Anastira
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Serpent’s Heart
Volume One
The Shadow Wrath
§Prologue§
“Beyond the hills there lie,
A sword and shield I espy,
A brook and creek laugh,
And taken the sword, the Queen hath.
The shield there still lieth,
Alone and lost to the world,
But when she does come,
The Serpent Queen shall rule.
Over hill and dale,
Lies a sightly tale,
Where good shall speak
And darkness keep.
There shall the Serpent Queen
Be spotted, alone.
Overthrown.”
“It means nothing,” Liekann protested. “Master Signius, I see nothing of it. I don’t know what you’re trying to make me see, either.” She gazed up at the man, eyes blazing. “This is meaningless! Why did you put me to suffer to find the meaning of these blank, impossibly enigmatic and unsolveable puzzles? The Lady Narassa of Gillion could do no better!”
“Quiet, my apprentice,” Lord Signius Ulstra of Aerth said. “Liekann, if you would only understand, perhaps someday you’d be as grand, as great and intelligent as Lady Narassa is. You are impossibly immersed in your emotions, your feelings. Just once, do this, Liekann: clear your mind of all things possible and focus on the impossible, the impenetrable, the depths of imagination. Do this and you shall have achieved a perfect state.”
Liekann gazed at a master for quite some while, then closed her eyes and knelt on the bright red carpeting of Eleusia’s Great Hall. She loved her master with her heart – he was her only father, albeit not by blood – but sometimes it was hard to obey him, to follow his rules. Slowly, she stood, and felt an odd clearness, softness filling her.
“You have achieved your true state,” she heard Master Signius whispering in the background. “Let me see, Liekann – turn...yes...you have changed. See in the mirror, my child. Go to it. Yes, look, long and hard. You have changed. See how your hair is darker, a more meaningful color, full of purpose? And your bright green eyes – so much more solemn, so much older...”
Liekann felt the curves of her face. She felt a name coursing through her as would her blood, a flood of purpose and meaning. She smiled, whispering the name. Perhaps her eyebrows were sharper, her hair a shade more intense, her eyes slightly darker – but what had been revealed to her was her personality, and the name that framed it so well: Nina.
§Chapter 1§
Olynn gazed at the girl before him. Her hair was a light, warm brown, her eyes a dark oak-color. Her gaze was somber, deliberate, but not emotional. He glanced down, aware of the akwardness of the contact. She smiled slightly, as if in amusement, and said, “That was long ago. Now, my name is Nina and always shall be.”
“The Serpent Queen,” Olynn said thoughtfully, fingering his long, slender goblet. “She...did she have a daughter?”
Nina glanced downwards now, her smile changing into an expression that betrayed her reluctance to discuss the issue. “That conversation lasted little time between Lord Signius and me. That was when I was the mere age of ten. I’m thirteen now – that is long past. But, if you insist...yes.”
“So the Queen has come.”
“And gone just as quickly, yes,” Nina admitted. “But as to where her daughter may be, she disappeared. No one knows where to. We only know she had a daughter, and that the daughter’s title was...” She shook her head. “I...the title was...The Mask of Darkness. It’s often been twisted into the Mask of Death, but those who call her that are uneducated.”
“What of Signius and Narassa? Obviously, Aerth and Gillion are still fairly major cities, but by now, Eleusia’s overtaken them. And I’ve heard nothing of your master be-fore, though I have heard Narassa’s name spoken once or twice.” Olynn paused. “In the all of Laegnius, I’ve never heard of or sought out the River of Lesk. I’d like you to explain that to me as well, if I could ask you to do so.”
“The River of Lesk is where darkness originates,” Nina returned. “Darkness, fear, everything and anything that sucks joy from this world. As for Signius and Narassa...the Lady disappeared just after the discussion that my master and I had – the one I told you about. And for Signius, he is long past and gone from this world.”
Olynn sat silently for a while, gazing out the spacious window he sat by. Nina absentmindedly tugged a necklace out from under her pale blue silk dress, smoothing the fabric with her fingers and surveying the necklace. The gem was a dark green, though the stone contained veins of pale black mist which swirled throughout the gem, giving the necklace a somewhat elegant and intriguing, though enigmatic, appearance.
Olynn stared into the depths of the gem for some while, until Nina returned it to its original place. Then she stood, seemingly alert, and said, “Frisca kayskla,” with a somber nod. Olynn spoke little of the language Nina spoke in now, but he could just make out the short greeting. Behind her stood the shadow of a lofty individual who was barely visible in the light.
A tall, stately woman nodded sharply. “Nina of Niyad,” she said silkily. “Olynn of Incartica. I see you are defying my orders, yet again.” She sighed heavily, lines of exasperation and worry drawn tight on her countenance. “How long it takes all of you youngsters to learn...”
Nina cast Olynn a slightly mischevious glance, and he grinned back.
§
“I...I am a lost traveler of Nauvgard,” the old man muttered, nearly incoherently. His hands fluttered about in longing, as sparse and random as the thin cotton overcoat which covered his otherwise naked body. Nina stood before him, her gaze of wonder and uncertainty. Never before had she seen one of his like, not in such pitiful condition.
The man shuddered again and continued in his bleak appraisals and mournings, taking a different tact, determined to wring some money, or else some other treasure from this young female patron. “For if you will perhaps give a kind old man a bit of gold, or any kind of thing he would treasure...then the skies would look upon you and give you luck, and treasure, and respect you for the Eternal Seventh...Day...”
Nina turned away, banishing the image of the man from her mind. His murmurings were lost uselessly to the winds, and he began to tug at her clothing; but, filling her mind with a kind of hatred she had never before experienced, Nina said scornfully, “Go along now, you’re no nobleman seeking charity for others,” and walked silently away.
Olynn trailed behind her, his eyes distraught. He followed her to the Library, then exclaimed incredulously at her, “Do you know who you just turned down? And old man, no doubt as kind as he said, and what little precious he had! It would have been easy enough to give him a silver – a single silver, lord!”
“He was from Nauvgard, he said,” Nina murmured, then confronted Olynn. “He was begging. Most likely, listening to his speech, he was once some kind of person with much respect and much wealth. Most likely, he spent all that wealth, and now here he is.”
“You could have –”
“Olynn,” Nina retorted tersely, “it was not my fault his was in such a state, nor was it my responsibility to help him out of it.”
“You could have –”
“Given him a silver, I know. But don’t you see? It wasn’t my responsibility, and why waste even a rag on that worthless scrap of a human being? He’d do nothing in return, and as you know good and well, his rumouring about my being given treasure on the Seventh Eternal Day was completely lies, fibs. He only wanted the money, and you know what? He wouldn’t have done anything good with it, either.”
“But still you could have! And it wouldn’t have hurt!”
“It would have taught him that however much he spent, there was always more out there that some ignorant scamp like you would have given him. It would have hurt him, and his laws of behavior. And besides, why should I waste a silver on someone who won’t even use it for his own good will?”
Olynn settled in one of the worn chairs of the library, fingering the torn velvet arms. “It wouldn’t have hurt,” he insisted firmly, and Nina knew she could not argue with him any further. He gazed off into the distance then, and Nina left him, leading her own path through the mazes of books the Library of Eleusia held.
There were only three manuscripts on Nauvgard’s history here. In all, twelve on the area itself: four on maps and geography, five on the fauna and flora there, and the other three on the history.
Nina skipped through the titles quickly: A Broader Knowledge of the Making of Nauvgard, Nauvgard’s History: A Practical Guide, and Worn Through Time: Nauvgard. Nina sighed – none of them were quite adequate, but the last was certainly the best, and as Eleusia’s Library was the most detailed library there was, it was the best Nina would be able to find.
The ancient codex was as worn as its title depicted Nauvgard as, with darkened pale blue paper which sported yellow water-damage blotches. The pages were old and delicate, leaf-thin, and Nina handled them catuiously for fear of damaging the book further.
On the inside of the cover was signed an intricately woven S, marked through with all sorts of decorative ornaments. Above it were several crossed-out names, such as Fienald, Marthro and Julin. And as intricately decorated as the S had been on the first page, the second page sported the title, marked in elegant golden handwriting.
Most of the chapters were useless, but two caught Nina’s attention: A Brief Overview and Distinguished Events.
“‘The First Clash: Overtide,’” she read in a whisper. “‘The battle of Overtide was fought by the town which was its namesake...’ Which is of no great use, of course – ah, here... ‘The Swarm. At about twelve hundred and forty years after its founding, what is rumoured to be Nauvgard’s greatest city, Lornsten Voice, was overrun with nobles. These swarms were attracted to this great city as bees would be to honey.
“‘The constant flood of imigrants and the low emigrant rate devastated Nauvgard. Consequently, many of the nobles there lost business from travelers as the emigrant rate increased and the imigrant decreased along with travelers and business. These nobles became poor, very poor indeed, and many moved to the cities of Aerth and Gillion before they were devastated, as Nauvgard had been, from loss of income.
“‘Many did not leave quickly enough, and were stranded in Nauvgard. After the times had begun to even out somewhat, many of the nobles were able to leave Lornsten Voice for the better parts southwards. Unfortunately, they had been reduced to mere beggers.
“‘Now there was a swarm, and still is, to Eleusia especially, as it is the closest thriving center to Lornsten Voice and Nauvgard. Many years in the future, there will most likely still be such beggers roaming, cowardly and uselessly, asking for money which should not be given away. So the swarm had ended – a mere year with a large, horrid, and devastating toll.’”
Olynn rolled off of his armchair, eyes wide. “What did you say...so you were right!” He stared with great indignance and awe at Nina, then back at the aged manuscript. “Who is that author – Horris Neels; so it’s not just you silly females...”
“It’s you silly males too,” Nina chided him with a grin. “Anyhow – you see now. I did study some history, you must have forgotten, Olynn. I wanted to show you – and if you yet don’t believe me fully, you can look through all three books,” and she gestured at the three codices at her feet, “read them yourself, and see if you can understand them.”
“Those things are so worn and torn I couldn’t handle them right,” Olynn said. “Besides, I’ve heard it from Neels, and now I think I may believe you. Still, that little old noble was so very convincing – I suppose nobles are taught to talk with their tongues instead of with their brains, eh?”
“They speak a lot, as I understand it,” Nina responded. She smiled slightly. “They contrive their plans in their minds, silently, and then they convey it to the crowds with their clever little tongues; and with such a multitude of people that I couldn’t have seen over that sea of heads, much less talk to them on the podium where I would be so obvious.”
Olynn settled back into his chair, exasperation and suspiciousness in his eyes, this time with the three manuscripts at hand, and with Nina watching him steadily, with amusement in her eyes. She opened another book at random, and immediately her face went blank.
The cover was in the most elegant and gaudy script that ever Nina had encountered. A green jewel with traces of black – just like her amulet – was drawn on the front, inscribed on the leather in paint as would have been used on canvas. But there was a slight difference: in the middle of the gem was carved a normal S, not the double S that Nina’s amulet sported.
The title glared out of the brown pages, written in dark green ink which shimmered in the light of the Library’s chandeliers: Queen of the Serpents.
Nina’s voice caught in her throat as reverently she turned another page and finally, fully read the age-old tale. But whether the ancient story was true or false was the query which had nagged her for so long, and after placing the book back on its assigned place on the shelf, Nina felt that surely the Serpent Queen’s daughter did in fact exist.
But there was more than that: Nina was sure the mysterious kin of the Serpent Queen existed nearby – so close that it was unexplainable.
Part of her soul rebelled against her conclusion – but then, it was the conclusion that she had drawn, and another individual might have drawn a different conclusion, or the same as Nina’s but applying to them instead. Indeed, it was strictly a matter of opinion, and as there were no supporting facts of evidence so far, Nina could not be sure.
Olynn stood, eyes hot, and said to her, “Then you’re right – about the nobles coming to Eleusia to beg for a living. But what will we do now? I mean, what is there to do but watch...”
“Events unfold,” Nina finished for him. “Olynn, we cannot let such corruption and such despair overtake this world. For now, I believe the truth is recondite, but we can still search for it, no doubt. The governing system of this world has gone overboard, and the Emperor of the Gilded Throne has been apotheosized – that is to say, he is now only as high in rank as a deity would be, to the people.”
Sighing, Nina exited the Library and immediately was confronted, once more, with the beggar from Nauvgard. Summoning a sensation of fury tov herself, she hissed at the man, “I am a Sorceress of Nauvgard. You must go, or I will call the Council here to try you.”
“Lady – I can...I will help you – with the Serpent Queen...two golds...”
“I also don’t like eavesdroppers,” she informed him coldly.
“I know your wishes,” the man murmured. “Both in here...” – he gestured towards his head – “and in here...” – and he gestured to his heart. “You want...to know your identity...and I – only I...can help you find it...” He shuddered and fell into a spasm; when it was all done and over he glanced back up at her with a trace of anger.
“I will command all of the Tenth Order upon you if you break an oath of the greatest Sorceress,” Nina told him. “You must oath – you must oath to never abandon me, and to help me upon your life if I give you five golds.” She held the pieces out in her hand, small and elegantly carved, treasure to this man’s eye. “You must help me with heart and soul – and mind, of course. Will you take this offer?”
“Will...you sustain me...for the time I travel with you, Lady?”
“With food and water? Provisions?” She laughed, her eyes betraying her incredulity. “Of course! Else you would be dying! Certainly...”
The man was much pleasanter now – indeed, he had started to control that tremble which had overtaken him at first. He held out his slightly grimy hand, straightened upon his staff, eyes dark and promising. Nina hesitated for a mere moment before dropping the coins into his open palm.
“I oath...” the man said, voice quaking, not with terror but with cold. “I oath that never shall I, in the coming months, years, and centuries, leave the side of...”
“Nina of Niyad – or Algraed, if it suits you better,” Nina told him, speaking lastly the name of her world.
“Leave the side of Nina of Niyad, or in any way harm, injure, or kill her. I will fully subdue myself to her cause, and guide her in any way needed, and provide the best of service to her. As a Sorcerer myself, I feel the Aether in her blood and succumb to it, and together we should be powerful again.”
“I – I’m actually...”
“No. It was perhaps...perhaps a lie to you when you said it...but...truly, you are a Sorceress – a unique one...at that...”
Nina turned away, thoughts clashing in the depths of her intellect. Olynn stood behind her solemnly, his countenance drawn, as if he wondered what would become of her and this meandering old man that once Olynn had supported; indeed, this was the very same man he had complained Nina had not given one silver to – and now here she was, spending five golds on him. What a change...
“Who are you – truly?” Nina asked the man, glancing up at him as they walked. “What is your true identity? Identities are so often stolen, hidden, lied about these days, what with the system of governance collapsing and chaos coming to swallow the world. I could not have thought of any worse.”
The man turned towards her, stopped, clearly wondering if he should tell this young scrap of a girl – this bewitching Sorceress – who he truly was, but finally he nodded and said, “I...am Kevoski, of the land known as Nauvgard... I am a Sorcerer by blood and by heart and by soul and mind. I was once Guardian of the Northern Sun, but that status has passed by me now...”
“And what with...I mean, do you have a physical or mental disease or otherwise some kind of shock problem? Not to be insolent, but it just seems odd to me...” Nina sighed. “I wish I had known you better, to think of it. You may as well be a turncoat, or a loyal comrade, but how am I to know?”
“When I am sure that truly I am within the grasp of the Sorceress...then I do not lie or turn sides.” The man glanced about, as if afraid that someone might hear them. “I am Kevoski of the Northern Sun, I like to say. Many people wonder at the sound of that – they look it up, and then they see there’s no town called Northern Sun. Only Lornsten Voice, which is my birthplace and home.”
That struck a note in Nina. Slowly she turned, fingering her cloak, and breathed, “So you actually did. I mean...you were part of the swarm. And you came down here to beg for money, and a life, and now you have one – but it is much harder than any that most would come for...did you mean to find me here?”
“I meant to find the daughter of the Serpent Queen.” This sentence was so very clear, smooth, as if the man was young again. He smiled crookedly and said, “She is nearby...so close I cannot say where, and I want to find her. She shall be...the turning of this world, how light is restored to the coming darkness once more.
Olynn grinned maliciously beneath his hood at the astonished expression Nina’s face had taken on. The girl’s voice has risen a full octave, the cadence quicker, more hasty. Slowly, as in a trance or dream, she moved forth, taking the man by the hand and leading the mysterious figure forward, toward the abandoned Mistrell Church.
“I – I know this place...my young Sorceress,” Kevoski murmured, clenching his hand in Nina’s. “This place is traced throughout...with the Serpent Queen’s knowledge, her hatred, her advice. Lead me from the place, I beg you – hateful, I say!”
The girl was perplexed, again; but at Kevoski’s urging she did as she was told, her back turned away from the Church, unaware of the silver shadow which followed closely on her heels. Olynn, too, was oblivious to the newcomer, so clever was the girl. It was not until the stranger let out a marvelously clear, merry, bell-like laugh that Olynn, Nina, and Kevoski turned.
“And who are you, to be intruding upon our privacy?” the old man rumbled, a hint of dark, pure anger in his voice. On that note, he turned away and beckoned his Lady and her good friend to follow.
“Skolia, sir. Daughter of the Governor Loclough, sir.”
“Oh,” said Olynn mockingly, and not without a hint of amused suspicion in his voice. “A child of old Raksleuth’s, eh? If I’m right, the Governor’s not been doing all that well in his political strategy classes, has he? It seems the populace doesn’t think he’s fit to be Governor of Eleusia anymore.”
The girl’s bright eyes turned a cold, icy shade of blue. “You scoff at him, and yet he has accomplished far more than you can ever hope to accomplish. This man is no idiot, young sir. I will defend my father by my life, and have pledged so – you think you can amuse yourself by mocking him? Then you are asking for an eternal duel with all those of my bloodline. Apologize now or you commit your family to that duel!”
Nina paused, shaken by the silver-haired girl’s sharp retort. She turned first to Olynn to warn him against any more arguments, then to Skolia to apologize for Olynn’s insolent behavior.
< Message edited by Anastira -- 8/17/2011 17:59:44 >
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