Thalasi considered the dilemma for a long while, then a smile returned to his face. "A fitting solution," he explained. "I will deal with both our problems at once. I will send a calling card to Ardaz, and at the same time solve your discomfort with the light of day."

The sun started its climb above the eastern horizon the next morning, riding across the clear blue summer sky in all its glory.

But in the west, darkness rose to meet it, a gray gloom that seeped eerily upward over the western plain.

Noontime shone bright and clear, but when the sun started its inevitable descent, it fell behind the conjured veil of Morgan Thalasi, and a dimness as profound as twilight engulfed the land.

And still the gray shroud moved higher, rolling out endlessly from the west, from Talas-dun and the Kored-dul, the bastions of Thalasi's evil power.

From Avalon, Brielle watched in horror. Atop the White Tower in Pallendara, Istaahl put his head in his hands and moaned. And on the field by the Four Bridges, the leaders of elves and humans shared that concern.

"Has he grown strong enough to blot out the very light of the sun?" Benador demanded.

Belexus remembered the blackness of the wraith of Mitch.e.l.l and he knew the answer. "So it would seem," he muttered in grim reply.

Far to the east, beyond the banks of the Elgarde River and the borders of the Great Forest, the wizard Ardaz climbed out of a tunnel he had been exploring, sensing some unnatural event in the world above. For some time he stared at the approaching line of dismal gray and the dull blur that was the sun behind it, instinctively knowing that it was more than a simple storm front.

"How very strange," the confused wizard muttered, scratching his bearded chin. "How very strange indeed."

Chapter 23.

Arrows and Arrows and Arrows "WHAT DO YOU sense?" Bryan asked, recognizing Rhiannon's trancelike state. He had witnessed the witch's meditation several times over the past couple of days, as Rhiannon looked into the distance to report on talons flocking to Thalasi's side. "Another group?" sense?" Bryan asked, recognizing Rhiannon's trancelike state. He had witnessed the witch's meditation several times over the past couple of days, as Rhiannon looked into the distance to report on talons flocking to Thalasi's side. "Another group?"

Rhiannon nodded and leaned on the half-elf for support. "Another big one," she replied softly. "Bearin' wagons and ridin' donkeys."

Bryan needed her support as well. How many talons had come to join the fight? he wondered. Ten thousand? Twenty? The call of the Black Warlock had spread wide indeed, for the columns of new troops flocking to join his army did not seem to have an end.

Rhiannon steeled herself against the despair that threatened to swallow her and moved away from Bryan. Earlier that day the young witch had witnessed Thalasi's greatest perversion: the gray that shrouded the sun. Now, as she felt the power of the earth once again tingling within her, she wanted with all of her heart to strike back.

"Not this time," she growled at the half-elf, and Bryan took a step back from the bared power in her voice. He watched from a cautious distance as the mysterious young woman moved to a nearby tree stump, hollowed and filled with rainwater.

"Come," Rhiannon bade him as she waved her hand and took up a chant over the still water. Gradually the darkness within the stump lessened, and where before the water had shown only the reflection of Rhiannon and Bryan, there appeared an image of a nearby trail.

"Hundreds," Bryan muttered, staring at the result of Rhiannon's divining. For along the trail moved a caravan of talons, some walking, some riding donkeys, and still more leading beasts. .h.i.tched to dozens of wagons laden with supplies.

"They must be from Windy Willows," the half-elf reasoned, considering the donkeys. "The Black Warlock is reaching out to all the wide corners of his western domain."

"They're not far," Rhiannon remarked. "We can get to them."

"Why would we want to?" Bryan asked incredulously. "We can do little against so many. Unless..." His voice trailed off as he took a closer look at the young witch's grim face. "What tricks," he asked slyly, "might you have in store for this group?"

Rhiannon wouldn't let him in on her secret. "Come," was all she answered as she started off toward the trail. Bryan smiled widely as he fell into step beside her. He had seen the result of Rhiannon's wrath once before, and with her on his side, he was not afraid, no matter the odds. He slid his elven sword from its sheath, too eager to let it wait on his hip.

This was going to be fun.

Rhiannon chanted over each of the arrows individually, then handed the entire quiver back to Bryan. "Shoot for the biggest groups," she instructed.

Bryan took the gift reverently, not certain whether he wanted to ask the witch what enchantment she had put in the weapons or to just let them fly and watch the magic as it loosed its fury on the talons. Rhiannon offered no explanation, though, for something off to the side had caught her attention.

In the distance a tree shuddered to life and dropped a heavy branch on the head of a crouching talon.

"Talon scout," Rhiannon explained to Bryan matter-of-factly. She moved off through a thicket to take her position in front of the approaching caravan. Bryan followed a few steps behind, watching her every move.

Without a thought the young witch waved her hand, and another tree a bit farther in front of them rustled, catching a talon around the neck with a supple branch and hoisting it up off the ground, kicking and gasping for breath.

And Bryan found his own breath hard to catch. He had never seen Rhiannon so grim and callous, even when she had come to his rescue in the stony canyon. She moved on from the scene of her second kill, impa.s.sive and strong, a lioness at hunt.

The talon caravan rolled down the wide trail, unmindful of its impending doom. They came to answer the call of Morgan Thalasi, the father of their race, to join in his moment of triumph over the hated humans. They could not know the power that stood to block them.

Rhiannon sensed them before they came into sight. She remained in position behind the cover of a stony ridge and motioned for Bryan to ready his bow. Then the young witch moved away a bit and sat quietly, knowing that the magic she had let into her body would dictate its place in the confrontation.

Bryan drew his bowstring and waited as the caravan rolled into sight. He still did not know the extent of the power within his arrows, but he felt a tingle in the one he had notched, as if the arrow itself was eager for the coming flight.

"The biggest groups," Rhiannon said again, and so the half-elf took aim on the first cl.u.s.ter of talons, huddled around a wagon and fighting over the sc.r.a.ps of food they could pull from it as they went.

"Now," Rhiannon whispered, and Bryan let it fly. The arrow soared off into the night, leaving a glowing trail in its wake. And then Bryan had to blink to be certain that his eyes were not playing tricks on him, for the arrow split apart and became two, and those two split into four, and those became eight, and again and again until a score and twelve soared into the talon horde. Nearly two dozen talons dropped to the ground, mortally wounded, and all the caravan began hooting and howling to warn of the attack.

Bryan fired several more of the enchanted arrows off quickly, showering the confused monsters in a virtual rain of arrows before they could find cover. Even so, the half-elf's attacks barely dented the large force, and these talons had marched all the way from the Ballendul Mountains in search of battle. Ignoring the cries of their wounded, the group rallied and charged on against the onslaught.

But then the young witch started to sing.

Rhiannon's voice rang out strong and sweet in the night, filling Bryan with courage and draining the blood from the faces of the talons.

Trees along the edges of the trail danced to the witch's melody, swatting and strangling those talons that tried to move from the stony center of the path. Still the throng rushed on and Bryan cut them down. He fired off four shots that became six score and eight, evenly s.p.a.ced across the breadth of the trail, and decimated the front ranks with a wall of killing darts.

Still the young witch sang, and now the donkeys heard her call. They bucked and spun, tossing their riders to the ground and trampling them before they understood what had happened. Those donkeys pulling wagons charged about wildly, overturning the carts and scattering lines of talons.

Rhiannon stepped out into the open, glowing with power. She thrust her hands out before her and sheets of flame sprang forth, reaching down the trail to engulf those talons brave enough, or stupid enough, to continue their charge.

"Rhiannon!" Bryan gasped, horrified and elated all at once. But the witch didn't hear him, too consumed by the power she loosed upon her enemies.

For the talons, the trees had been bad enough. But this open display of witchery was simply too much for them to accept. They scattered and fled, back down the trail and all the way through the pa.s.s toward their dark holes in the Ballenduls. This group would find no place of glory beside the Black Warlock.

Bryan meant to follow their retreat with a few showers of arrows, grim reminders of what awaited them should they return. But the half-elf could not. His eyes remained transfixed on Rhiannon, studying her expression as she completed her release of magic.

And while he had been in awe of her during the brief battle, he felt only pity when it ended. Rhiannon looked at him, tears streaking her face. So frail she seemed that Bryan could hardly believe she was the same being who had just wreaked such destruction.

"Help me," she whispered, and then she collapsed, thoroughly drained, into Bryan's arms.

If the Black Warlock had been paying attention, he most certainly would have sensed the display of magic in the Baerendel Mountains that night. But Thalasi was off on his own exercise of magic, creating the finishing touches to his army.

He strolled to a wide pit behind the vast talon encampment, an open grave for the many talons and humans who had fallen on the field in the previous days.

"Beigen kaimen dee," the Black Warlock chanted, waving his most powerful tool, the Staff of Death, over the pit. For a moment nothing happened. the Black Warlock chanted, waving his most powerful tool, the Staff of Death, over the pit. For a moment nothing happened.

"Beigen kaimen dee," Thalasi growled again, sensing the conception of the enchantment. There came a stirring in the pit and then several of the corpses rose up and crawled out to the summons of the Black Warlock. Thalasi chuckled as the wretched things, some missing an arm or a leg, one without a head, scrambled to his bidding, and all the while thinking it grand that he could so easily steal from the realm of death. Thalasi growled again, sensing the conception of the enchantment. There came a stirring in the pit and then several of the corpses rose up and crawled out to the summons of the Black Warlock. Thalasi chuckled as the wretched things, some missing an arm or a leg, one without a head, scrambled to his bidding, and all the while thinking it grand that he could so easily steal from the realm of death.

The Black Warlock repeated the spell several times until he sensed that the host of his zombie army had reached the limits of his control. These were not like Hollis Mitch.e.l.l, not wraiths encompa.s.sing the spirit and consciousness of the beings they had once been. Rather, these were unthinking zombies, slow-moving and capable of following only rudimentary commands.

But Thalasi understood their value in the coming battle. How the humans would flee from the specter of his undead brigade!

"Rest, my pets," he bade them, and as one the zombie force dropped to the ground and lay still. Thalasi knew he would have to be very careful with them. Even his talons might flee the camp at the appearance of such horrifying comrades. The Black Warlock would give them over to Mitch.e.l.l's command and let the wraith hold them in check until battle was fully joined.

"Then let all of Calva tremble," Thalasi muttered to the empty night. "Let them know the power of Morgan Thalasi. Let them know their doom."

Rhiannon shot up from the blankets Bryan had set out for her bed, her face stark with terror.

"What is it?" Bryan asked, rushing to her side.

Rhiannon just shook her head and buried her face in the front of the half-elf's tunic. Bryan rested a hand on her back to calm her trembling. "Yet another nightmare?" he asked.

Rhiannon looked up at him, unable to find the words to explain. But Bryan was sensitive to the young witch's dilemma; he had come to understand her quite well in their few days together, and he knew from the expression on her face that her release of power had nearly torn her apart.

"You did as you had to," he said to her. "You cannot accept any blame for your actions."

"Ye canno' understand," Rhiannon replied. "It takes me, steals me from meself."

"But it pa.s.ses," Bryan reasoned.

"And leaves nothin' but destruction in its wake."

"Not true!" Bryan was quick to protest. "You saved my life! And many others, from what you have told me of your work on the field of Rivertown."

"Suren it is two-faced," Rhiannon admitted. "But the healin' side and the seein' side are at me bidding. This other, this anger ye've seen, comes of its own and goes when it's through with me."

"Accept it for what it is," Bryan urged her. "How many lives did you save this night, dear Rhiannon? How many men would have died on the bridges fighting off the talons you dispatched?"

Somehow the answer seemed inadequate to the young witch. "I have scarred the earth," she said. "I have killed-talon and beast." The image of her black and white horse on the northern field, lying dead after it had split the earth with its enchanted run, a.s.saulted her thoughts.

"You have done what you were forced to do," Bryan said stubbornly. "Thanks are owed to the daughter of Brielle. Yet to herself she gives only blame."

"Ye canno' understand," the young witch whispered again, and she dropped her face back into the security of the folds of Bryan's shirt.

Bryan did not reply; for all of his pretty words, he suspected that Rhiannon was right in her estimation. He had seen the coldness in her eyes as she executed the spells of destruction upon the talon caravan, a simmering wrath so foreign to the young woman's gentle character. Such emotions exacted a heavy toll, Bryan knew from his own grim experiences. He tried to remember the last time he had flashed a carefree smile, and he wondered if he would ever smile that way again.

"And it must be worse for you," he whispered, though his voice was so soft that the witch, finding comfort in slumber, did not stir. While his strength came from his skills, he could see that the power that Rhiannon used insinuated itself into her being, possessed her and controlled her.

That image of the young witch, standing coldly beside him as her fires burned away the stain of the talons, stayed with Bryan for the remainder of the night. He wanted to tell her that she would never have to use that destructive power again, that her world would be one of creation and healing. He wanted to help her fight off the insinuating power and be true to her gentle spirit.

But the thought of the armies on the fields beside the Four Bridges washed away Bryan's hopes. For all of his desire to shield Rhiannon, the awful reality told him the truth of his duties.

Rhiannon had a part to play in all of this, Bryan knew, a voice in the outcome of the war and the very future of Ynis Aielle. Her power was there whether she or he accepted it or not, and with the carnage of war so thick in the air, that power could not be denied.

"I will help you," Bryan promised when Rhiannon awoke the next morning-the first sunless morning.

Rhiannon considered the gray shroud of Thalasi's dark magic, now stretching from horizon to horizon, and knew she would need that help.

Chapter 24.

Mortality HAD HE LOOKED back to Kored-dul, to his black fortress of Talas-dun, Morgan Thalasi might have been concerned. In the weeks after he had found harmony of his twin spirits, before he set out with his talon army, he had reinforced the iron fortress to its previous state of power. back to Kored-dul, to his black fortress of Talas-dun, Morgan Thalasi might have been concerned. In the weeks after he had found harmony of his twin spirits, before he set out with his talon army, he had reinforced the iron fortress to its previous state of power.

But now, with Thalasi out on the Calvan fields, pulling at the magical plane with all of his power-hungry desperation, some of those old cracks in Talas-dun had reappeared, and when the heavy sea breeze rolled in on the high cliff, the tallest of the black castle's towers swayed ominously, no longer able to fully defy the force.

The Black Warlock was consumed in the business at hand, with his eyes looking to conquest in the east, not back to those lands he already claimed as his own. He took no note of the strain his dominating will, and the responses of his magic-using adversaries, placed upon that shared magical plane.

Brielle walked slowly through Avalon, taking advantage of the unexpected lull in Thalasi's attacks to soothe her trees with comforting promises of a brighter time. But while the Emerald Witch held fast to the belief that Morgan Thalasi would once again be defeated and driven back to his black fortress, she honestly wondered whether Ynis Aielle would ever be as it had been.

Avalon, the shining light of all the world, had weakened in the weeks of Thalasi's a.s.saults, and more than the borderlands of the forest had been affected. Even in the heart of the wood, in the fields and groves that Brielle held most dear, the colors of the flora seemed less vibrant and the permeating fragrance of the wildflowers could not hold up against the burning stench of decay and devastation. For Thalasi's a.s.saults were more than physical manifestations of destructive power. The response demanded by the Black Warlock's attacks heavily taxed the defending witch, to the core of her magic itself. Brielle had aged more in the past weeks than she had in a dozen centuries, and her growing weariness, she feared, was merely a reflection of the exhaustion of her magical energy.

And it was that same magical energy, drawn upon by the Emerald Witch, that bound the forest of Avalon in its perpetual enchantment of beauty.

"What will we be when the last sounds o' battle echo o'er the fields?" she asked her forest. The cry of a loon sounded in the unseen distance, its mournful wail seeming a fitting eulogy to the ears of the witch. Brielle shared that lament fully. She reached out to lean on the trunk of a large tree, seeking solace in its enduring strength.

But the boughs of Avalon, wrapped in a silent sadness, could not grant her any measure of hope.

Istaahl also spent those hours of welcome calm surveying the damage and a.s.sessing how to effect some measure of repair to his home. The White Mage remained torn by his duties; he felt that he should be in contact with King Benador, his liege, preparing for the inevitable conflict that would erupt any day. But after a quick tour of the White Tower, Istaahl knew that he had no choice in his course of action.

Thalasi's a.s.saults had both weakened him greatly and had struck devastating blows to his enchanted home. Great cracks lined the structure, running from the very tip of the tower all the way down to its foundations. Istaahl understood that if he did not take prompt action to reinforce the place with spells of strength and warding, it would crumble to dust with the Black Warlock's next attack.

And like his counterpart in Avalon, the White Mage of Pallendara was beginning to suspect that the scars of this war would be enduring.

"Alas for the wizards of Aielle," he muttered to himself that gray day. "Our time is pa.s.sing; the race of mortal men may soon be left to their own resources."

All of the wizards had known from the beginning that this day would eventually come. But after centuries of serving as the guardians and advisers to the races of Aielle, the sudden apparent change had them perplexed indeed.

Brielle knelt over a pool of clear water. Its gla.s.sy surface showed only the dull pall of Thalasi's gloomy sky, but the witch ignored the dismay the sight brought to her. Waving her hand and casting a simple enchantment, she hoped that Istaahl was not too engaged in yet another battle against the Black Warlock to answer her call.

At that same moment, Istaahl was entertaining similar thoughts of contacting Brielle, and he was near his crystal ball when the Emerald Witch called upon him. He accepted the magical contact eagerly, needing the comfort of a friendly face in this dark hour.