Across the fire he saw Elessa staring off into space.
‘You go on back to camp,’ he whispered to Jaya. ‘I’ll be along shortly.’
‘Don’t be too long.’ Again he saw apprehension plain on her face. What could he tell her?
‘I won’t be,’ he said lamely.
As Jaya left, Elessa realised it was just her and Bel left.
‘Well,’ he said. ‘Who would have guessed that you and I would sit here together on the eve of it all?’
‘Not I,’ she said.
‘Do you mind if I talk to you?’
She paused, considering his question for longer than seemed necessary. ‘Why not?’ she said eventually, then shook her head. ‘It wasn’t you who made me this way, not really. You did not ask for your fate, just as I didn’t ask for mine. At any rate, some would see it as justice.’
‘Justice?’
‘That I damaged your soul, and in turn find mine damaged.’ She seemed to hearken to her own words, and he realised they had something in common.
‘Fahren said …’ he licked his lips. It was hard to know how to relate to this woman, or how open he could be with her. ‘That you did not come back …well, entirely.’
She chuckled, a grating noise that did not seem in keeping with the soft lips it came from. ‘No,’ she said. ‘I am no longer the person I was. It is …well, it is hard to describe.’
‘Bits of you are missing,’ said Bel matter-of-factly.
‘Indeed.’
‘Can you tell?’
‘Pardon?’
Bel sighed. ‘All my life a part of me has been gone. And yet I have no comparison, remembering no time before that was the case, as you do.’
‘Oh,’ she said. For a moment she would not meet his gaze. ‘Yes, I can tell.’
‘Ah. And it is not pleasant, I take it?’
‘Not especially.’
Bel pursed his lips. Did he suffer the same as she did, and just couldn’t know? Was he missing more, or less? Looking back, he knew he’d often been troubled or confused, but he did not think of his existence as being tortured. But maybe, when he and Losara were joined, he would suddenly experience life as he’d never imagined it before. Maybe he would learn that he’d been missing out on many things, as if there were colours he had never seen, scents he had never smelled. And there was his old excitement, coming to the fore – maybe the morrow would bring him not only glory, but fulfilment.
He found he wanted to share his newborn good mood. ‘Well,’ he said, spreading his hands, ‘we may not be all there, but at least we look good.’
No answering mirth showed in her. After a pause she gestured at her face dismissively. ‘Illusions,’ she said. ‘I don’t know why. Maybe there is a skerrick of vanity left in me somewhere.’
‘Oh,’ said Bel, suddenly imagining a ghastly face beneath the projected shell he stared at.
‘Just a few touches,’ she added, noting his look. ‘Most of what you see is me.’
Bel nodded as if he understood. After an uncomfortable silence, he rose. ‘I should return to my camp.’
‘As you wish. Enjoy the warmth of your lady’s arms.’
As he moved away, he glanced back at her sitting alone by the campfire.
‘What will you do?’
‘Wait,’ she said simply.
Bel wondered if there was anything he could do for her. He had tried to lift her spirits, and it had only depressed her more.
‘Elessa,’ he said, ‘thank you for giving us this chance. You will be remembered twice over for great deeds.’
She put a hand to her forehead in a casual salute, then quickly took it away to stare at it in disgust. ‘Let us hope so,’ she said. ‘And Bel?’ Again a long pause, and finally she lowered her hand. ‘I am sorry for my part in what happened to you.’
He forced a chortle. ‘Don’t be silly. If not for you, who knows where I would be right now?’
And then he did walk away, for she was beginning to disquiet him.
•
A smoking stump in the distance was the only standing remnant of the shattered tree. Battu turned to Fahren with a mad glint in his eye. Between them hung the Stone, its chain looped around the end of a staff planted in the ground.
‘That worked well,’ said Battu. ‘Shall we try another?’
Fahren was too shocked to respond right away. The sheer power that they’d been able to produce, channelling to combine their magic to a single purpose, was staggering.
‘Let’s change tack,’ he said. ‘What about a ward?’
Battu nodded eagerly – too eagerly, and Fahren had to remind himself that Battu could not make the Stone work by himself.
‘Ready.’ Battu raised his hand.
‘Wonder what will happen?’ said Fahren. ‘Shadow and light together in defence?’
‘Channel and we’ll find out!’
Each cast at the Stone, and Fahren felt a slight tweak as his power was caught up and sucked into it. A moment later a ward suffused them, but like no ward he had ever seen. It was a dark light, deep orange with tinges of blue, yellow, grey and black, like an expansion of the colours that constantly flashed across the Stone’s surface – the sunset sky in evening.
‘Impressive,’ observed Battu. ‘Now we need to see how it stands up to attack!’
‘I am sure the ward is strong,’ said Fahren.
‘You stand here,’ said Battu. ‘I can both help maintain the ward and attack it at the same time.’
‘But –’
Battu was already stalking off. When he was some twenty paces away, he turned. ‘Are you ready?’
Fahren braced himself. ‘Nothing too powerful, Battu,’ he called.
Battu laughed. ‘Don’t be such a cringing kitten! Weren’t you once the Grand High Mage?’
He unleashed a flurry of blue bolts that sizzled towards the ward. Fahren tensed, but felt only a slight jolt against the defence, with none of the force he would normally have expected.
‘Not bad,’ called Battu. ‘How about …’ He glanced at the sky.
‘No,’ said Fahren. ‘If you conjure some blue vortex up there, it will be seen for leagues around. We do not wish to advertise your presence.’
‘Very well. How about this, then?’
He concentrated hard, and two thick shadow tendrils unfurled from his hands. As they neared the ward, each darted in to attack it at the same place. At the point of contact the colours of the ward suddenly congealed and thickened, there was a great crack, and the shadows disintegrated.
Battu cackled gleefully.
‘Don’t get cocky,’ warned Fahren. ‘I felt that spell penetrate a little – the ward might be strong, but it isn’t invincible.’
‘It doesn’t change the fact,’ said Battu, ‘that you and I wield the most potent magic heard of in millennia.’
‘And I,’ said Fahren, ‘am not sure whether I find that a comfort or not. Now come, we have other things to try.’
•
Requested by Gerent Brahl to return to the officers’ camp, Bel was relieved to find Elessa now absent. He did not inquire after her whereabouts, but spoke instead with Brahl about some of the arrangements for the following day. Brahl also showed him an impressive suit of armour, suggesting that Bel might consider wearing it. Certainly the majestic gold plate was fitting for a hero, but Bel wondered if he really needed it. The path was his protection, and heavy armour might impede him as he travelled it. As he stood considering his answer, Fahren and Battu returned.
‘How did you go?’ said Brahl.
The two mages exchanged a glance.
‘Fahren?’
Fahren licked his lips. ‘We had no problem making it work. In fact, it works quite well.’
‘In the same way that the sky,’ added Battu, ‘is quite high up.’
‘If you’ll excuse me,’ said Fahren quickly, ‘I must talk to my mages.’ He set down the staff, removed the Stone from the top and moved away. Battu watched him go, then shook his head.