The Book of Magic (13 page)

Pwyll the Younger followed the path of his father, the poet Pwyll the Elder, and became one of the most famous bards in history. His songs and poems are as beloved by the people of
Avalon
as
Cairpré
's were by the people of
Fincayra
. Particularly powerful were his ballads about human fallibilities: greed, arrogance, and intolerance. In contrast to his contemporary,
Willenia
, he held a dismal view of humanity, far more tragic than triumphant.

Quenaykha (Queen)

As the ruthless ruler of the Bram Kaie eaglefolk in
Fireroot
's Volcano Lands, she preferred to be called simply "Queen." Under her leadership, the clan survived its most difficult time—but only by turning to thievery and murder. Discarding the eaglefolk's long-standing traditions of honor, this renegade group began to attack and pillage other clans. Instead of relying on their speed and talons in battle, the Bram Kaie used heavy wooden bows and arrows. The mere sight of their black-tipped wings and red leg bands was enough to prompt screeches of fear and outrage—as
Scree
witnessed during the attack that killed the healer
Arc-kaya
. And those screeches would have been louder still if people knew that Quenaykha had forged an alliance with the sorcerer
Kulwych
, who served
Rhita Gawr
.

But there was another side of Queen. It wasn't known by her followers, nor even her chief lieutenants
Cuttayka
and
Maulkee
. No, this side of her was known by only one person: Scree. For he had met her long ago, when she was still innocent enough to find joy in the sight of firebloom—the realm's only flower, whose orange petals resemble tiny feathers. Or was that only an act, a ploy to lure Scree into danger? Although he couldn't be sure of the truth, Scree concluded that he needed to do everything possible to stop the Bram Kaie's murderous ways. And so he decided to travel to their remote nests and challenge Queen for leadership of the clan. Even so, he had no idea what surprises—and trials—awaited him.

Ruthyn

No priestess in the
Society of the Whole
ever had a greater passion for the
stars
. She studied them day and night. Only
High Priestess Coerria
knew that Ruthyn's mother was one of the brave explorers who had joined
Krystallus Eopia
on his ill-fated journey to the uppermost reaches of
Avalon
—a journey from which no one returned. Whether she was searching for some sign of her lost mother, or simply for knowledge, Ruthyn became one of Avalon's experts on the history and lore of the constellations. But she, like everyone else, remained baffled by the enduring mystery of the stars' true nature.

Scree

"Bold" and "decisive" are often used to describe the eaglefolk—and they certainly describe Scree. Like the great flyers
Hac Yarrow
and
Ilyakk
before him, Scree was a daring master of the sky. Yet down inside, he always felt tormented by doubts about his capabilities and his true purpose in life. Born in a nest on the flaming cliffs of
Fireroot
, he knew only briefly the touch of his mother before she was murdered by men hired by the sorcerer
Kulwych
to find the true heir of
Merlin
. Scree was, on that night, too young to change at will into eagle form. So he could not yet sprout enormous wings from his human arms—wings with row upon row of feathers, entirely silver but for their tips as red as the volcanic fires of that realm. But he was not too young to remember every single word of his conversation with the mysterious old man who rescued him, along with
Tamwyn
and
Halona
. In the years to come, Scree would often reflect on what the old man had told him about the Dark Prophecy, the future of
Avalon
, and the precious
staff of Merlin
.

When in human form, Scree retained the hooked nose and pointed toenails characteristic of all eaglefolk, as well as large, yellow-rimmed eyes that could see with amazing clarity over vast distances. Yet his broad, muscular shoulders gave only a hint of his true potential. He could change instantly into eagle form, soar high among the clouds, and swoop down on a foe with ease, wielding his talons as an expert swordsman would wield his blades. When this winged warrior dived downward, he released a loud cry, part eagle and part human, that made most creatures run and hide. For that reason, he was greatly surprised by the elf maiden
Brionna
. She not only remained in place as he plunged toward her—but released an arrow that shot him out of the sky.

Scree's future remained as hard to read as the vaguely glowing runes on the staff that he once promised to protect. To find his way—and also to help Tamwyn, the young man he called "little brother"—he needed to discover the truth about his own past. That journey would lead him to confront the treacherous
Quenaykha
. . . as well as his own wounds that lay deeper than a talon's gash.

Serella

Even as a child near the headwaters of the River Relentless in
El Urien
, the elf Serella showed a strong penchant for exploring. At the age of two, she spent most of a summer stealthily watching a family of wyverns and learning their habits. (This was not easy, since one of their favorite habits was breathing fire on any living creatures they could find.) When Serella was seven years old, she built a small raft, packed her supplies, and floated down the river for a monthlong adventure. As worried as her parents were during her absence, when she finally returned unharmed, they recognized that she had shown remarkable courage and resilience. Rather than try to stop her from further explorations, they instead found expert tutors who trained her in wilderness traveling, mapmaking, and communicating in diverse languages. Their confidence in Serella proved to be well-founded, for in the Year of Avalon 51, she discovered a magical
portal
in eastern
Woodroot
.

Over time, Serella mastered the dangerous art of portalseeking, becoming the first mortal to survive such journeys through the inner pathways of the
Great Tree
. So strong were her leadership skills that she amassed many followers among the wood elves, who ultimately proclaimed her their queen. After deepening her knowledge of travel by portals, she led several expeditions to other parts of Avalon, including repeated journeys to
Waterroot
. These journeys culminated in the founding of Caer Serella, the first colony of elves in Waterroot, at a bay on the Rainbow Seas. Thus the society of water elves was born. In honor of Serella, and in memory of their origins, the water elves made their symbol a rainbow-colored wave encircled in forest green. Even today, that emblem graces the sails of all elven ships.

Serella continued her travels through portals, as did her fellow explorer,
Krystallus
. Although they spent many years as bitter rivals, a surprising turn of events brought them together as lovers. Often in the years to come, they could be found climbing sheer cliffs or trekking through uncharted forests—still competing with each other, but also enjoying their rich companionship. When, at last, Serella decided to return to
Shadowroot
to find the origin of the terrible disease darkdeath, Krystallus tried hard to dissuade her. But she went anyway. And when she did not return, he searched for her without success, ceasing only when she came to him in a dream and declared, "Explore the world while still you can! For that is the purpose of life and the reason for breath."

Society of the Whole

… The supreme moral authority for Avalon's peoples.

Founded in the earliest days of
Avalon
, the world-tree that sprouted from
Merlin
's magical seed, the Society of the Whole became the supreme moral authority for Avalon's peoples. Under the guidance of
Elen
and her daughter,
Rhiannon
, the Society developed two basic principles: first, that all creatures should live together in harmony and mutual respect, and second, that everyone should help to protect the Great Tree that supported all forms of life. The new faith focused on seven
Elements
—what Elen called "the seven sacred parts that together make the Whole"—Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, LightDark, and Mystery.

With help from the great spirit
Dagda
(and several giants, led by Merlin's friend
Shim)
, Elen and Rhia journeyed to
Lost Fincayra
to find the great circle of stones that was the site of the famous Dance of the Giants. Together, they transported the sacred stones all the way back to their compound in Avalon, and rebuilt the circle as their Great Temple. Soon thereafter, the Drumadians—as Elen called members of the Society, in honor of Fincayra's
Druma Wood
—ordained their first priestesses and priests. They included
Lleu of the One Ear
, whose scholarly bent would lead him to write the Drumadians' classic text;
Cwen
, the last of the treelings; and (to the outright amazement of many) the warrior
Babd Catha
,
the Ogres' Bane
. Traditions flourished, and for centuries the Society thrived. The faith became as vibrant as the compound's many gardens and as solid as the famous Buckle Bell (which had been made from the belt buckle of a giant, melted down by the breath of a fire dragon, molded into shape by dwarves, and exquisitely decorated by
faery
artisans—as a symbol of unity and cooperation among Avalon's creatures). The Drumadians' most famous tradition involved
maryths
, lifelong friends of every priestess and priest who could be any kind of creature except human.

In time, though, the Society strayed from its ideals. Concerned with its own stature and power, it grew arrogant and rigid. This led to the abrupt departure of Rhia, who had succeeded her mother as High Priestess, in the Year of Avalon 413. By the time
Coerria
donned the silken gown of the High Priestess (a gown made originally for Elen by the
Grand Elusa)
, the Society's troubles rivaled Avalon's. Indeed, the Society's very survival would require the courage, wisdom, and sacrifice of many—including Coerria, the tree spirit
Fairlyn
, the crusty old sprite
Nuic
, the star watcher
Ruthyn
, the priest
Lleu
, the hive spirit
Uzzzula
, and even the mysterious
Lady of the Lake
. But none of the Society's allies would play a more crucial role than a young apprentice third class named
Elliryanna
.

Tamwyn Eopia

His name means
dark flame
—fitting for someone born in
Avalon
's realm of
Fireroot
, the son of the flamelon princess
Halona
and the human explorer
Krystallus
, in the Year of Avalon 985—the Year of Darkness that many feared would usher in the dreaded child of the Dark Prophecy. Even Tamwyn wondered which would be his true destiny: the dark or the light. Soon after his birth, flamelons attacked the family out of prejudice against people who mixed races. Krystallus survived, but believed that his wife and child had died. And so, filled with grief, he embarked upon the most dangerous expedition of his long life—to find a pathway to the
stars
. Halona and Tamwyn had actually escaped and hidden themselves in the Volcano Lands. When a strange encounter with a wondrous old man brought him together with an orphaned eagleboy,
Scree
, Tamwyn gained an adopted brother. Even in the years before Halona died in an attack by
ghoulacas
, the two boys were inseparable—until Tamwyn, at the age of ten, abruptly traveled by
portal
to the distant realm of
Stoneroot
. For seven years he searched for his lost brother, working as a wilderness guide and laborer, always keeping his age a secret because of the rampant fear of anyone who might be the child of the Dark Prophecy.

Though he was terribly clumsy, Tamwyn dreamed of becoming a great explorer. He longed to voyage all the way to the stars—to run among them, as if they were a radiant field. For ever since he could remember, he loved to run—losing his clumsiness in fluid motion that seemed almost as graceful as the bounding of a deer. Yet until he met the mysterious
Lady of the Lake
, he had no idea that this ability was the gift of his grandmother,
Hallia
, the deer woman of
Fincayra
who married the wizard
Merlin
in the earliest days of Avalon. Even then, Tamwyn suspected that he was more likely to be the child of the Dark Prophecy than the true heir of Merlin.

Always barefoot, Tamwyn had long black hair, with eyes equally dark. Over his shoulder he carried a simple pack, whose leather strap would one day have its own story to tell. He wore a small quartz bell on his hip, because its gentle sound reminded him of the land of bells. He also carried an old dagger, which he used mainly for whittling wood—unaware that it was actually connected, in a surprising way, to
Rhita Gawr
. Though his pocket always held a pair of iron stones and some grass tinder for making a campfire in the wilderness, he wondered whether he could discover the secret of making magical fire, just as he wondered whether the flame of his life would burn bright or dark. It would take all his courage, as well as help from the great spirits
Dagda
and
Lorilanda
, to discover the truth.

Thule Ultima

The greatest of all the
faery
artisans, this starflower faery with buttery yellow wings lived during the third century of
Avalon
. He carved the ornate oaken doorway to the residence of the High Priestess of the
Society of the Whole
, hovering over his work for weeks at a time without rest. He also perfected a technique for carving the nearly invisible bark of the eonia-lalo,
Airroot
's tree of the clouds. But his most famous creations were musical instruments made from harmóna that he and his apprentices gathered from the forests of
El Urien:
That wood is so rich with musical magic that even the slightest breeze will cause it to vibrate harmoniously.