The Realm's Mystics [Mystic Women of The Realm Series Book 3] (75 page)

She moved up to Uthrn, asking her to halt the group for a moment so that she could listen better. Uthrn halted the group, causing The High Queen to awaken. She saw Sle'nel’ searching into the deep northern forests well apart from them, turning her own senses to the same forests. She dismounted, moving slightly away from the horses, and began to move as quickly as she could into her eighth meditation, eliminating the others, although a difficult process. She focused, trying to clear her mind from The Realm, into a reality of only senses. Finally, she heard what Sle'nel's ears were trying so desperately to understand:
A battle
.

She felt a hand upon her head, “Slowly for a moment. Breathe. Focus, and breathe."

The jolt upon returning to The Realm directly from the eighth meditation caused her much disorientation. She stood, not knowing where she was, looking unseeing upon her Healer.

"Hear my voice, Highness. Breathe, and focus. Concentrate."

San'lr'in’ felt her inner urgency swell within her, understanding nothing but its great need for her to return quickly to The Realm. She saw The Healer's lips move, then struggled to concentrate upon her words. Finally, she heard them.

Moving quickly back to her horse, she shouted to Ann'wn, “A battle in the forest. The Deep Mystics now fight the evil ones. Move quickly, Force Leader. I wish not to fight them unless forced."

Just as she mounted, Sele’ sent her thoughts to her,
I can help listen to these
—

Suddenly, San'lr'in’ turned to Sele', enraged, “
Never
enter into My mind without permission. You have now just given our location away, Foolish One."

San'lr'in’ knew that she was overly harsh on such a young one, but was angered that the evil Mystics would have been able to hear Sele’ send her thoughts to her as clearly as if they were within speaking range. Even Sle'nel’ was surprised at the error, thinking that the sorcerers should have taught her this lesson earlier.

The High Queen turned back to Ann'wn, taking a deep breath, then sighing, “They now know we are here. Make haste. We halt no more unless we must."

Ann'wn motioned for Uthrn to guard the rear, Meera to guard the side near the forest, and for Sam to guard the other side, along with the other guards. Ann'wn began them running tightly together, keeping them at a great speed, hoping to outrun the evil Mystics and sorcerers.

The sun rose high into the sky yet they kept the horses running, knowing their endurance would end soon. Ann'wn was beginning to think that they would outrun their battles, seeing that they approached a great river. But as they neared it, she saw them. With regret, she halted their journey.

The High Queen rode up next to her, also seeing them. She turned, looking behind her, and saw yet another group of enemies far behind them. She then turned to her left side, looking off into the distance, knowing she would see them there also, sensing that they now tried to surround the travelers.

"So, our Deep Mystic friends have prevented only the ones in the forests from reaching us. It would appear we now have no choice but to the fight."

"We could turn to the forest, High Queen."

San'lr'in’ shook her head, “Our horses are exhausted, as are we. The chase would be short. At least here we can see them and hope that our Mystic friends, if any survive, will come to assist us."

Uthrn came up, “There are at least two-hundred of them, High Queen."

Meera rode up to her, “I am ready, my Queen."

San'lr'in’ laughed lightly, “My Warrior Woman. You please Me well. But this is not your fight."

She dismounted and looked to Sle'nel', but speaking to her warriors, “This is My fight, alone. You cannot fight against such as these. You have no protection from their powers. Ann'wn, draw a circle, quickly."

Caitha walked up to her with Sele', “Sele’ wishes to speak with you."

San'lr'in’ looked at Sele’ who was being held by Caitha, “I have no moments, Young One. They are upon us and come quickly."

"I can help, Highness. I have powers that they cannot fight against."

"You are unskilled and unpracticed. And if I die, you must live to protect the Elf. And know this. If I die, prepare yourself to accept My powers. They must not be lost."

"But my Queen—"

"Never question Me. I know what I do.” She winced slightly as a thought entered her mind,
I hope.

She went quickly outside the circle, speaking to Ann'wn, “Allow no one outside this circle, unless I die. No one, Force Leader."

"Yes, my Queen."

She looked at the circle, focused her thoughts, then placed an impenetrable barrier around them. No Mystic or sorcerer spell or magic would get past her barrier, at least for a short while, but the battle against them now depended completely upon her abilities. She looked at the group of evil Mystics to their south, as they were the nearest and approaching the most quickly of the three enemy groups. She focused her powers, closing her eyes, seeing the power, practicing it in her mind, then reopened her eyes.

Sle'nel'. My Desire.

Sle'nel’ responded, but The High Queen was no longer able to receive any thoughts, her mind singularly focused on using her great long-unused powers. She held out her arms in front of her, pointing them toward the Mystics that now approached. She muttered some words that none of her travelers could understand, then began to direct her powers. Great sheaths of lightning came crashing down upon the enemy Mystics, causing them little harm but meant solely as a distraction to the real power source. They focused upon the lightning, using their own lesser powers to keep the lightning from injuring them, while San'lr'in’ prepared the power.

Sam watched with widened eyes as her sister created a small reddish-orange fireball that seemed to breathe as if alive. The moment The High Queen released it, the fireball grew immediately into an enormous wave of fire that moved directly toward the evil Mystics, enlarging and spreading as it went.

Trusting in the power's ability to rid them of their enemies, San'lr'in’ turned away from it, moving her attention to the Mystics and sorcerers behind them. Closing her eyes, and knowing there were few moments, she focused quickly upon her next power, bringing it to her mind, practicing it. At the moment Ann'wn had halted them, San'lr'in’ had determined that the most dangerous of the enemy Mystics and sorcerers were the ones near the large river. Realizing such, she moved rapidly to eliminate the lesser enemies so that she could focus singularly upon the strongest of their enemies. She sensed that the second group on which she was now focused contained more of the evil sorcerers, and fewer of the evil Mystics.

She reopened her eyes, yet seeing the power in her mind. She held out her hand, palm up, and once again began inciting the power to her. As the evil sorcerers came closer, Ann'wn wondered if her Queen could unleash her powers soon enough to halt them. Even now, Ann'wn saw that they were sending spells against them, but that the protective barrier prevented anything from harming them—for the moment.

Caitha and Sele’ watched The High Queen blow lightly upon her hand. Suddenly, her small breath of air turned into a gigantic raging windstorm that rushed toward the evil sorcerers, raising them high into the air, turning and spinning them around, and as suddenly, dropping them back to the ground from far up in the skies.

Like prior, after she unleashed her power, she trusted in its ability to rid them of this enemy. She turned quickly to the enemy Mystics across the river, the most formidable group of the three. They had watched the one-sided battle scene about them, but had chosen to remain where they were. As they began to unleash their own powers, The High Queen could see that they wouldn't be as easy to eliminate. For many moments The High Queen fought against their powers as they sent thousands of attacking birds against her, then great wild beasts, flying spears, and every spell and power they could amass together against her. All her efforts were focused upon defense, so she had few moments to think through her next power.

Unexpectedly to her enemies, she placed herself within what looked-liked a white transparent enclosure that shimmered and glowed with intensity. Now protected from their powers and spells, she focused on the power she wanted to unleash, closing her eyes and bringing it to mind.

At the same moment that she disengaged her protective enclosure, she jerked her arms out to the enemy Mystics and sorcerers.

Ann'wn was completely startled,
Nothing has occurred
!

It was as if The High Queen's powers had disappeared from her. She saw that The High Queen waited patiently, but that the enemy Mystics and sorcerers were also surprised, beginning to laugh, now knowing that they had all but won the battle. But the ground beneath them suddenly began to split, and water from the edge of the river began to flood into the opening. The sorcerers and Mystics began to back up, trying to use their own powers swiftly so as to close the great crevice. Their efforts were useless though, as the crack grew until each of the enemy Mystics and sorcerers was sucked into its great gaping growing expanse.

The High Queen was weakening from her exertions, but pleased that her powers had been strong enough, for now, to eliminate this enemy. She turned her mind to Sele',
Young One. Do you sense any other enemies about us?

No, my Queen. Not at this moment.

Release the protective circle for Me.

Little Sele’ stood as she had been taught, and as San'lr'in’ did when commanding her powers to her. Sele’ focused upon her own powers, releasing all of the travelers from the protective barrier. Sle'nel’ watched in disbelief as Sele’ did so, now realizing that Sele’ also had great powers within her. The moment the barrier was dissolved, The Healer went to her High Queen. San'lr'in’ was yet standing where she had been when last using her powers, now unmoving.

"Can you hear me, my Queen?"

San'lr'in’ was overly tired to respond, remaining still and trying only to focus upon her own breathing. The Healer was slightly hesitant to place her hand upon her Queen's head, not knowing if she had removed her all powers, but did so willingly in order to help her. She began to help her Queen move into her first meditation, a spot in which she could help prepare her Queen for re-entry back into The Realm.

"Breathe. Focus. Center on your breathing."

The High Queen wasn't responding to her, so she moved her into her second meditation, “Can you hear me, my Queen? Focus upon your breathing. Breathe steadily. Feel it. Hear it."

After many long moments, she felt her High Queen respond, finally taking a deep breath, then moving herself through her second meditation, back into the first, and then out of the meditations, back into The Realm.

San'lr'in’ opened her eyes, looking weakened, trying to focus upon her Healer. She placed a hand on The Healer's shoulder for support. As Ann'wn saw what was occurring, she ran over to her queen, catching her as she began to fall. Ann'wn laid her gently upon the ground as The Healer explained, “She needs rest."

Young Sele’ came up to her Birth-Mother, who was already crouching on the ground near her lover, worried, “Birth-Mother. We must leave. Our High Queen has bid it so. She has commanded that I inform the Force Leader that we must leave, and quickly. We are not yet out of danger."

"She spoke with you?"

"She commanded me, but had no use for my own thoughts."

"So she is fine?"

Sele’ nodded, placing her little hand on her Birth-Mother's shoulders, “She is stronger than anyone in the entire Realm knows, if not a little grumpy, in my own opinion."

Sle'nel’ rose, looking at Ann'wn, “Then we should leave. Place her on her horse. I can ride with her and hold her while she rests."

Ann'wn nodded, giving the command to prepare. Within a few short moments, they were once again traveling. Ann'wn rode upon Mor'inl', as Sle'nel's horse was now the only one who knew the way to the Skr'kinges'. Ann'wn hadn't desired as such, but had no alternative. She had never ridden any of The High Queen's horses prior, uncomfortable in doing so, and uncomfortable with giving her lead over to any animal. Mor'inl'’ ignored Ann'wn's anxiousness, leading them steadily and directly to their destination, doing so for her new master as well as for her long-prior former master. In truth, Mor'inl'’ yet loved her Queen and would do anything for her.

Uthrn rode next to Ann'wn for a moment, as they began, “These powers of hers. I have never prior seen as such. Why does she need such as us with her?"

Ann'wn nodded a little, “It would seem her powers are stronger than any of us as prior guessed. But she tells me that she needs us so she uses them not unless necessary. They are not meant to be used often. It is all I know on this."

They rode until the sun's set, then rested the horses for a moment. San'lr'in’ woke as the horses halted, looking about her, yet somewhat confused.

She felt Sle'nel’ holding her, speaking softly to her, “My Desire."

Sle'nel’ held her more tightly to her for a moment, “You return.” Sle'nel’ dismounted, “We rest only for a moment, my Queen. Are you able to ride on your own, now? I wish not to over-tire your horse further."

She asked Ann'wn, “Do you know where we are?"

Ann'wn shook her head, “No, my Queen. I follow Mor'inl'’ only."

The High Queen nodded, then rode up to Mor'inl'', placing her hand on the wise horse's head, sensing from her how far they yet needed to travel, “We should arrive well after mid-late eve."

The High Queen whistled softly, waiting. She moved her senses upward into the skies. For a long moment she waited patiently. Hearing what she wanted to hear, she moved her horse slightly away from the others, holding out her arm. As prior, the great raptor landed upon it, shared its information, then swiftly departed.

She turned back to Ann'wn, sighing, “Not a good report."

Ann'wn looked at her in disbelief, “More?"

She nodded, displeased, “They await us at every possible route.

Ann'wn was stunned, “Every possible route, my Queen? Perhaps we should return to the Women in the Trees?"