  She let her forefinger linger on it as she absentmindedly stroked it once more before letting her hand drop back down.  The Tri-tail behind her let out another whine and she reached back to scratch her on the head, her back arching as she strained to reach without turning.

Elenia could almost feel time moving past them.  It was now or never—she had to know if the girl was willing to go through with this.  She could only hope, for Cal
la was the only chance left for them all.  Cautiously she walked towards her; Calla seemed to shrink as she drew closer, but otherwise held her ground.  Elenia stopped when they were about a foot apart.

Elenia reached out to touch the girl with her thoughts.  –Do you know what it is I am asking of you?—she asked.

Calla seemed to force herself to stay where she was.  “Some,” she replied.

—I know of the gift you have.  I know how it frightens you.  But I must ask you to hear me out.—

“I don’t understand.”

—I need you, Ca
lla.  I need your help.  An ancient prophecy is about to pass: the world will fall if we stand and do nothing.  In this time that I have waited I have been backed into a corner with nowhere else to run.  The young ruler of the Dead Lands is the chosen champion of the being called Bralon, the dark power responsible for the darkness which covers that place and is slowly spreading.  The two of them combined are too much for me to deal with on my own; if I fight one of them the other will simply strike from behind, and I will have no chance.  The mortal’s strength has grown so much that he may be strong enough to challenge me.—

“But what does—”

—You are meant to face him in battle—you were born for it.  His talents are unlike any magic this world has ever seen; even the Dark One who chose him as champion does not fully realize how powerful he is. This mortal can command spirits from another world, make them do his bidding, draw power from them and use it against others.  It is a dangerous talent to lie in the hands of any mortal, for they succumb to its lure so easily and are subverted, driven into madness without ever realizing it; that madness has given him strength.—

“And what about me?” the girl asked after taking a moment to process what Elenia had just said.  “What about my…gift?”  She
struggled to say the last word.

Finally; at least now she had gotten through to her.  There just might still be a chance for them.  —It is just as old, and just as powerful
, — she continued.  –If not more powerful.  You are tied to the earth itself, to the different elements that hold it together; they are yours to command.  It is magic in one of its rawest forms, but it is still quite the potent art.  You have discovered some about it on your own, even if it was by accident, so you have some idea of what you are capable of; I sensed how you used it after you had crossed into my domain, even if you were only making a defensive gesture.  You are gifted with magic—embrace it Calla.  Do not run from it any more.—

“But…but that was a fluke!” Cal
la cried in panic.  “I had no control over what happened back there—I wasn’t even planning it!”

Elenia just smiled.

“I’m not gifted with anything, I’m cursed!  What kind of hope exists in that?”

—
Our last hope; some of the darkest of curses can be twisted around to the bearer’s benefit.  Relax, child, there is no need for you to get upset.  The power you bear is from no curse, but a gift from the gods themselves.  I sensed that you may have little control of it at best. Unfortunately we do not have much time left to help you learn how to control it fully; I and my Nymphs will do all in our power to teach you everything we can to help you gain a little control before that final battle comes.—

Ca
lla relaxed only slightly, her shoulders dropping a little; otherwise she continued to stand completely rigid.  The Tri-tail cautiously stepped out from behind her.

“So what happens now?” she asked.

Elenia was about to answer when she stopped.  Even with most of her attention focused on what she was doing down in this cavern she could still sense anything that happened in the world outside.  Now she could sense a presence somewhere down the mountain, one that was familiar.  She knew who that person was—she had been looking for him for some time now.  But something about it was wrong.  She probed further with her thoughts, and found he wasn’t alone—and realized it was just the beginning of his troubles.

—Oh no,—she said aloud.

“What is it?”

Elenia held up one hand and the girl immediately stopped. 
—Much, and none of it good.  Something has happened that I did not foresee. — She cursed silently, careful to keep Calla from hearing it.  –One we both know is in danger.—

“What
does that mean?  Who do you know that I also know?”

Elenia scowled as she stared at some point away from where they stood.  –The Council has found him, and they will not be kind to him; they have
held a grudge against him for most of his life, for no reason other than his heritage.  I fear for him—they mean to do him ill.  We need him still, both of us; there is still some larger role he has yet to play in both our lives, though that part of the future is hidden from my sight.  If the Council destroys him there is no knowing what consequences will come from their actions.

—I must ask you to go to him, Cal
la, for I can do nothing; I cannot take that kind of direct action against the mortals I watch over, even if many of them have strayed.  The Council will fear you, and they may not refuse to let you help him—I hope.  You must go.—

“But what am I supposed to do?”

—You will know when your choice is made. — Elenia called on her power to open the gateway to the higher plane where she lived.  In a moment it was completely open, and she started to drift through it.

“Wait!” Cal
la cried out desperately.  “What do you mean?  What do I do?”

—You will know
. — And with that Elenia left the cavern altogether.

XXVI

Calla

It took Calla several minutes before she finally had to accept that Elenia wasn’t coming back.  She had wandered from one side of the platform to the other looking for Her but found nothing; she and Lina had been left alone in the stifling cavern.  Calla wanted to keep looking, thinking that maybe Elenia was just hiding in some other corner, but the heat rising from the mountain’s heart had reached an even higher level of unbearable and the Tri-tail seemed just about to melt right where she stood on the platform.  They had no choice—they had to leave.