REALM'S END (BOOK OF FEY 1) (9 page)

Nextl

When Briok arrived home, he could hear shouts coming from below in the study. Each time the shouting would ramp up, he felt his own anxiety growing. Briok wondered just how safe it was for a council member to argue like that with the elders. He couldn’t imagine how his father could be brave enough. Elders were strong-willed, and their magical skills far outstripped the average Fey. They willing took on the responsibility for the well-being of the entire Realm, and that gave them a lot of power. Elders could scare the wits out of him with just a look. Briok flitted back and forth in the main room, too nervous to even think of eating with all the shouting going on. The night drew on; the sky grew darker and darker, so that finally the natural light of the tree glowed ever brighter gently lighting the open rooms within.

     “Briok, stop this right now! You need to eat. Your father trusts you will keep your health for whatever is to come.”

     Briok flew to the table. His mother had laid out his favorite fruits and nuts.  He sat down at the table which the tree had magically created from its inner bark, so that Briok and his family would have a place to eat. He looked up, and saw his mother watched him anxiously. His throat was nearly closed with the fear that he felt welling up inside. Briok choked down the meal and graciously thanked his mother.

     “I know your worried son. I know too that there is a heavy weight on your heart, but we must trust your father. In all our years together I have never known him to choose wrong,” Lisl said, as she brushed the dark curl out of her son’s eyes.

     Briok looked up at his mother. She had always been quiet and unobtrusive in her care of him and his father, but as she was a scholar too, that part of her life often took precedence. He understood her work with time was important, and that she was being groomed as a possible candidate for the next sage, but as Lisl was so often caught up in her work to the exclusion of most others things in life, he had come to not expect too much. It wasn’t that she didn’t care for him, because the truth was, he knew she cared deeply, but she also held great responsibility outside their personal life. Yet, here was his mother standing beside him, her eyes burning with a bright calm telling him to have courage. Briok swallowed hard, “I’m afraid the council might arrest father,” he said, shamefully hanging his head.

     “Of course, it is only natural to have that fear,” she said. Lisl pulled up a chair woven of thin strands of roots their tree had created for their comfort, and sat down. “We’ve all feared that since Lillith was taken. The elders broke a great trust that day, one that should never have been broken. Now, we all fear our leaders. We’re afraid that we too may be taken and interred without a trial or hope. Before the day Lillith was taken, that fear was unknown in our world. Losing that sense of safety is a great loss to the Realm, and it has created a deep wound that even now is not healed. I am afraid the fear may fester and destroy us all.”

     Briok felt his growing discomfort, and decided to change the topic. He looked thoughtfully at her, as he sipped the water from his cup. “Mother what do you know of the Nextl bird story?”

     “Ah so that’s it,” she said, as she sighed softly. “Tell me son, did you see the Nextl flying today? Everyone at the college was talking about it.”

     Briok face broke into a smile. “Mother, it was better than that! I was there when the bird reincarnated.”

     Lisl’s hand flew to her mouth, “Such a blessing! Never has an un-awakened Fey been present at a birth of a Nextl. It’s considered a great joy just to be given the gift of seeing one fly!” Lisl scooted her chair closer to Briok and rested her hand over his. “Son, to be allowed to witness such an event is a very strong gift indeed.  The ancient ones told in the old stories, that the Nextl bird blessings came to all who were invited to witness its incarnation. It is also said a Nextl saved this world from destruction once, a very long time ago.” Lisl reached up and stroked her son’s cheek. “It is a great honor of the Nextl’s acceptance of you. Now you must tell your father when the elders have left. You are blessed among us. I want to go to the college and share the news with the sisters,” she said. Without another word, Lisl rose to her feet and flew out the door.

     Briok was use to his mother’s odd ways. Scholars often lived in their heads so much of the time. It wasn’t unusual to see her forget normal activities, whenever there was exciting news that crossed over into her work. He was tired; it had been a long day and he just wanted to rest. Briok pushed the bowl across the table top and lay his head down on his crossed arms. The tree trying to assist in Briok’s comfort, instantly bent the table top to conform better to his need.  Briok knew he dare not interrupt his father, besides he didn’t want to tell him of the Nextl bird in front of the elders, for he knew that would only bring more unwanted scrutiny on his family.                                                                     

Time Keepers

In the distance Lisl could see the trees’ shadows, looming up against the dark horizon. Lisl flew onward. All of the Realm’s knowledge and much more were held within the Rowan and the sacred groves. However the time keepers and the college had taken on a different responsibility. Their goal was to gain understanding. To learn from history and try to gauge the path the future would take, then when necessary women of the college were able to move through the timelines to troubled spots, via the cavern and repair where time had gone awry. To this end three massive Cedar trees were lashed together and held in place with the oldest magic and the college called these trees home. The story was that the tower of knowing came about to keep secret the workings of time, or rather to keep secret the fixing of time. Trees had been the original time workers in the Realm, but as the three Cedar trees grew old, none of their clan had wanted to continue the work. So they brought some of the young Fey girls in and introduced them to the ancient magic of repairing time. They were trained and ready to take over when the trees were ready to pass on into spirit.  When the trees realized they were at last dying, they guided the Fey to use an ancient form of magic to hold them upright in place, forever. Then with their dying breath, the trees created one last act of magic; they bent their roots and energy into a variety of work spaces and living quarters so the young Fey would have rooms for studying, working, and living.

Now the Fey worked in sacred relationship with the Great Rowan. All young female Fey came to study, but few were invited to stay past the allotted time it took to teach the Fey’s basic role in time keeping. Of course, the only reason so many were granted access was to quietly review the students for potential candidates, to seek out those Fey women with some extraordinary ability that the time keepers felt would be a good fit. Then if the dreaming was good the young woman would be invited to join. Sometimes it worked out, and sometimes it didn’t. If a Fey stayed, they were eventually trained in deeper magic, the kind of magic that could hold worlds together, or pull them apart. With the exception of the first introductory lessons, all of the real work of the college was surrounded in deep secrecy. Lisl flew straight into the main hall. The sisterhood would be waiting for any hint of the coming changes. It never ceased to amaze her that the work she did, went against the very core values the elders of the realm espoused. The elders believed, with all their hearts that they were protecting time, by simply policing and stopping change from occurring. They believed it was the lack of change that kept the Realm safe and by extension all the time lines as well.

The women who worked within the tower knew otherwise. They had learned that life had always changed, and to stop change was to bring down upon the Realm disaster of a cataclysmic nature. Their understanding was rooted in the arcane history of time, their study which had penetrated the breadth and length of time showed exactly the opposite of what the elders held as absolute truth. So the college secretly and subtly shifted energy within the timelines to allow change to occur naturally, rather than be stilted by the elders.

     “Sisters wake up I have news,” Lisl said flying directly into the sleeping chamber.

     The lights came up and the sisters sat up in their hammocks. Lisl noticed most seemed to be in a state of grogginess.

     “Where is Sephoria,” Lisl asked?

     “She is in the seeing rooms, Lisl. Go ahead and go to her first, and we will bring tea to the study chamber, and meet you there, after you are done talking with her.”

     Lisl flew off down the long hall. The sisters would gather in a moment. Everyone knew if Lisl, who did not live within the hall of knowledge came in the night; the news must indeed be serious.

     Lisl came to a stop outside the door to the seeing chamber and knocked on its unadorned wooden frame. The tower doors were considered a marvel throughout the college. No one knew any longer how to fashion doors like these. It was part of the Cedars’ parting gift, some lost form of magic where stone and wood had actually grown into one another, filling in the doorways.  She laid her ear against the door; but nothing could penetrate those thick panels of stone and wood. Lisl stepped back and smiled, after all these years she still tried to listen at the door.

     Momentarily the door opened and there stood the sage. A Fey so old her age could not be guessed at, she was like no other Fey because she no longer flew, her wings had been sacrificed eons before when she had taken the vow to become one with the Rowan, and on the day her vow was given her body had begun to reflect the changes. First her wings shriveled and then she began to grow roots, sprouts, branches even. Her eyes also changed they became opaque but though she could no longer see as other Fey did, she could see with effort into the past and even some ways into the future and the symbiotic relationship with the tree benefited all the Realm and so she also became a living sage.

    “Sephoria, I have great news,” Lisl said, bowing low before the old woman.

     “Yes, I know child. Come in a moment please. I have seen something that I must make you aware of too,” she said, opening the door to let Lisl pass by.

     Lisl flitted into the cozy room with its great timbered ceiling. Lisl was familiar with the workings of a seeing room. This one was the sage’s favorite. The hearth lay before the two seats and was filled with a constellation, a great swirling mist of star caught in a moment of time.

     “You’ve come to tell me of the Nextl bird,” the sage said as she made her way slowly back across the room to her seat.

     Lisl stopped and stared at the older Fey, “It’s very hard to surprise you, old one,” she said, her voice bright with laughter.

     “I think you can surprise the others with the details little one,” her deep laughter reverberating throughout the room. I too have some news regarding the coming changes and they are going to affect you, child. Briok will play a great part in this change, greater than any of us had imagined. Here sit down child,” the Fey said, pointing at a chair nearest the star filled hearth.

     “Oh mother, it’s all right he already did, it was his kindness that brought the reincarnation about,” Lisl said sitting down in the chair offered.

     “Yes, I saw that. The great Rowan shared it all with me earlier, it is what brought me to the seeing chamber, but there is something more, Lisl.” Sephoria motioned towards the hearth at the constellation. “They, suggest that Briok will face great peril. The Rowan has seen the same energy pattern as well. It’s all coming now, very quickly and there will come a time, my child when he will be lost to you,” she said, as she reached out and rested her hand on Lisl’s shoulder.

     Lisl flew up from her seat. “No mother, that can’t be. I will not give Briok,” Lisl said, shrugging off the sage’s hand and flying upward to hover near the ceiling. She stared down at the sage.

     “Come down now Lisl, it is hard on my neck to look at you up there.” The sage said, as she stood waving up at Lisl. I know child there is no mother here that would give any child willingly, but whether you give him or not he will be taken. I don’t believe he will die, but you and I both know that time goes on, and must change.” her voice petered out.

     “But why Briok,” Lisl cried out to the old woman?

     “It is his destiny, that much is clear,” the old sage shrugged.  It will not be easy for him, neither choice is good. He will have to choose between this world, and the one coming. If he chooses this world, we may go on for a while longer, but in the end we will all lose, or he can choose the new world and we will absolutely cease to exist in this world, but in that scenario the line of Fey, would be saved, and carried forward.”

     So great was her grief, Lisl nearly fell from the air. “Briok lost no, no, no, that isn’t possible! How can our world change so much? Are you saying all this time we have been working to bring our world to extinction,” she asked? Her voice filled with anger and fear Lisl flew down to sit near the sage.

     The old sage sighed, “Child, please understand this world was always going to end. All worlds end, it is the way of nature. What we have been working at so long was to have a chance to try and create an opportunity, to send someone forward into a new world, to save at least one race.

“You expect me to understand? All these years wasted, not knowing!”

“Lisl you have to understand, originally we did try and share the news, we went so far as to tell a few of the time keepers and the strain was too great, it shortened their lives, by hundreds of years and after that, well we felt the pain of knowing was too great for any Fey to bear. We decided then, to keep the truth to ourselves. Now, I have no choice but to share this knowledge with you, so that perhaps we can encourage Briok to choose correctly when the time comes,” she said laying her hand on the Lisl’s shoulder in comfort. “I wish I could offer more comfort, but know that your son because of his bond with the red haired girl and the Nextl bird, he is the only one who has this chance to go forward in time. I can’t offer any of the other mothers even that much comfort,” her voice cracked with grief.

     Lisl sat slumped in the chair her head hung low and her wings trembled with the sadness that ran through her body. “Is this really the only way?”

     “Yes it is. Within two moons the world will turn and both Briok and Lillith must find their way to the new world or they die and all of the Feys’ chances die with them. Come now. I’m sorry little one. I wish that we all could have more time, but even the Rowan and I cannot stop this. Now we must tell the others of Briok’s story of meeting the Nextl bird. There is still much to be done, if we are to help the children. Be strong for your son Lisl,” the wise woman said, resting her hand briefly on Lisl’s shoulder before shuffling past her.